The ‘good’ environment in talent development: A person-oriented prospective study of the parent–coach system

Abstract

This study advances knowledge on what constitutes a ‘good’ talent development environment for career outcomes, by examining the combined influence of the parent-coach-system from a relational perspective and a person-oriented methodology. We followed 105 Swiss elite youth football players, who completed validated questionnaires at the U13 (2011) and the U14 level (2012) to assess the perceived environment (parent behaviour: Praise and Understanding, Directive Behaviour, Pressure; coach behaviour: Social Support, Positive Feedback, Democratic Behaviour). Their adult professional football level was assessed in 2023. Cluster analysis revealed four stable types of athletes across both time points. Two significant transitions emerged: the athlete type who perceived low levels across all variables had a lower probability of turning professional, whereas the athlete type characterised by parental praise and understanding combined with directive behaviour and some pressure, alongside low positive feedback and social support but involvement in decision-making had a higher probability of reaching the professional level. These findings underscore the importance of viewing the parent–coach system as an interconnected whole. They reveal compensation (e.g. stable parental praise and understanding buffering limited coach positive feedback) and complementation mechanisms (e.g. directive parental behaviours paired with democratic coaching) shaping athletes’ long-term career outcomes.