Edinburgh Napier University

  Childhood and adolescence provide opportunities for coaches and practitioners to positively impact the development and lives of youth athletes, as well as establish habits and behaviours to help youth cope with the inevitable highs and lows of being a competitive sportsperson. Accordingly, this chapter provides an overview of psychological considerations for practitioners working with young players, towards the overarching aim of improving talent identification and development within the context of youth soccer. First, this chapter discusses psychosocial considerations pertinent to youth soccer populations. The general challenges and processes associated with childhood and adolescence are considered, along with those introduced (or magnified) via sport and athletic development. Second, the influence that external stakeholders (i.e., parents, coaches, and peers) may have on the psychosocial development of youth soccer players and how this may change throughout adolescence are discussed. Third, as youth soccer players approach transition to senior and professional sport, challenges associated with selection, deselection, and dropout, including the potential psychological distress experienced during deselection and dropout, are outlined. Finally, recommendations for future research along with limitations of existing literature are identified, as well as practical applications and suggestions to help mitigate some of these issues in practice.