Talent Development and Participation in Female Football in Rwanda

This study aims to assess the factors determining talent development and participation in football in Rwanda. A mixed methods approach was used to gather quantitative and qualitative data from participants (n = 200), who were football players, administrators and coaches from school teams and local clubs drawn from different leagues in Rwanda. Data collection instruments were developed around five indicators, namely, competition, psychological, enjoyment, physical appearance, and mastery factors, as determinants of talent development among female football players. The raw data were processed and analyzed statistically with the help of IBM SPSS V.26. One-way ANOVA was deemed crucial for analyzing quantitative data, whereas thematic analysis was used to analyze qualitative data. Competition, psychological, and enjoyment factors exhibited statistically significant positive correlations, ranging from strong, moderate, and weak, with sociodemographic factors. Moreover, physical appearance and mastery factors demonstrated significant moderate negative correlations and statistically significant positive weak correlations. The findings indicate that identified factors play a significant role in determining talent development and participation in football among female players in Rwanda. Future studies should include comprehensive methodologies to enhance validity and reliability; they should also explore psychological aspects more deeply and develop targeted interventions that investigate how financial constraints prevent full female participation in Rwandan football.