Talent identification and development in children with reference to India

Abstract

Talent identification is an ongoing process. Talent is measured by the rate of improvement in the training situation. Various researchers have indicated that it can be classified into three stages. First phase: of talent identification is below 10–12 years of age. The second: stage of talent identification would need to be carried out between 13 and 16 years of age. Third stage: selected athletes are ultimately directed to elite junior programmes. The third phase of talent identification is mainly concerned with high calibre athletes for example, national team members. Selection of Indian talent is based on various scheme run by Government of India. Continuous study and evaluation of scheme children of India has indicated that the initial weight and physiological capacity of talented children is higher. However gain in physical and physiological parameters in trained population was not significantly different. Indicating that most of initial selected children were early maturer or chronological age declared was wrong. The long term development and training, coaching methods can play a better role. During long term training plan of development parameters most sensitive to change during certain periods of physical growth and development needs to be considered. In talent development the skills and physiological capacities relations with other factors at later stages of development needs to be also considered. The observation on growth and development of various parameters in Indian talented children will be discussed.