Competitive sport is today about winning and training to win. Many athletes are professionals, with careers managed by teams of specialist staff working towards the ultimate goal of world-class, medal-winning performances.
This entry-level text offers new students a comprehensive introduction to the phenomenon of the pursuit of excellence in sport, covering the key issues and talking points including:
- the history and tradition of sporting excellence
- comparisons of elite high-performance sport programmes in Australia, the USA, East Germany and France
- the historical, social, political and economic impacts of sporting excellence in the UK
- current issues and debates, including drugs in sport
- the future for high-performance sport.
With a clear framework for understanding and exploring key issues, questions for discussion, websites and suggestions for further reading, In Pursuit of Excellence is an ideal introduction for AS, A Level and undergradute students.
Inhalt
Introduction 1. Sporting Excellence - the Concept 2. Sporting Excellence - an Historical Overview 3. The Long Winding Path- Sport Excellence in the UK 1950-1990 4. Atlanta 1996 - an Olympic Failure Too Far 5. Comparative Study - Four Case Studies a. Australia: Why Are They Winning? b. Vive la France c. USA - No 1 d. The GDR 6. World Class at Long Last - UK Sport Excellence 2000+ 7. Win at All costs? - the Art of Gamesmanship 8. Citius, Altius, Fortius, Pharmacus - Drugs in Élite Sport 9. What the Future Holds 10. Current View Contacts for Further Research Index