What is sports development?

The main aim of sports development is to provide links/opportunities for young people to progress along the sports development continuum (player pathway). The continuum produces the following pyramid model:

Foundation

This level provides the base of the pyramid. During this stage there should be more participants learning/experiencing basic sporting skills. Examples of activities which contribute to this stage are:
Primary PE lessons, Top Play activities (sports development), multi sports sessions (sports centres).
The acquisition of good exercise/skill habits provides a basis for personal development and future participation in the sport of their choice.

Participation

This stage is when children begin to participate in specific activity on a regular basis for enjoyment purposes. Sports development contributes significantly to this stage with its community tops programme (after school coaching), school festivals, multi skills clubs and providing club/school links. Sports clubs become important at this stage as they make the link to the next stage of development.

Performance

During this stage young people begin to concentrate on sport specific skills and begin to develop talent in specific sports. Quality coaching is an essential part of player development at this level and the following schemes contribute to this:
Organised by sports development-coaching weeks, Shropshire youth games.
Other: Active sports, club activity.

Excellence

The excellence stage provides the peak of the pyramid, and demonstrates the level where individuals reach sporting excellence. Obviously the pyramid narrows here as the number of players will reduce at this stage. Governing bodies of sport are responsible for development at this level as players pass from county to regional to national squads.