Long-Term Athlete Development

Istvan Balyi, MA, is a sport consultant and expert in Canadian Sport for Life and long-term athlete development. Balyi has served as a sport scientist in residence at the National Coaching Institute in Victoria, British Columbia, and remains involved in the program delivery of planning and periodization and LTAD. As one of the architects of the long-term athlete development model, Balyi has served as an LTAD advisor for 50 sports in 7 countries and facilitated the use of LTAD for more than 20 countries. Balyi has worked with 17 Canadian national teams as a high-performance consultant and been responsible for athletic development planning and periodization for multiple Olympic medalists. In addition, Balyi has taught planning, periodization, and LTAD modules in Australia, Bahrain, Chile, England, Ireland, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Portugal, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, the United Sates, the Netherlands, and Wales. Balyi resides in Victoria, British Columbia, where he enjoys reading, listening to music, and cooking. Richard Way, MBA, is Canadian Sport for Life's Senior Leader and is an expert on long-term athlete development. He is also a principal of Citius Performance Corporation and serves on the faculty of the Institute for Global Studies at the University of Delaware. Way developed the LTAD model along with Istvan Balyi and has served as a long-term athlete development advisor for 30 sports in 4 countries. He has also facilitated the use of LTAD in over 50 countries. As a chartered professional coach, Way represented Canada as a luge racer and coach for over 10 years. Way holds a Medal of Honor for Exceptional Contributions to the Development of the International Luge Sport awarded by the Federation Internationale de Luge de Course (FIL). He received his advanced diploma in coaching in 2005 from the National Coaching Institute. Way is president of the International Sport for Life Society. He was also the director of sport for Vancouver's successful 2010 Bid Corporation. Way enjoys spending time with his children in community sports, traveling, and playing soccer and hockey. He resides in Victoria, British Columbia. Colin Higgs, PhD, is a sport consultant and expert in long-term athlete development. He has worked with many national governments and nongovernmental sport and disability sport organizations in North America, the Caribbean, southern Africa, and central Asia. As a consultant, Higgs is currently involved in the redevelopment of the Caribbean Coaching Certification Program and the design, development, and implementation of a youth sport program in the Caribbean to reduce the incidence and impact of HIV/ AIDS. Higgs is working to transform the Canadian sport system with the goals of decreased negative medical consequences of physical inactivity and increased international sport performance for Canada's athletes. Higgs is a frequent presenter at international conferences and has authored more than 60 publications on physical literary, long-term athlete development, and coaching with special emphasis on individuals with disabilities. In 2013 Higgs was the inaugural recipient of the International Paralympic Committee's Sport Science Awards and also received the Queen's 60th Jubilee Medal for community service to Canada in support of reeducing physical inactivity. He is a professor emeritus at Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada. Higgs resides in Sydenham, Ontario, Canada.

Part I. Introduction to Long-Term Athlete Development Chapter 1. Long-Term Athlete Deveopment Model Beginnings of LTAD LTAD Model Explained Sport for Life Philosophy Framework for Working Together Guide for Participating in Sport and Physical Activity Tool for Change Summary Questions for Reflection References To Learn More Chapter 2. Athletes With Disabilities Sport for People With Disabilities LTAD Stages for Athletes With Disabilities Special Considerations Supporting Athletes With Disabilities Summary Questions for Reflection References To Learn More Part II. Key Factors in Long-Term Athlete Development Chapter 3. Physical Literacy Physical Literacy Definitions Physical Literacy Development in Children Appropriate Skill Development in Children Summary Questions for Reflection References To Learn More Chapter 4. Specialization Specialization Defined Negative Consequences of Specializing Too Early Positive Effects of Specialization at the Optimal Time Optimal Time to Specialize Specialization Groups Sport-Specific Specialization Athlete Development Models Summary Questions for Reflection References To Learn More Chapter 5. Age Age Categories Relative Age Developmental Age Measuring and Monitoring Growth Summary Questions for Reflection References To Learn More Chapter 6. Trainability Sensitive Periods of Trainability Trainability of Stamina Trainability of Strength Trainability of Speed Trainability of Skill Trainability of Suppleness Training and Competition During Puberty Summary Questions for Reflection References To Learn More Chapter 7. Intellectual, Emotional, and Moral Development Capacities Interplay of Intellectual, Emotional and Moral Development Physical Development Intellectual Development Emotional Development Moral Development Influence of Intellectual, Emotional, and Moral Development on LTAD Learning Styles Summary Questions for Reflection References To Learn More Chapter 8. Excellence Takes Time Importance of Practice in Excellence Importance of Multisport Participation and Free Play Importance of the Physical, Cognitive, and Emotional Domains to Excellence Perils of Premature Selection Keys to Achieving Necessary Training Hours Summary Questions for Reflection References To Learn More Chapter 9. Periodization Periodization and LTAD Components of Periodization 10-Step Approach to Creating an Annual Plan Implementing the 10 Steps of an Annual Cycle Summary Questions for Reflection References To Learn More Chapter 10. Competition Competition and LTAD Issues in Competition Making Good Decisions Training-to-Competition Ratios Through the Stages Summary Questions for Reflection References To Learn More Chapter 11. Sport System Alignment and Integration System Alignment From an Individual Perspective System Alignment From a Sport Organization Perspective System Alignment From a Sector Perspective LTAD and S4L Implications for Policy Development Summary Questions for Reflection References To Learn More Chapter 12. Continuous Improvement Technology Changes Paradigm Changes Influencing Change Actions for Continuous Improvement Summary Questions for Reflection References To Learn More Part III. Stages of Long-Term Athlete Development Chapter 13. Active Start Active Start Importance Physical Activity and the Brain Critical and Sensitive Periods Maturity and Body Movements Appropriate Activities and Programs Summary Questions for Reflection References To Learn More Chapter 14. Fundamentals Evolution of Skills Fundamental Movement Skills Locomotor Skills in Varied Environments Attaining All of the Fundamental Movement Skills Learning and Teaching Fundamental Movement Skills Key Training and Performance Characteristics Summary Questions for Reflection References To Learn More Chapter 15. Learn to Train Learn to Train Basics Key Training and Performance Characteristics Summary Questions for Reflection References To Learn More Chapter 16. Train to Train Train to Train Basics Key Training and Performance Characteristics Summary Questions for Reflection References To Learn More Chapter 17. Train to Compete Train to Compete Basics Key Training and Performance Characteristics Summary Questions for Reflection Summary To Learn More Chapter 18. Train to Win Train to Win Basics Key Training and Performance Characteristics Summary Questions for Reflection Summary To Learn More Chapter 19. Active for Life Active for Life Basics Importance of Active for Life Competitive for Life Basics Fit for Life Basics Sport and Physical Activity Leaders Summary Questions for Reflection References To Learn More