From Play to Practice: Athlete Development for Coaches

Becoming an elite performer in any field (and, in sporting activities specifically) involves, in part, engaging in a varying amount of deliberate play and deliberate practice. But, how do athletes develop to a point where they are motivated to engage in such sporting activities? And, what can coaches learn and apply from these different stages of athlete development? This article addresses these questions; first, by presenting an overview of the developmental model of sport participation (DMSP); and, then by outlining some specific applications of the DMSP model for coaching athletes.