96 Chapter 5 power to detect significant differences with small effect sizes. Consequently, a small change in a variable may be interpreted as having no effect. However, small changes may be practically meaningful, especially in this research field (Gabbett et al., 2017). Therefore, in the interpretation of our results, effect sizes are of particular relevance as they convey the magnitude of the effect (Nuzzo, 2014). Another key point in our analyses is that we corrected for differences in weekly training hours, so that between-group differences in SRL subprocesses referred to differences in the individual characteristics of swimmers rather than to the consequences of more hours in training. Considering our methodological choices and statistical outcomes, we argue that youth swimmers who are on track to becoming elite swimmers are characterized by more frequent use of reflection processes during training (small to medium effect sizes) and evaluation processes after training (small to medium effect sizes). In line with previous studies of Jonker et al. (2010a, 2010b, 2012) and Toering et al. (2009, 2012), our findings support the notion that reflection processes contribute to more efficient learning and, consequently, to the attainment of higher performance levels. Here, reflection refers to the ability to learn by looking back critically on previous performances and to use new information in subsequent learning situations for self-improvement (Jonker et al., 2012). Our findings not only showed that swimmers in the high-level performance group significantly engaged more frequently in reflection processes during training compared with those in the lower-level performance group, but they also showed that these swimmers scored significantly lower (but still relatively high) for willingness to invest effort. In other words, high-performing swimmers seem to get more out of their training even though they put in relatively less work compared with swimmers who perform at a lower level. A possible explanation could be that high-performing swimmers who frequently engage in reflection during their training sessions carefully assess which tasks to expend effort in rather than expending effort in all situations. As a result, they may train more efficiently (Jonker et al., 2011). The ability to distinguish between what is important (main issues) and what is less important (side issues) is essential for achieving further progress toward goal attainment. Nevertheless, it is important to note that scores for effort were relatively high for all swimmers in our study. This finding, which is in line with findings of other studies (e.g., Jonker et al., 2010a, Toering et al., 2009), accords with the idea that youth athletes who aspire to make it to the top must be willing to expend maximal efforts (Ericsson et al., 1993). However, our findings highlight the importance of directing those efforts towards relevant tasks that contribute to performance development (Stam et al., 2020). Put differently, effort is evidently important but it is not enough. Moreover, our findings showed that high-performing swimmers tended to score higher on evaluation, planning, self-efficacy (negligible effect sizes), and speaking up (small to medium effect sizes), although these results were not statistically significant. Therefore, supported by our results, we argue that the engagement in training-centered SRL, and especially the frequent
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