Open to All KPE Students
Open to Alumni
Open to U of T community
Event's Start Date
Event's End Date
Virtual
This online Science Café will explore the complex question: “What does talent in sport look like?” Through a multidisciplinary conversation, the session aims to bridge the perspectives of researchers, coaches, scouts and parents — the key stakeholders involved in identifying, developing and supporting athletic talent.
Core Themes & Questions
- What are the core issues researchers face when studying talent identification and development?
- What are the key challenges for scouts, coaches and parents in recognizing and nurturing potential?
- How can we better appreciate the complexity of talent in sport?
- What can be done to improve the conversation and decision-making around talent selection?
What you will take away from this Science Café
This virtual event will highlight the multifaceted nature of talent in sport — encouraging participants to think critically about how it’s defined, measured and supported across sport systems, while fostering collaboration between academic and professional communities.
Speakers
- Joe Baker, is a professor of sport science and the Tanenbaum Chair in Sport Science, Data Modelling and Sports Analytics at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education. His research interests include human skill acquisition, sport performance, talent identification and development, and expertise and exercise performance.
- Luc Tremblay is a professor of sensorimotor control and the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education. His research interests include multisensory integration (vision, proprioception and audition), neuromotor control of voluntary action, use of sensory information as a function of practice, and neuromotor training and rehabilitation.
- Devin Pleuler is the Sr. Director of Research & Development at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment where he leads the Sport Performance Lab, a cross-sport innovation group that works on shared research interests across team operations.
- James Brough is Director of Performance Pathways at the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario where he leads a section of the organization designed to drive success in Ontario’s high-performance sport system through strategic investment in athletes and sport programs. Since relocating to Canada from Australia in 2005, James has held progressive positions within the Canadian sport system.
- Stay tuned for more!