Designing and overcoming challenges in the athlete development system for speed skating in the case of Canada

This embedded single-case study examined how senior organisational stakeholders in the Canadian speed skating system described the translation of long-term athlete development (LTAD) principles into organisational practice. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with three high-information key stakeholders involved in LTAD development and implementation—two of whom had extensive coaching experience at both regional club and national team levels—we re-examined interview transcripts using reflexive thematic analysis. To strengthen empirical grounding and enable triangulation consistent with case study standards, we added systematic document analysis of key organisational artefacts. The findings show how a generic national LTAD framework was culturally and sport-specifically adapted, embedded into organisational structures, and iteratively refined through evaluative feedback. Four interrelated themes were generated: (1) cultural and sport-specific adaptation of LTAD, (2) organisational integration through coach education and multisport pathways, (3) systematising collaboration across stakeholders, and (4) evaluative feedback and iterative improvement. Together, these themes illustrate how LTAD moved from an abstract policy document to a speed skating-specific system embedded in coaching qualifications, multisport education, and governance partnerships. Rather than treating policy–practice tensions as simple implementation failure, we interpret them as translation dynamics that require organisational learning and ongoing adjustment. We conclude that effective athlete development systems require coordinated organisational action, cultural adaptation, and sustained dialogue between federations, institutes and coaches, rather than reliance on policy documents alone. The findings offer practical insights for national governing bodies seeking to design or refine evidence-informed athlete development pathways.