Competition: Talent
Becoming a top sports performer is a dream for many people, but fulfilling that dream can seem impossible unless performers have the right support around them. The right coaches, support from volunteers and also financial support will all help you to achieve your goals.
UK Sport is the sporting lead in managing elite athletes in the UK and their aim is to lead sport in the UK to world-class success. A number of programmes are now in place to support the top flight athletes.
World Class Podium
This Programme supports sports with realistic medal capabilities at Olympic/Paralympic Games (i.e. a maximum of four years away from the podium). At this level, an assessment of realistic medal projections determines the required investment per sport using the models introduced post-Athens for Olympic and Paralympic sports. Support is provided through a performance programme with the governing body and an athlete personal award.
World Class Development
This Programme is designed to support the stage of the pathway immediately beneath the Podium. It will comprise of sports that have demonstrated that they have realistic medal winning capabilities for 2012.
World Class Talent
This Programme is designed to support the identification and confirmation of athletes who have the potential to progress through the World Class pathway with the help of targeted investment.
» Visit UK Sport for more information
Other programmes for talented athletes include:
Junior Athlete Education
A talent support programme for school sport partnerships to help their talented young sports people to balance school and sport demands.
Key features of the programme are:
• Support workshops for talented young athletes
• Workshop for parents
• Mentor support for identified staff in schools
» To access this programme, please contact your School Sport Partnership Development Manager
» For more information on the programme please visit www.talentladder.org or www.youthsporttrust.org
The Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS)
"I know how difficult it is to develop in your sport to the highest levels whilst undertaking academic studies or a career. This exciting new scheme provides our most promising future Olympians with top quality sporting services and access to good quality training facilities."
Sir Steve Redgrave CBE, Olympic Champion
The Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) is a Government funded programme that represents a unique partnership between sport and higher and further education.
The programme awards Scholarships and Bursaries to talented athletes that are committed to combining their sport and education. It aims to reduce the drop out of talented athletes from sport and supports and develops the talent of today for sporting success in the future. Scholarships are available to 16 to 25 year old sports people.
TASS 2012
The 2012 Scholarships will be targeted at 12 to 18 year olds, however, as each sport has a different optimal age range, a sport can ask for variation within the age 10-20.
The scholarship awards each athlete with £10,000 per annum to help with access to world class facilities, coaching and support services.
» For more information click here www.tass.gov.uk
Playground 2 Podium
‘Playground to Podium’ is the new national strategy for the identification, development and support of talented young disabled athletes, developed by the Youth Sport Trust, Sport England, UK Sport and the British Paralympic Association.
The Playground to Podium framework forms a pathway which will take young disabled people from PE, through participation, to high level performance and competition.
Turning the framework into opportunities for all young disabled people to participate and perform is the responsibility of a large range of sports organisations, but is heavily dependent on strong foundations being laid by School Sport Partnerships.
The four key interventions that School Sport Partnerships are tasked with delivering are:
- Continuous Professional Development (training) for teachers to develop skills in identifying and supporting ability in young disabled people.
- Inclusive or dedicated Multi-skill Clubs, to develop the fundamental movement and sport skills of all young disabled people aged 7-11.
- Multi Sport Clubs for ages 11-18, offering regular out-of-school-hours coaching opportunities to enhance the sporting skills of those young disabled people wishing to progress further in a sporting environment.
- Identifying Ability Days to bring together those young disabled people identified as showing higher ability in PE and Sport, through PE curricular routes, multi sport opportunities and competitions, to experience a range of high quality coaching environments through which to assess their sporting potential.
What are the next steps for young disabled people identified as having higher ability in PE and Sport?
Young disabled people, who are confirmed as having higher abilities at the Identifying Ability Days, will be signposted to the County Assessment Centres for a more formal assessment and high quality coaching in specific sports.
For further information please contact the Youth Sport Trust’s School Support Unit on Tel: 01509 226600 or Email: SchoolSupportUnit@youthsporttrust.org or contact your local School Sport Partnership, Partnership Development Manager.
