Several recent systematic and targeted reviews have highlighted limitations in our understanding of talent in sport. However, a comprehensive profile of where the scientific research has focused would help identify gaps in current knowledge. Our goal in this scoping review was (a) to better understand what others have done in the field of research (e.g., what groups have been examined using what research designs and in what areas), (b) to summarize the constituent areas of research in a meaningful way, (c) to help identify gaps in the research, and (d) to encourage future research to address these gaps. Peer-reviewed articles written in English that met several inclusion criteria were analyzed. A total of 1,899 articles were identified, and the descriptive findings revealed a relatively narrow focus of research on talent in sport. Specifically, the majority of examined articles focused on (a) males only, (b) the sport of soccer, (c) perceptual cognitive variables, (d) developing athletes, (e) adult samples, and (f) cross-sectional designs. For better or worse, the concept of talent remains a central element of how coaches, practitioners, and scientists think about athlete development. Findings from this scoping review highlight the continued need to explore issues related to talent identification, selection, and development in more diverse samples (e.g., female athletes and younger ages) and contexts (e.g., from Africa, Asia, and South America). There is also a clear necessity to focus on under-researched areas using alternative methodologies.

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This study sought to examine how parental sport involvement and attainment were related to the eventual level of competitive sport attained by their children. Athletes (n = 229) were divided into three skill level groups (elite: n = 139; pre-elite: n = 33; non-elite: n = 57), based on the peak competition level achieved in their career, which were compared using chi-squares tests of independence and analyses of variance according to parents sport characteristics provided through the Developmental History of Athletes Questionnaire. Parental recreational and competitive sport participation was overrepresented among elite athletes, as were parents who reached an elite level of sport themselves. Results were found to differ according to parent sex, with athlete skill level significantly related to the sport participation and skill level of fathers, but not mothers. Results suggest parental sport experiences at different levels of competition influence the development of athletes, although these relationships are subject to many factors.

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This paper reviews theoretical developments specific to applied research around the “psychology of practice” in skill acquisition settings, which we argue is under-considered in applied sport psychology. Centered upon the Self-Regulation of Sport Practice Survey (SRSP), we explain how self-regulated learning conceptually underpins this survey and review recent data supporting its empirical validation for gauging athletes’ psychological processes in relation to sport practice. This paper alternates between a review of applied research on self-regulated sport practice and new data analyses to: (a) show how scores on the SRSP combine to determine an expert practice advantage and (b) illustrate the large scope of self-organized or athlete-led time to which SRSP processes may apply. At this stage, the SRSP has been established as a reliable and valid tool in the empirical, theoretical domain. In order to move the narrative from theory and assessment toward applied practice, we present evidence to propose that it has relevance as a dialogue tool for fostering meaningful discussions between athletes and sport psychology consultants. We review initial case study insights on how the SRSP could be located in consultation in professional practice, propose initial considerations for its practical use and invite practitioners to examine its utility in applied settings.