When examining the development in elite athletes, most of the literature supports early

specialization. This theory suggests that the earlier an athlete engages in domain-specific
practice, the more likely they will become an expert in that domain. However, according to
Liete, Baker, and Sampaio, early specialization does not seem to be essential for expert
performance as an adult. The purpose of this study was to identify the amount and type of team
sporting activities undertaken in the early development stages of expert athletes. The study also
aimed to find the commonalities in the background of those experts that may have contributed to
their expertise.
The participants of this study were athletes from the Portuguese national men’s teams in
roller hockey, volleyball, soccer, and basketball. Each athlete was recognized by his respective
coach as being the best athlete in his particular sport. Researchers used a questionnaire to collect
information on the athlete’s acquisition of high-level performance. The beginning of the
questionnaire focused on variables related to long-term athlete development (sports starting age,
and the main sport starting age). The second part of the questionnaire assessed the amount and
type of activities the athletes participated in throughout their development. In the last part of the
questionnaire, the athletes were questioned about their participation in official competitions in
each developmental stage, initiation (6-10 years old), orientation (11-14 years old), specialization
(15-18 years old), and high-level performance (19 years and above).
Although the results showed that in all groups, the majority of athletes began
participating in sports between 6-10 years old, a significant minority of athletes began after 10
years old. In addition, the results showed a significant variation across groups in the start of the
participation in sports, which suggests the pathways to expertise, is flexible. All of the roller
hockey athletes began participating in sports and in their main sport between the ages of 6-10
years. Volleyball and basketball were the two sports that varied in the age at which the athletes
began their main sport. There was also a significant difference in starting ages for the main sport
across sports, which would also suggest that early specialization is not required for those sports.
As the athletes progressed to specializing in their main sport, the number of additional sporting
activities decreased.
This study also found that between the ages of 6-10 years, athletes participated in several
sports, sometimes in each of the four different sport categories. All of the groups were involved
with sports other than their main sports during childhood and early adolescence. In most cases
these other sports were team sports that share a number of characteristics with the sports in
which the participants became experts. The four groups showed a trend of an increase in
involvement, a peak, and then a gradual decrease in additional activities. The groups had
minimal involvement in other sports after age 18, therefore during late adolescence and early
adulthood, sport involvement was primarily in the main sporting activities.
Although more research is needed to establish the exact benefit of participating in several
sports, the findings of this study suggest that there is variability in the pathways to expertise.
This is important because it raises some critical questions about early specialization and
expertise. Is it more beneficial to participate in a variety of sport activities on the path to
expertise? Does participating in various sports cultivate and refine decision-making skills, or
spatial skills and pattern recognition? If so, it is more beneficial for an athlete to participate in
many sports in the early stages of development in order to acquire the skills needed to become an
expert and focus on one primary sport later in development.
Leite, N, Baker, J, & Sampaio, j. (2009). Paths to expertise in Portuguese national team athletes.
Journal of Sports and Science Medicine, 8(4), 560-566.