THE TALENT TRAP
"I cannot speak highly enough. The Talent Trap is outstanding"
BOOK
The Talent Trap
Free Yourself and Thrive Amid the Chaos and Competition of Youth Sport
AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK, PDF, AND KINDLE
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In youth sport, the word talent is everywhere. We overuse it and we misuse it. This is a treacherous trap.
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When we fall into the talent trap, we give immense value to an inconsistent and unreliable predictor of success. We confuse people with conflicting ideas, and we enable a misdirected, biased process to determine who should and shouldn’t be supported. This has a damaging ripple effect on the perceptions, identity, motivations and expectations of young athletes, and those around them.
This book exposes common everyday actions that seem harmless, but which are wreaking havoc. Whether you are a parent or coach, programme manager or CEO, it will shed light on how we can all do things differently and guide you to lead change.
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To thrive in youth sport and give young people the best chance of ongoing success into adulthood, we must free ourselves from the talent trap and re-focus on the things that really matter
WHERE TO BUY YOUR COPY
New Zealand Customers
Paperback books for New Zealand customers are printed and distributed locally. Order here in our shop!
International Customers
Paperback books for International customers are sold via amazon.com and printed and distributed on demand.
PDF and Kindle
PDF copies can be purchased in our shop with immediate download.
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The Talent Trap is also available on Kindle.
"I have been a professional coach and coach developer for 36 years across community and high performance sport. This is the book I should have been handed when I started. A phenomenal piece of work"
DAVE CLARKE,
NATIONAL COACH & PERFORMANCE COACH,
UK & NZ
“A must read for all, whether administrating sport or a parent or teacher or coach. Fresh ideas and thought-provoking suggestions that will ultimately help round the table discussions at all levels.”
DIANNE LASENBY,
GM NORTHERN STARS & CEO AUCKLAND NETBALL, NZ
“When our son embarked on a journey of competitive youth sport, I just wish we had a book such as this. If you are a passionate parent wanting the best….and that is a loaded statement…. then perhaps have a read too.”
STEPHEN EDMONDS, PARENT NZ
“This book is a game-changer. Written by one of the most thoughtful, and well-equipped coaches I’ve ever known, it documents the TRUE nature of how young athletes grow into world-class champions and world-class people.”
BRIAN GRASSO,
PERFORMANCE COACH,
USA & CANADA
“I experienced the high performance circles of sport as a young adult. To everyone out there who are parents, coaches, or adults who influence young
athletes - you absolutely must give this book a cheeky read!”
CAITLIN DOWDEN,
ATHLETE NZ
“I cannot speak highly enough. The Talent Trap is outstanding – parents, coaches and sport leaders at every level need to read this book.”
MICK WATSON,
FORMER NRL CLUB CEO & INTERNATIONAL ATHLETE MANAGER,
“The Talent Trap gives you a one stop shop on the athlete development journey. If you want to know if you’re on the right track or need help with your athletes, I highly recommend The Talent Trap.”
ASHLEY STANLEY,
SPORT JOURNALIST NZ
“The Talent Trap is a must read for ALL involved in sport and at ALL levels. Leigh offers an extremely articulate insight into how we think/act and presents
outstanding perspectives along the way."
NICK WHITE, - COACH AND TALENT ID MANAGER, AUCKLAND CRICKET
FOREWORD, BY BERNICE MENE NZOM
Teaching was one of the hardest but most rewarding jobs I have done. It helped that there was formal training. Parenting is also a tough gig. Nothing prepares you for it. Sport coaching and leadership fall into the same basket of extremely challenging but highly enjoyable endeavours.
Young children, with the world at their feet, can at times be impatient to grow up. Conversely, parents are often anxious to do what other people are doing, or to offer their children as many opportunities as possible, in case they miss out. There is perceived pressure for our children to acquire skills and maximise opportunities as quickly as possible. Everyone wants help and wants to help.
As a parent, I am acutely aware of the need to let kids have time to build Lego, ride bikes and climb trees. The end goal is independence. Essentially, what I want for my children is that they grow to enjoy something so much that they want to keep doing it, be it sport or music or art. As a coach of my little team, I see it as my responsibility to grow a love of the game and make it more fun than the other extracurricular activities they are enrolled in. It’s a long-term quest in search of their passion – but it has to be just that: their passion, not someone else’s. And if self-motivation is the key, how do we build and grow that in our young children?
The Talent Trap is a timely reminder to stop and reflect. It is a thought provoker, a discussion starter for a conversation that must be had. My first Silver Ferns coach said take a little from every coach in your lifetime and use it to mold your game and individual style. In a similar vein, it is important to read widely to arm yourself with as much knowledge as possible in order to form an educated opinion. A worthwhile mantra is to constantly seek to improve.
The Talent Trap is an easy read. Leigh Ashton’s tone is compelling, and the anecdotes are totally relatable. I recommend it purely to widen your thinking, question practices, and think about the why? Or possibly the why not?
If you are in a position of power, it is your responsibility to review, reflect and challenge yourself and others. I urge you to add The Talent Trap to your reading list and see how many times you nod in agreement as the stories resonate with you. This could be the most important thing you read if you want to nurture more athlete enjoyment, wider and longer athlete participation and effective skill development in your sport.
Bernice Mene
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New Zealand Silver Ferns: International playing career spanning ten years.
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Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for Services to Netball.
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Sport leader, keynote speaker, television commentator, languages teacher, education and career advisor, foundation trustee, and youth mentor.