Developing guidelines for selection-deselection in high performance sport for athletes, coaches, and organisations: A...

Area of Science:

• Sport Psychology
• Talent Management
• Organizational Behavior

Background:

• Athlete selection and deselection are critical yet under-researched processes in competitive sports.
• These processes involve multiple stakeholders, including athletes, coaches, and organizational personnel.
• Outcomes evoke strong emotions, highlighting the need for structured approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify consensus-based recommendations for managing athlete selection and deselection.
• To explore the perspectives of various stakeholders involved in these processes.
• To develop actionable strategies for athletes, coaches, and organizations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Delphi method with an expert panel of 20 participants (coaches, athletes, high-performance personnel).
• Conducted three rounds of consensus-building to reach a 75% agreement level on 60 items.
• Performed content analysis to categorize findings by stakeholder (athlete, coach, organization).

Main Results:

• Achieved consensus on 60 items related to athlete selection and deselection.
• Categorized findings into athlete (14 items), coach (21 items), and organization (25 items) perspectives.
• Identified subcategories including personal, interpersonal, procedural, educational, supportive, communicative, and reviewing behaviors.

Conclusions:

• Established a framework of behaviors and actions for athletes, coaches, and organizations to manage selection/deselection.
• Emphasized the need for consistency, common ground, and smoother navigation of these challenging situations.
• Highlighted the importance of addressing the emotional and practical aspects for all involved stakeholders.