ABSTRACT
One of the main challenges for coaches in athlete development systems is selecting athletes for the next level. In this chapter, we discuss some of the challenges with making “accurate” athlete selections and share current knowledge on how multivariate approaches may improve predictions of athletes’ future success. We then pay particular attention to the value of having experienced coaches and scouts in the athlete identification and selection process using the concept of the “coach’s eye”. We close the chapter by providing three examples of how these theoretical approaches may be used in various practical settings to further enhance selection processes.
