Long Term Player Development

The following is an analysis of Softball BC’s current programs and our renewed focus on meeting all the requirements of the Long Term Player Development Model (LTPD).

We have seen the benefits of the “Own the Podium” program and if, through the efforts of members, we can put the same amount of energy into our Long Term Player Development program there is no telling how great the rewards may be. We need to give the LTPD model a chance to influence the way we are structuring our league and Association schedules to allow for more time to learn the sport of Softball and less time trying to compete to win a place on the Podium.  Why change? Do we define our sport by competition or do we use competition to achieve our core purpose, vision values and strategic objectives which at the core is about player development? Implementation of Softball’s Long Term Player Development model is crucial for Softball Canada, Softball BC and our partners to achieve our organizations’ stated vision and strategic objectives. If we are to serve the long-term interest of all participants, the objective(s) for each stage of development must be considered in defining events/competitions and establishing benchmarks of success.

Please familiarize yourself with the Vision, Mission and Value statements of the organization and to consider the strategic priorities of the Board of Directors reviewed with the members at the Annual General Meeting in October 2010.  The success of meeting our strategic priorities can only be achieved with the commitment of Volunteers, Coaches and Parents.

What Is Long Term Player Development (LTPD)?

In 2005, as a result of the creation of the Canadian Sport Policy, Canada began a major project to re-invigorate our national sport system. The new approach was in response to concerns about Canadians’ lack of physical activity, the growing obesity epidemic, particularly among children, and the perceived poor performance of Canadian teams internationally. Under the direction of Sport Canada, the Canadian Sport Centre-Vancouver and PacificSport (now PacificSport Vancouver and PacificSport Victoria) were charged with the task of transforming the sport system. As a result, a Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) Expert Group created the generic Canadian LTAD model for able-bodied athletes followed by the LTAD model for athletes with a disability.

The Canadian Sport for Life: Long-Term Athlete Development Resource Paper, which describes the generic LTAD model, is based on a comprehensive review of coaching literature, sport science research, and best practices from effective sports programs within Canada and around the world.  Exercise and sport science research and
Experience provided insight and information regarding the role of growth, development, and maturation in athletic development. These sciences included pediatric exercise science, exercise physiology, sport psychology, psychomotor learning, sport sociology, biomechanics, and nutrition. Analysis of the literature on organizational development also contributed significantly to the development of the generic model. Out of this research came the “10 Key Factors Influencing LTAD” and the “10 S’s of Training and Performance”. The generic model presents a framework for optimal athlete development with particular reference to growth, maturation, and development, appropriate training, and suitable competition exposure. It provides a clear pathway for the development of athletes that is easily understood by all stakeholders.

The Federal and Provincial/Territorial Ministers of Sport identified LTAD as the framework for sport and physical activity development and agreed to proceed with its implementation in consultation with national (NSOs) and provincial/territorial sport organizations (P/TSOs). As a result, all sports are developing their sport-specific LTAD models through the leadership of their respective NSOs.

In March 2005, Softball Canada formed its Long- Term Player Development (LTPD) Steering Committee, made up of softball experts from across Canada, to lead the development of its model. In April 2005, over 20 of the most prominent and experienced softball coaches, players, and administrators gathered in Ottawa for the LTPD Summit to discuss the current state of our sport, the desired state, and what we need to do to achieve that state. Next, the steering committee began the task of writing the Long- Term Player Development Guide for Softball in Canada. Along the way, feedback on the content was solicited from age category sub-committees formed from participants in the LTPD Summit and selected softball experts. The process to develop softball’s LTPD guide was extensive, inclusive, and comprehensive.

Stages Of Player Development

In keeping with the generic Canadian LTAD model, Softball’s LTPD model, outlined in Figure 5, consists of eight seamlessly linked stages — Active Start, FUNdamentals, Learning to Train, Training to Train, Training to Compete, Learning and Training to Win, Living to Win, and Active for Life. The model has a softball-specific focus that reflects the realities and demands of the game at the highest level while retaining at its core the notion of age- and ability- appropriate programming and evaluation. The titles of the various stages imply the general intent of the programming within each stage. Learning to Train, for example, refers to systematic programming aimed at establishing key skill elements of softball while Living to Win refers to a period of time where the focus is on performing skills at a very high level in order to win medals LTPD recognizes that during the early stages, other settings such as elementary school physical education programs and community sport programs may contribute to a child’s physical, mental, emotional, and social development. As well, it should be noted that the stages overlap as players’ progress at different rates.

Active Start

0 to 6 years
Is about getting children interested in physical activity, learning the fundamental movement skills of running, jumping, catching, twisting, kicking and throwing, and linking them in play

FUNdamentals

Females 6 to 8 and Males 6 to 9
Emphasizes further development of fundamental movement skills and lays a general foundation of physical capacities

Learning To Train, Training To Train And Training To Compete

Females 8 to 21 and Males 9 – 23
Focus on developing softball specific skills, ensuring an appropriate level of fun while adding the competitive aspects of the game

Learning And Training To Win

Males and Females 19 +
Emphasizes a shift towards true high performance, including an increased focus on individualized training and performance results at competition

Living To Win

Emphasizes performance results and international excellence

Active For Life

All Ages
Is the final stage of the continuum and may be entered at any time after a player becomes in softball.  This stage reflects an individual’s desire, competency and personal interest in the game and emphasizes lifelong participation and activity, not only in softball but in other forms of physical activity.  Participants can be a player, coach, official, league administrator, or board member.

For softball to remain successful and contribute to the health of the nation, the sport must continue to learn and evolve. What can we do to improve our performances and make our softball programs consistently strong year after year? How and to what extent does the existing system enhance player development, player performance, and the health of the nation? How does it hinder? Where can we improve? LTPD will guide us in analyzing the Canadian softball system and in highlighting its gaps and shortcomings, and will aid in developing solutions. The implementation of the LTPD principles will enable softball organizations in Canada to provide participants with positive sport experiences.

Competition / Training

Coaches

Parents

Clubs And Associations