Research in sport psychology shows that how athletes develop mentally is often determined by how they develop next to, rather than just on the sports field. To illustrate this, Wylleman emphasized the importance of a broader view on athletes' development - often referred to as the holistic perspective. The Holistic Athletic Career model (HAC model) represents such a holistic perspective and focusses not only on the athletic development of athletes, but also on their psychological, psychosocial, academic and professional, financial and even legal development.
In this opinion piece (in Dutch), Prof. dr. Paul Wylleman elaborates on the importance of a holistic perspective in elite sport.