Towards a conceptual framework for understanding the ecological factors associated with talent development among football players in South Africa

Abstract

Based on bioecological and cultural historical approaches, the aims of this study were to identify and explore ecological factors influencing the environment’s success in developing talented male football players, to identify and explore ecological conditions associated with becoming a professional football player, and to present a qualitatively derived ecological framework of the environmental conditions associated with becoming a professional football player. It followed a shift in research attention from the individual athlete to the environment in which he or she develops. A cultural praxis framework was adopted as a guiding principle and a single case study was used as a methodological approach. A successful talent development environment was the case under study, from which 17 participants were approached for data collection. The participants numbered ten young talented footballers, five of their parents and two of their coaches. Data was collected via individual open-ended and semi-structured interviews which were supplemented through unstructured observations, transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis with the focus on positive factors congruent with successful developmental outcomes. The results revealed how the developing players as active participants in their talent development process interacted with contextual factors associated with successful talent development and outline. Based on the data analysis, an empirical conceptual framework of factors playing a role in talent development is proposed.