Personal attributes of female basketball athletes in training

Abstract

This study, based on the Bioecological Theory of Human Development, was aimed at examining the personal attributes of athletes belonging to a prominent club in the field of developing female basketball athletes. Participants were 31 athletes and two coaches who participate in youth sports divisions. Data were collected through semi structured interviews, guided by the following main themes: personal characteristics, motivation for sports, best moments of the sporting career (athletes), sports talent identification process (coaches). Participants’ interviews were analyzed using the content analysis technique, through the categorical type. The information found highlighted the presence of the three dimensions emphasized in the Bioecological Theory of Human Development. Height is presented as an important measure for the detection of athletes (positive demand). Interpersonal relationships stood out as motivating factors for entry in basketball practice, while psychological skills reinforced engagement and maintaining the sports career (generating provisions). Passive features, as well as incompatibilities between mesosystem of athletes’ participation and negative affective interpersonal relationships stood out in terms of favoring disruptive provisions of the temporary withdrawal or feelings of sport abandonment. Finally, positive moments (active resources) exceeded negative moments (passive resources) when it comes to important moments in sports history. The results found suggest that personal attributes of athletes, in addition to the training process occurred in the sporting environment, have enabled the experience of competence results

in the process of development of female basketball athletes.