Making Champs and Super-Champs—Current Views, Contradictions, and Future Directions

In our 2016 paper (Collins et al., 2016a), we proposed that superchamps (athletes who have achieved the highest level in their sport) were differentiated from their less successful counterparts by their use of positive proactive coping and a “learn from it” approach to challenge. This skill-based fo...

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Main Authors: David J. Collins, Aine Macnamara
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2017-05-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00823/full
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author David J. Collins
Aine Macnamara
author_facet David J. Collins
Aine Macnamara
author_sort David J. Collins
collection DOAJ
description In our 2016 paper (Collins et al., 2016a), we proposed that superchamps (athletes who have achieved the highest level in their sport) were differentiated from their less successful counterparts by their use of positive proactive coping and a “learn from it” approach to challenge. This skill-based focus to talent development (TD) is supported extensively in the literature (e.g., MacNamara et al., 2010a,b) and suggests that the differences between levels of adult achievement relate more to what performers bring to the challenges than what they experience (Collins et al., 2016a). In this focused review we present and discuss a number of key concepts related to this paper and other parallel research in TD. We begin by presenting our pragmatic objectives and the importance of considering how we evaluate the research with an emphasis on its application to the applied setting. We then consider commonalities and differences in recent psychological approaches to TD, namely the experiential, attitudinal, and skill-based. The paper then provides further exploration of the Psychological Characteristics of Developing Excellence and their role in TD processes. We conclude with a consideration of future research and the application of research in TD. Reflecting our pragmatic stance as researchers, we hope that this focused review provides suggestions for progress and stimulates critical debate amongst practitioners, researchers and policy makers.
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spelling doaj.art-d4132b952c7d41248415e0b1310a18a12022-12-22T02:07:31ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782017-05-01810.3389/fpsyg.2017.00823234682Making Champs and Super-Champs—Current Views, Contradictions, and Future DirectionsDavid J. CollinsAine MacnamaraIn our 2016 paper (Collins et al., 2016a), we proposed that superchamps (athletes who have achieved the highest level in their sport) were differentiated from their less successful counterparts by their use of positive proactive coping and a “learn from it” approach to challenge. This skill-based focus to talent development (TD) is supported extensively in the literature (e.g., MacNamara et al., 2010a,b) and suggests that the differences between levels of adult achievement relate more to what performers bring to the challenges than what they experience (Collins et al., 2016a). In this focused review we present and discuss a number of key concepts related to this paper and other parallel research in TD. We begin by presenting our pragmatic objectives and the importance of considering how we evaluate the research with an emphasis on its application to the applied setting. We then consider commonalities and differences in recent psychological approaches to TD, namely the experiential, attitudinal, and skill-based. The paper then provides further exploration of the Psychological Characteristics of Developing Excellence and their role in TD processes. We conclude with a consideration of future research and the application of research in TD. Reflecting our pragmatic stance as researchers, we hope that this focused review provides suggestions for progress and stimulates critical debate amongst practitioners, researchers and policy makers.http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00823/fulltalentdevelopmentmental skillslifeskillsperformance pathway
spellingShingle David J. Collins
Aine Macnamara
Making Champs and Super-Champs—Current Views, Contradictions, and Future Directions
Frontiers in Psychology
talent
development
mental skills
lifeskills
performance pathway
title Making Champs and Super-Champs—Current Views, Contradictions, and Future Directions
title_full Making Champs and Super-Champs—Current Views, Contradictions, and Future Directions
title_fullStr Making Champs and Super-Champs—Current Views, Contradictions, and Future Directions
title_full_unstemmed Making Champs and Super-Champs—Current Views, Contradictions, and Future Directions
title_short Making Champs and Super-Champs—Current Views, Contradictions, and Future Directions
title_sort making champs and super champs current views contradictions and future directions
topic talent
development
mental skills
lifeskills
performance pathway
url http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00823/full
work_keys_str_mv AT davidjcollins makingchampsandsuperchampscurrentviewscontradictionsandfuturedirections
AT ainemacnamara makingchampsandsuperchampscurrentviewscontradictionsandfuturedirections