Sovetsky Sport. November 24, 1967. Starting a discussion on talent scouting, the editorial staff addressed readers with a number of questions concerning this issue. Today, we are publishing the answers of one of the leading specialists in gymnastics, Yuri Eduardovich Shtukman.
What should physical education teachers, coaches, doctors, and parents be guided by when advising a child to attend a specialized children's sports school, and what do their own experience and observations suggest to them?
The physical education teacher should play the main role in selecting children for specialized sports schools. An experienced, qualified physical education teacher, working with children in school, can, after a certain time - say, by the third or fourth grade - form a clear and precise understanding of the physical, psychological, intellectual, and inner qualities of each of their students, their character, strength, emotionality, endurance, agility, courage - in short, all of those aptitudes that may indicate that the student, in the conditions of a specialized children's school (having such aptitudes) will eventually be able to develop into a top-level athlete (which is precisely the goal of such a specialized school).
Therefore, during the selection process, coaches are required to attend physical education classes at schools, observe the students, and have access to character references of the children recommended for selection. During 2-3 years of working with children, a physical education teacher can almost infallibly determine their inclination towards a particular sport. Undoubtedly, this will greatly facilitate the the coach's task in finding talent. But this does not mean that an experienced specialist should rely entirely on the recommendation of thephysical education teacher. By combining these recommendations with their own experience, the coach can confidently make selections, having a sufficient understanding, if not of the child's talent, then at least of their physical characteristics that predispose them to active sports activities in the future.
During the selection process, the doctor must take into account that students of a specialized sports school will be subjected to very high physical and psychological stress which, naturally, would be beyond the capabilities of a child with the slightest health problem. Therefore, all physical indicators of a child selected for a specialized school must be above average statistical norms (constitution, dynamics, lung capacity, reaction time, endurance, etc.).
There is only one requirement for parents - to support in their child the same attitude and enthusiasm with which the child usually comes to school. And perhaps, also to have trust in the coach.
Is it right to determine at an early age children's predisposition and abilities for active sports activities in the future?
This is legitimate. Just as a physical education teacher during lessons, an experienced coach during training sessions, after a certain period (say, a year) can quite freely assess a student's ability for further athletic development. It's possible to differentiate students into talented, capable, less capable, and incapable. They can form the necessary understanding of the student's character as a whole, their capabilities and their limits, because in the process of work all the qualities of character, psychology, and intellect of the student are very clearly revealed, and perhaps one of the coach's concerns in this aspect is to cultivate in the student qualities that contribute to becoming an athlete, and to combat everything that may hinder this.
Do children always inherit excellent health, height, strength, perseverance, tenacity, and other physical and inner qualities from their parents?
Of course, the heredity factor cannot be disregarded. But heredity does not always manifest itself immediately, and it would hardly be wise to reject a child based on the appearance or character of their parents. There can be too many exceptions that only prove the rule, and vice versa.
However, I am inclined to think that children inherit most of their inner qualities from their parents, and the influence of the environment - not only the parental environment, but also the neighborhood, the street, and the school - is very important, as are the family's cultural and general educational background and family interests (in particular, interest in sports). All of this contributes to the formation of the inner world of children.
What is more important in sports education at the present stage: talent selection or talent development?
Despite all its importance and significance, the selection process for future athletes is always largely conditional. It is hardly possible to identify a future Olympic champion by just looking at them. That would be venturing into the realm of mysticism. A sports coach receives raw material with physial and psychological characteristics that only hint at the possibility of improvement. Therefore, the most important aspect of a coach's work is the constant search for ways and methods to achieve this improvement.
Talent is not an end in itself. As a rule, it is accompanied by many qualities that, if neglected by the coach, can destroy the talent itself, and there are many examples of this. Only the tireless hard work of both the coach and the student makes talent flourish. The task of the coach is to instill a love for work, constant and conscious work, from which the student should feel satisfaction, and, undoubtedly, achieve positive results. Only in the process of work can talent be revealed and shine in all its facets. However, the problem is that this happens very, very rarely. The transformation of talent into a personality, into a bright individual, is a very long, complex creative process that requires selfless, daily dedication of physical, intellectual and spiritual strength from both the coach and the athlete. And when such a fortunate convergence of willpower, character, goals, faith, and work occurs, outstanding athletes are born.
YU. SHTUKMAN, Merited Coach of the USSR