Institute of Sports Science

Talent Identification and Development in Sport

In view of the increasing competitive pressure in elite sport, sustained success requires adequate talent development. For the central tasks of identifying and developing young talents in sport, we aim to offer empirical foundations and generate new findings for various topics of talent research in sports science. In accordance with general conceptual frameworks of talent and expertise research, we examine performance- and development-related characteristics of the talent and their environment.

The topics dealt with cover

  • the prognostic relevance of potential talent characteristics from the areas of motor skills and/or psychology (Topics 1 and 2; cf. manual for performance diagnostics in the talent development programme of the German FA (DFB)),
  • developmental characteristics (e.g. relative age, biological maturity) and their significance for the process of talent development (Topic 3) as well as
  • the sporting and non-sporting environment young talents grow up in (Topic 4).

For further insight into the topics of talent and cross-domain talent research, videos are available online.

Selected publications

Prognostic relevance of motor talent characteristics [Topic 1]

  • Bergmann, F., Schultz, F., Fransen, J., & Höner, O. (2024). Evaluation of a goalkeeper-specific motor coordination assessment in youth football. Science and Medicine in Football, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/24733938.2024.2429486
  • Deutscher Fußball-Bund (2022) (unter Mitarbeit von u.a. O. Höner, R. Schreiner, T. Leber & F. Schultz). Leistungsdiagnostik im DFB-Talentförderprogramm – Eine Anleitung zur Durchführung objektiver und subjektiver Testverfahren im Aufbaubereich [pdf].
  • Höner, O., Murr, D., Larkin, P., Schreiner, R., & Leyhr, D. (2021). Nationwide Subjective and Objective Assessments of Potential Talent Predictors in Elite Youth Soccer: An Investigation of Prognostic Validity in a Prospective Study. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 3(115), 638227. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2021.638227
  • Leyhr, D., Raabe, J., Schultz, F., Kelava, A., & Höner, O. (2020). The adolescent motor performance development of elite female soccer players: A study of prognostic relevance for future success in adulthood using multilevel modelling. Journal of Sports Sciences, 38(11-12), 1342-1351. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2019.1686940
  • Höner, O., Raabe, J., Murr, D., & Leyhr, D. (2019). Prognostic relevance of motor tests in elite girls’ soccer: a five-year prospective cohort study within the German talent promotion program. Science and Medicine in Football, 3(4), 287-296. https://doi.org/10.1080/24733938.2019.1609069
  • Murr, D., Raabe, J., & Höner, O. (2018). The prognostic value of physiological and physical characteristics in youth soccer: A systematic review. European Journal of Sport Science, 18(1), 62-74. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2017.1386719
  • Höner, O., Leyhr, D. & Kelava, A. (2017). The influence of speed abilities and technical skills in early adolescence on adult success in soccer: A long-term prospective analysis using ANOVA and SEM approaches. PLoS ONE, 12(8), e0182211. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0182211
  • Höner, O., & Votteler, A. (2016). Prognostic relevance of motor talent predictors in early adolescence: A group- and individual-based evaluation considering different levels of achievement in youth football. Journal of Sports Sciences, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2016.1177658
  • Höner, O., Votteler, A., Schmid, M., Schultz, F., & Roth, K. (2015). Psychometric properties of the motor diagnostics in the German football talent identification and development programme. Journal of Sports Sciences 33(2), 145-159. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2014.928416

 

Prognostic relevance of sport-psychological talent characteristics [Topic 2]

  • Wachsmuth, S., Feichtinger, P., Bartley, J., & Höner, O. (2024). Psychological characteristics and future success: A prospective study examining youth soccer players at different stages within the German talent development pathway. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 36(2), 276-300. https://doi.org/10.1080/10413200.2023.2224868
  • Höner, O., Larkin, P., Leber, T., & Feichtinger, P. (2023). Talent Identification and Development in Sport. In J. Schüler, M. Wegner, H. Plessner, & R. C. Eklund (Eds.), Sport and Exercise Psychology: Theory and Application (pp. 549-581). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-03921-8_23
  • Murr, D., Feichtinger, P., Larkin, P., O‘Connor, D. & Höner, O. (2018). Psychological talent predictors in youth soccer: A systematic review of the prognostic relevance of psychomotor, perceptual-cognitive and personality-related factors. PloS ONE, 13(10), e0205337. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0205337
  • Feichtinger, P. & Höner, O. (2017). Psychologische Diagnostik im deutschen Nachwuchsleistungsfußball: Wissenschaftliche Fundierung einer Online-Befragung an den DFB-Stützpunkten. Leistungssport, 47(2), 17-21.
  • Höner, O., & Feichtinger, P. (2016). Psychological talent predictors in early adolescence and their empirical relationship with current and future performance in soccer. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 25, 17-26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2016.03.004
  • Feichtinger, P., & Höner, O. (2015). Talented football players' development of achievement motives, volitional components, and self-referential cognitions: A longitudinal study. European Journal of Sport Science, 15(8), 748-756. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2015.1051134
  • Feichtinger, P., & Höner, O. (2014). Psychological diagnostics in the talent development program of the German football association: psychometric properties of an internet-based test battery. Sportwissenschaft, 44(4), 203-213. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12662-014-0341-0   

 

Relative age and biological maturity [Topic 3]

