How we Got Here: Perceived Influences on the Development and Success of International Athletes

Abstract

Abstract This study investigated the factors perceived by 191 international athletes to have either facilitated or inhibited their development and success. Using Carlson’s (1993 Carlson, R. 1993. The path to the national level in sports in Sweden. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 3: 170–177. [Crossref] , [Google Scholar]) framework as a reference point, the athlete’s ‘microsystem’ (i.e., supportive roles, activities and interpersonal relationships) was the site of the strongest positive factors in the eyes of these elite performers. These microsystem factors included family, friends and coaches. Consistent with Carlson’s ecological perspective, the personal attributes of the athletes were perceived to be central to maximizing their talent and responding to their environment and circumstances. A key implication of these findings is that if success is to be achieved, athletes require strong personal motivation and a supportive microsystem, particularly in the early and middle stages of development. As the athlete progresses, the need for wider, system-based support becomes apparent so that the sporting, financial and personal challenges associated with success can be positively addressed.