ECSS Paris 2023: CP-SH17
INTRODUCTION: Rhythmic gymnastics is described as an early-specialization sport, in which training often starts at young ages and is characterized by high volumes of practice, frequent repetition of technical elements, and strong technical–artistic demands. These features raise questions about how athletes’ developmental pathways can be supported, and whether engagement in other activities may complement RG-specific training. In this context, donor sports have been proposed as complementary sports or activities that share transferable movement and perceptual–motor demands with a target sport, potentially facilitating positive transfer when the activities are functionally “complementary.” Grounded in the Athletic Skills Model (ASM) within an ecological dynamics perspective, this exploratory study aimed (i) to investigate the presence of diversified motor experiences in the development pathways of current and former RG gymnasts and (ii) to identify activities that may represent potential donor sports for RG. METHODS: Forty-three participants (26 current RG gymnasts and 17 former gymnasts), competing in the Italian Gymnastics Federation Gold/Silver sectors or promotional categories, completed a structured questionnaire on: age of RG initiation and training; participation in other organized sports before and/or during RG; and engagement in unstructured childhood physical activities. RESULTS: Current gymnasts most frequently reported starting RG between ages 3-6, whereas most former gymnasts (47.1%) reported later entry, with a peak around 9-10. In addition, current gymnasts reported achieving notable competitive results from as early as age 8. Before starting RG, 61.5% of current gymnasts and 64.7% of former gymnasts practiced other sports, with dance most commonly reported. No current gymnasts reported practicing other activities concurrently with RG, while 29.4% of former gymnasts did mainly dance. Unstructured physical activity during childhood was reported by all current gymnasts and 94.1% of former gymnasts. CONCLUSION: Overall, findings depict a strong tendency toward early specialization in RG, particularly among current athletes, while also highlighting widespread exposure to unstructured activity and the recurrent presence of dance as a complementary experience, which may represent a particularly useful activity for the preparation of RG athletes. Within the ASM and donor sport concepts, these descriptive data provide an initial basis to further examine which complementary activities may best support RG gymnasts’ development and how they might be integrated alongside early specialization demands, to support talent development in RG by promoting a broad motor repertoire and helping to address the challenges associated with early sport specialization.
Read CV Claudia CostaECSS Paris 2023: CP-SH17