The Secret Formula for Becoming an Elite Athlete

Research finds that plenty of play and delayed specialization help create elite athletes

Specializing in a specific sport at an early age is not necessary to become an Olympic athlete. In fact, the opposite is true. AP Photo/David Goldman

The next Olympics are less than two years away and for many athletes the Games in Tokyo will be the pinnacle event of their career. Aspiring Olympians strive to compete on the world’s largest sporting stage, but only a few will ever realize that goal.

While anatomical and physiological factors clearly play a role in the development of a super-elite athlete, there are other critical components necessary to achieve success.