The book focuses on sport talent from the viewpoint of various scientific disciplines, in
particular kinanthropology, psychology, sociology, genetics and philosophy. Talent is defined as
the potential for future performance and predefines the amount of effort spent necessary for
achieving of a certain performance level as well as the maximum performance level. Talent comprises
both innate skills and capacities that develop therefrom as well as other impacts needed for
performance growth of athletes – in particular mental characteristics. Talent should be perceived
as a dynamic concept, a developing phenomenon which is subject to processes related to maturing,
hazard, environment or practice. Its individual components are not put together by addition, but
rather by multiplication of their impact. It is related to a specific sports field. Based on the
level of excellence, we can speak about levels of talent; nevertheless, the talent threshold is
subject to the perception of the scientist. Only a minority of the population posses a talent.
Talent identification and detection is analysed from three angles of view: biological, performance
and psychological perspectives. Advantages and disadvantages of individual approaches are
identified and accompanied by practical recommendations. Assessment of the sports talent should
take into account all the three above mentioned perspectives. Nevertheless, the general prediction
validity of these measurements in children is still rather low. The talent diagnostic process
should therefore be seen as a starting point for performance development rather than a tool of
selection. In the next chapter, focus is placed on the impact of genetics and environment in
development of skills. The main environmental factors have been newly systematically classified for
the sports context using the traditional ecologic model. The text also explains how sports
performance is impacted by selected genes and subsequently deals with mutual interaction of
individual influences. Understanding the nature of their interaction helps to decide on when and
how the work with the young athlete should be done. The subsequent chapter thus discusses
individual options for talent development, including topics such as early specialisation, general
development, mental training, deliberate play and deliberate practice. These approaches are
reflected in various models of sport talent development, including the comparison thereof. The book
further describes in more details the psychological perception of sports development and top-level
performance. Various psychological attributes that seem to be decisive for the top-level
performance of athletes are defined - the psychological characteristics developing excellence.
Towards the end, the book defines ethical principles that should be respected during sport talent
identification and development. In particular liberal theories are taken into account – the right
of the child to an open society by Joel Feinberg and the theory of justice by John Rawles.
Respecting of the set principles is a systematic prevention of psychologic or physical damage of
the child and breaching of their fundamental liberal rights. The book is aimed at the scientific
community, students of kinanthropology disciplines, coaches, parents and athletes themselves. It
contains the stories of selected top athletes and numerous practical recommendations, including
interviews carried out with personalities from the Czech sports environment. Selected passages have
been thematically included in the text. The general aim of the monography is to influence and move
forward the perception of the issues of sports talent by the large public. In the long term, this
change in attitude will lead to a better quality of work with young athletes, allowing them to
fulfill their potential while being less dangerous for their healthy development.