Talented Female Athletes: Are They Going for Gold?

Abstract

This article describes case study research investigating how gifted females perceive their talents by exploring the beliefs and experiences of 18 females who have been identified as athletically talented by their secondary school's sports academy. A comprehensive review of literature and previous studies regarding gifted females and females' attitudes toward sport and physical activity highlighted four key themes worthy of further investigation: self-perceptions of ability, relationship issues, outside expectations and pressures, and future plans. Through questionnaires and a focus group interview, it was found that participants did not perceive themselves as significantly talented or special in any way. However, the study also reveals that, on the whole, the participants enjoyed being athletically talented and would not wish to be any different. Both positive and negative aspects of being considered athletically talented were acknowledged, with the positive factors being mainly in regards to increased confidence and self-esteem and opportunities to meet new people, while the negative problems were predominantly centered around friendship issues, gender problems, and outside pressures. The limitations of this research are recognized and implications for future practice and research are given.