What squirrels in the trees predicts about expert athletes

Two expert elementary physical education teachers were interviewed about fo rmer students who became expert athletes. One expert athlete was a professi onal basketball player and the other was a college soccer player The conten t of the interviews was analyzed using manifest and latent techniques. The results indicated that these teachers identified experience (practice), har d work (a good attitude), and the cognitive advantage as the major factors contributing to expertise in these athletes. Those factors distinguished th ese athletes from other potential experts and from the average student. Tea chers also suggested that fitness, underlying ability (e.g., quickness, coo rdination) and skill contributed to expertise but were less important than the previously mentioned variables. The teachers minimized the contribution s of maturation and genetics to expertise. The results of the interviews we re consistent with research published about the development of expertise, e ven though the teachers had not read specific research journals.