Talent Development in Sport and Movement
More and more children have motor delays. Poorly-developed motor skills hinder their ability to enjoy sport or pursue careers in the sporting world. As a result, there is a risk of the Netherlands finding itself facing a shortage of talented young athletes. The Professorship Talent Development in Sport and Movement undertakes applied research into talent development in sports and ways to improve athletic performance.
The Professorship Talent Development in Sport and Movement focuses on the development of motor skills and learning in sports, based on the Athletic Skills Model (ASM). In addition to specialising in just one sport, this model provides the scope for practicing other sports, considering this to be something that enhances the quality of sports training – both for professional athletes and for those involved at the amateur level.
Field labs
In the sport field labs, scientists, coaches, athletes and students come together to undertake applied research projects. The field labs fall under the Amsterdam Institute of Sport Science (AISS). One of them is the Almere Knowledge Centre for Talent (‘Almere Kenniscentrum voor Talent’, AKT).
AKT focuses on the motor and talent development of children between the ages of 4 and 16. The research team focuses on the development and implementation of a motor screening test, based on which researchers will design intervention programmes aimed at the full range of motor development – from children who aren’t getting enough exercise through to fledgling professional athletes.