We are really pleased to see the launch of this exciting new plan as it links so well with our great work in the Tees Valley around the Future Champions programme.
Press release from Sport England below:
We want England to have the best talent system in the world.
We’re already a hugely successful sporting nation. Our country enjoyed record performances at the Commonwealth Games in Australia, while English athletes made up more than 80% of the hugely successful Team GB and ParalympicsGB in the most recent summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.
This success has been made possible by excellent performance programmes underpinned by effective talent systems – but we know we can’t take this success for granted.
That’s why we’ve produced our Talent Plan for England, which outlines our principles for investing in talent and explains how we can help produce the athletes that will star on the international stage in the future.
Phil Smith, our director of sport, says that while we should be proud of what has already been achieved, there’s still plenty of room for improvement. “In this plan we’re building on success,” he explained.
“We’ve set ourselves a high bar but believe we can create the world’s best sporting talent system.”
Inclusion
Our plan states that how we win is as important as what we win. As such, our plan has twin objectives of progression and inclusion.
It underlines that, for everyone in the talent system, sport should remain a positive experience and the system is also accessible to everyone who has ability and potential to succeed at the highest level regardless of their background.
“The experience young athletes receive will have a lasting effect on not only their sporting performance, but also their mental and physical health,” added Phil. “Training to win and enjoying the experience should not be mutually exclusive.
“Secondly, as fans we want to see sports teams that reflect the best of our nation and our population, in all its diversity. We have a concern that not only the culture of talent pathways, but also the sheer cost of being talented, may be a real barrier to this.”
Our talent plan has seven guiding principles describes how the England talent system is structured, outlines in brief how we work with key partners and provides some working definitions of terminology often used to describe various aspects of the Talent Pathway.
Watch the VIDEO to find out more.
Posted on 12th April 2019