Future directions for performance-related sports science research: an interdisciplinary approach

The present paper is based on a review which was commissioned by the Sports Council (London) on behalf of the Open Section of the British Association of Sports Sciences (BASS). This was one of four such reviews which were collectively designed to provide information pertinent to the formulation of a strategy that would guide fundamental sports science research in the UK until the year 2000. All of the reviews were expected to focus on research that was relevant to the performance of the elite athlete and the specific brief of the Open Section Review was to concentrate on interdisciplinary research. The current paper established the unique value of interdisciplinary sports science research. Four themes were considered in some detail in order to review the extant interdisciplinary research and propose directions for future research involving an interdisciplinary approach. The four topics were talent identification, adherence, injuries and peaking. A critical review of each area revealed a lack of interdisciplinary research and recommendations for future research priorities were made. The paper is concluded with a brief outline of a strategy that would facilitate the development and expansion of interdisciplinary sports science research.