THP the North American model over the European model in developing young athletes.

The North American model develops young athletes primarily through school and university sports programs. Athletes compete in interscholastic leagues and, at the tertiary level, through the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association), which offers athletic scholarships. Young athletes are typically drafted after graduation and sign professional contracts with teams. The European model develops athletes primarily through sports clubs where players are recruited young, trained by professional volunteers, and may be promoted based on sporting merit, which may result in signing professional contracts in their teens. Young players are typically amateurs and from the grassroots, and training is largely separate from formal education.