Investigating the cultural sensitivity of athletic talent: comparisons between the U.S.A. and European sporting environments

It has been suggested that models of athletic talent are not universally applicable and that attempts to uncritically replicate successful ideas from one country to another may be problematic. From a holistic ecological perspective, this may be a result of differences in macro-level variables. In short, athletic talent, or at least some aspects of its expression, may be culturally sensitive. This study explored whether models of athletic talent should be more critically interpreted and reviewed before they are uncritically imported across cultural contexts. In a synthesis of contemporary sport-related comparisons between the U.S.A. and Europe, this study identified seven distinctive macro-level themes which appeared to exhibit an interactive relationship, clearly indicating that sporting cultures between countries may not be equal. These findings suggest that athletes and coaches of different countries (and associated cultural backgrounds) are exposed to their own specific variety of multidimensional cultural influences. Logically, therefore, when operating within talented populations, considerations should be given to cultural context, similar to what already occurs within sport-specific, gender-specific and age-specific approaches. Reinvestigating existing knowledge through culturally specific studies is essential to ensure the most accurate guidance for coaches, athletes and systems.