  • Leyhr, D., Rösch, D., Cumming, S. P., & Höner, O. (2024). Selection-Dependent Differences in Youth Elite Basketball Players’ Relative Age, Maturation-Related Characteristics, and Motor Performance. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2024.2311644
  • Leyhr, D., Murr, D., Romann, M., Eichler, K., Basten, L., Hauser, T., Lüdin, D., & Höner, O. (2023). Assessing biological maturity timing by MRI and coaches’ eye in elite youth soccer players: A comparison between objective and subjective diagnostics utilizing correlation and single case analyses. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 18(4), 994-1002. https://doi.org/10.1177/17479541231152820
  • Leyhr, D., Bergmann, F., Schreiner, R., Mann, D. L., Dugandzic, D., & Höner, O. (2021). Relative age-related biases in objective and subjective assessments of performance in talented youth soccer players. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 3(94). https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2021.664231
  • Leyhr, D., Murr, D., Basten, L., Eichler, K., Hauser, T., Lüdin, D., Romann, M., Sardo, G., & Höner, O. (2020). Biological Maturity Status in Elite Youth Soccer Players: A Comparison of Pragmatic Diagnostics with Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 2(195). https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2020.587861
  • Votteler, A., & Höner, O. (2017). Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of the relative age effect in German youth football. German Journal of Exercise and Sport Research, 47(3), 194-204. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12662-017-0457-0
  • Votteler, A., & Höner, O. (2014). The relative age effect in the German Football TID Programme: Biases in motor performance diagnostics and effects on single motor abilities and skills in groups of selected players. European Journal of Sport Science, 14(5), 433-442. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2013.837510

 

Sporting and non-sporting environment [Topic 4]

  • Wachsmuth, S., Hauser, L.-L., Gierens, F.C., Wolf, S.A., Hermann, H.-D., & Höner, O. (2025). Examining players’ perceived social support across organizational levels and its links to holistic talent development outcomes in German football youth academies. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 76, 102756, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2024.102756
  • Hauser, L.-L., Höner, O., & Wachsmuth, S. (2024). Links between environmental features and developmental outcomes of elite youth athletes: A cross-sectional study within the German talent pathway. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 71, 102569. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2023.102569
  • Höner, O., Larkin, P., Leber, T., & Feichtinger, P. (2023). Talent Identification and Development in Sport. In J. Schüler, M. Wegner, H. Plessner, & R. C. Eklund (Eds.), Sport and Exercise Psychology: Theory and Application (pp. 549-581). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-03921-8_23
  • Hauser, L. L., Harwood, C. G., Höner, O., O’Connor, D., & Wachsmuth, S. (2022). Talent development environments within sports: a scoping review examining functional and dysfunctional environmental features. International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 1–27. https://doi.org/10.1080/1750984X.2022.2129423

PhDs

  • Rösch, D. (2024). Erfassung personbezogener Talentmerkmale im Nachwuchsbasketball – Empirische Untersuchungen zur Evaluation von Diagnostiken und möglichen Einflussfaktoren. Universität Tübingen, Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaftliche Fakultät [pdf].
  • Leyhr, D. (2019). Motorische Talentprädiktoren im DFB-Talentförderprogramm: Eine längsschnittliche Datenanalyse zur prognostischen Bedeutung schnelligkeits- und technikbezogener Merkmale unter Verwendung von latenten Strukturgleichungs- und Mehrebenenmodellen. Universität Tübingen, Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaftliche Fakultät [pdf].
  • Murr, D. (2018). Prognoserelevanz personbezogener Talentprädiktoren im Fußball: eine systematische Analyse zur empirischen Evidenz unter Berücksichtigung von Merkmalen des Studiendesigns. Universität Tübingen, Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaftliche Fakultät [pdf].
  • Votteler, A. (2017). Der relative Alterseffekt im deutschen Nachwuchsfußball. Universität Tübingen, Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaftliche Fakultät [pdf].
  • Feichtinger, P. (2015). Psychological diagnostics in the talent development program of the German Soccer Association: A stepwise procedure to examine the relevance of personality characteristics in talented soccer players. University of Tübingen, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences [pdf].

Third-party funded projects

  • O. Höner: Sportwissenschaftliche Begleitung des DFB-Talentförderprogramms. [Deutscher Fußball-Bund, Projektlaufzeiten 2014 - 2017; 2017 - 2020; 2021; 2022 - 2023; 2024 - 2026]
  • D. Leyhr: Wissenschaftliche Auswertung des Pilotprojekts „Lösungsansätze zum Umgang mit dem relativen Alterseffekt“ im Basketballverband Baden-Württemberg e. V. [Deutscher Basketball Ausbildungsfonds e. V., Deutscher Basketball Bund e. V., Basketballverband Baden-Württemberg e. V., Projektlaufzeit 2024 - 2025]
  • D. Leyhr: Erfassung und Berücksichtigung des biologischen Entwicklungsstandes in der Talentidentifikation und -entwicklung im Nachwuchsleistungsbasketball [Universität Tübingen, Fonds zur Förderung für Nachwuchswissenschaftler*innen, Projektlaufzeit 2023 - 2025]
  • S. Wachsmuth: „Sozialpsychologische Faktoren der Talententwicklung“ [Universität Tübingen, Fonds zur Förderung für Nachwuchswissenschaftler*innen, Projektlaufzeit 2020 - 2022]
  • O. Höner & K. Roth: Sportwissenschaftliche Begleitung des DFB-Talentförderprogramms. [Deutscher Fußball-Bund, Projektlaufzeiten 2008 - 2010; 2011 - 2013]
  • O. Höner & K. Willimczik: Homo Sportivus Oeconomicus – Intrinsische und extrinsische Motivation im Verlauf von Spitzensportkarrieren. [Bundesinstitut für Sportwissenschaft, VF071012/06, Projektlaufzeit 2005 - 2007]

Research overview