Explain how sport-specific attributes could differ for individual and group sport athletes. (5 marks)
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Individual sport focus:
- Individual athletes require complete self-reliance in competition. This results in emphasis on personal technical mastery and mental resilience development.
Fitness component differences:
- Individual sports demand specialised energy system development. This causes athletes to focus intensively on sport-specific fitness requirements. For example, marathon runners need exceptional aerobic capacity while sprinters require explosive power.
Skill requirement variations:
- Group sports involve positional specialisation within teams. This leads to athletes developing different skill sets based on their playing role. A goalkeeper requires reaction time and agility. Centre midfielders need greater cardiovascular endurance and passing accuracy.
Tactical development:
- Individual athletes focus on personal performance strategies and race plans. Group sport athletes must develop team coordination skills. This results in different tactical preparation approaches and communication requirements.
Training adaptation:
- Individual sports allow highly personalised training programs targeting specific weaknesses. Group sports require balancing individual needs with team preparation demands. This causes different periodisation approaches and session structures.
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Individual sport focus:
- Individual athletes require complete self-reliance in competition. This results in emphasis on personal technical mastery and mental resilience development.
Fitness component differences:
- Individual sports demand specialised energy system development. This causes athletes to focus intensively on sport-specific fitness requirements. For example, marathon runners need exceptional aerobic capacity while sprinters require explosive power.
Skill requirement variations:
- Group sports involve positional specialisation within teams. This leads to athletes developing different skill sets based on their playing role. A goalkeeper requires reaction time and agility. Centre midfielders need greater cardiovascular endurance and passing accuracy.
Tactical development:
- Individual athletes focus on personal performance strategies and race plans. Group sport athletes must develop team coordination skills. This results in different tactical preparation approaches and communication requirements.
Training adaptation:
- Individual sports allow highly personalised training programs targeting specific weaknesses. Group sports require balancing individual needs with team preparation demands. This causes different periodisation approaches and session structures.