Despite heavy investment, many talent development pathways are inefficient and at risk of talent wastage (Baker et al., 2017; MacNamara & Collins, 2011). The present thesis aimed to identify multidimensional characteristics that could inform more effective talent development in sport. The aim of Chapter 1 was to systematically review longitudinal quantitative and qualitative talent development and talent selection research to provide an understanding of current characteristics known to be important within effective talent development. Chapters 2 and 3 aimed to address the research lacunas revealed by Chapter 1 through investigation of male and female players’ developmental experiences prior to, and progression through, GB Hockey’s elite development programme (EDP). Overall, the present thesis advanced the field of talent development and should help practitioners better support athletes through the creation of more effective talent development environments.

Specifically, Chapter 1 advanced the talent development in sport literature as it was the first to systematically review quantitative and qualitative longitudinal talent development and selection research. The review revealed that performance variables (e.g., sprint ability) in quantitative talent selection studies changed non-linearly alongside talent development factors (e.g., maturation). Concurrently, the aggregation of qualitative studies in this review suggested balancing the demands of training and education was challenging, and psychological characteristics in developing excellence (PCDEs) helped athletes overcome these challenges. Importantly, Chapter 1 identified that literature on talent development in sport is currently limited by an overrepresentation of studies comprising quantitative research methods and male only samples, supporting a need for a holistic investigation into the characteristics that are important for the development of expertise in female athletes.

Chapter 2 built on from Chapter 1 as it addressed the need for more female qualitative research to better understand male and female differences in development of expertise. A case study was chosen to allow comparison of similarities and differences amongst male and female players. The findings suggested several commonalities among sexes that underpinned development of expertise prior to the EDP such as having: a strong work ethic; a pure enjoyment for hockey; experienced a major setback; and a close supportive network. However, differences between male and female players occurred in the type of social support received during development. For example, male players reported having received and benefitted from informational support while female players reported having received and benefited tangible support during development. The findings further highlighted the importance of psychosocial factors and support the need to investigate multidimensional factors that predict the progression of athletes within an elite talent pathway (e.g., psychosocial development & practice environment). Investigation of the multidimensional factors that underpin progression of athletes within an elite talent pathway will lead to a better understanding of the characteristics needed to be developed in male and female players throughout an elite hockey pathway.

Accordingly, Chapter 3 was the first to identify a pattern of multidimensional characteristics that underpinned progression of male and female hockey players. More specifically, a mixed retrospective prospective design captured practice history (i.e., player demographics, early sporting experiences, volume of practice, milestones & the microstructure of practice) and psychosocial characteristics (e.g., player life experiences, personality & behaviour) within an elite hockey pathway. Pattern recognition-derived models suggested the characteristics that underpinned the male players’ progression from the EDP to the GB Senior Squad occurred post-specialisation (i.e., during two time points captured in adulthood). Prior to selection, progressed male players reported completing more blocked practice, less serial practice, and coped better with setbacks. In contrast, characteristics that underpinned the progression of female players occurred both prior to specialisation and post specialisation. Prior to specialisation, female players reported less exposure to anxiety during practice and engaged less in mental skills. They were more likely to have a parent who was a hockey player and had attended a private college at 16 years. Post-specialisation progressed female players perceived less comprehensibility in life but perceived their training environment as less psychologically challenging. Likewise, they perceived to have experienced more serial-varied practice and engagement in mental skills, were at greater risk of mental illness, and were more likely employed during the season.

Overall, this diverse body of work supported and advanced the talent development literature as Chapter 1 further supported the need to investigate talent development holistically, particularly in female athletes using qualitative research methods. Chapter 2 advanced the literature as it identified male and female athletes may require different types of social support during development. Lastly, Chapter 3 further advanced the literature as it identified a multidimensional pattern that underpinned the progression of male and female hockey players in an elite hockey pathway. In conclusion, this thesis supports the need to investigate talent development holistically in both male and female athletes using a diversity of research methods, to better understand how elite sport pathways can develop talent more effectively.