Considering the field of sports excellence, this study aims to investigate determining factors for the notable performances of a generation of the Brazilian national women's basketball team which won a world championship and an Olympic medal. In addition, this study also aims to identify reasons for this national team not to have maintained significant results in the following generations. For the methodology we used the Collective Subjective Speech to interview seven expert athletes. The results show that the set of factors that result in excellence performance is dynamic and complex, being decisive in this case: good relationship between coaching staff and athletes, appropriate training conditions with a multidisciplinary team, periods of concentrated training, group experience, and the ability of each athlete to give to the group. In regards to the decline in performance of this national team, we believe this is associated with inadequate management of basketball in Brazil, with little concern for the training and development of coaches and athletes, as well as apparent lower commitment of the new generations with the national team.
Athletic performance; Excellence athletes; Basketball; Women
Fonte: Os autores.