The developmental pathways of Malaysian elite youth badminton players

Abstract

This study examine the developmental factors of Malaysian elite youth badminton players. The participants were badminton players from the national back-up players (n = 16) and youth state players (n = 20) from three states in Malaysia, chosen based on their performance in previous Malaysian Games. Retrospective analysis of the participants’ type and amount of badminton related practice activities throughout their career showed that although the national players achieved some badminton performance milestones later than the state players, further examination into their accumulated hours in structured and unstructured badminton practice activities showed almost similar patterns in their engagement in those activities with more emphasis on structured practice from the beginning of their career. It suggests that both the national youth and state badminton players conform to the early specialization pathway.

Keywords: Developmental pathways; deliberate play and practice; youth badminton players