Future Champions - 2012 legacy making a mark in the Tees Valley
An exciting programme linked to The 2012 Games is proving a big success in the Tees Valley. Future Champions has been established as part of the Tees Valley 2012 Legacy Action Plan to help talented athletes and players aged 12 - 18 years. The support is targeted at young people playing at a regional and national level and Tees Valley Sport have been delighted at the numbers and quality of young people accessing the programme to date.
Tees Valley Sport Executive Director Jean Lordon says" Future Champions are offered free and subsidised access to fitness and leisure facilities and a physical development programme developed by Teesside University. The support provided through our 5 local authority partners, leisure trusts and Teesside University has been excellent and much appreciated by the young players and athletes. The Future Champions and their coaches are gaining particular benefit from the skills and knowledge of a team of Sports Science experts at Teesside University"
Many of the young people are already reaping the benefits of the support. Future Champion Laura Kotch, Cyclist says "I really enjoyed the fitness assessment at the University and the different exercises they made me do. Being able to use the gym and exercise classes within the leisure centres is great and when I get the specific exercises from the University I can continue doing these."
Pip Stone, Endurance runner "I was very excited to be chosen to be part of the Tees Valley Future Champions Programme. Recently I have had a movement dynamic test at the University and my results show where I need to improve. I have just got a card for free access to sport facilities to help me do this, I think it's a great programme so far."
Teesside University Sports Science Team has produced a range of physical tests based upon long term athletic development. The Future Champion recruits are put through a series of tests to measure core stability, strength, flexibility and basic movement patterns. They are then provided with a full assessment of their performance and a programme of exercises designed to improve their physical development.
To achieve success at the highest level young people need more than just raw talent in their chosen sport. Laying the right foundations requires both athletes and coaches to ensure that the physical development needed to underpin top class performance is delivered through a training programme followed by the athlete.
Tees Valley Sport Chair, Mike Crawshaw says" We were very keen to establish projects that provided a real lasting legacy to the London 2012 Games in the Tees Valley. Future Champions is proving to be a great success and it would be fantastic if we could provide support to potential Olympic and Paralympic stars of the future. I am particularly pleased that we have had 18 different sports represented in the intake of Future Champions to date"
Tees Valley Sport are also looking to support coaches through Future Champions and a training and development programme will provide them an opportunity to develop skills and knowledge to support the development of Future Champions and other young athletes in clubs.
Young people can apply to become Future Champions through Tees Valley Sport.
The next deadline for applications is 30th June 2011. The final opportunity for applications in Year 1 is June 30th 2011. Application forms can be accessed here.
