Are world class athletes born or are they developed?
The naked truth is that world class athletes are developed and not born. Nothing could be further than the truth, when we say, “He is a born champion.” What we overlook or don’t remember are the years of systematic training and daily quality coaching, which had been invested in developing this champion athlete, from the beginning. According to Benjamin Bloom, a professor of education at the University of Chicago, in 1985, “All the superb performers he investigated had practiced intensively, had studied with devoted teachers, and had been supported enthusiastically by their families throughout their developing year s . Later research building on Bloom’s pioneering study revealed that the amount and quality of practice were the key factors in the level of expertise people achieved.” 2. How long does it take to develop a world class field hockey player? According to Dr Istvan Balyi, “Scientific research has concluded that it takes eight to ten years of training for a talented athlete to r
