Where did They Go? An Exploratory Study of Player Development Pathways in Gaelic Games

Different patterns of performance development exist in high level athletes (e.g., early entry and steady progression, late entry into high performance). Few investigations have evaluated the relationship between specific patterns of performance development and subsequent success. Three exploratory case studies are presented focused on three regions and two codes (football and hurling) within Gaelic games, tracking male players from either Under-14 or Under-18 through to Adult High Performance (AHP). Data for 1841 players were sourced from a convenience sample of archives. The most common pathway for AHP players to develop was through both Under-18 and Under-21 teams (18-21-AHP), although one quarter of both AHP hurlers and footballers followed an alternative pathway. Players who followed the 18-21-AHP pathway played significantly more games at AHP than some peers who had developed on an alternative pathway. Approximately 10% of hurlers on Under 14 development squads progressed to AHP; transition to Under-18 and Under-21 teams was significantly better for players on the Under 14 first team relative to the second team, however there was no significant difference in the proportion of Under-14 players from either team who progressed to AHP. One quarter of Under-18 players and one third of Under-21 players progressed to play AHP; significantly more Under-21 players with Under-18 experience progressed to AHP than Under-21 players without Under-18 experience. In addition to illustrating the prevalence of different patterns of performance development in Gaelic games, this study raises questions about the quality of - or blind spots within - the current talent development system.