The support available for young athletes in education featured as part of a wider review into the duty of care sport has towards those taking part.
“I believe we have to a duty to help young people to achieve their potential, while prioritising their welfare, wellbeing and education,” says Dame Tanni.
“For the vast majority of athletes, skills and formal qualifications are needed to help them find alternative careers, either alongside their sporting activities or once their sporting days are over.”
SUPPORTING TALENT
The accredited centres will be an extension of the work TASS is already doing to support talented student-athletes.
The National Lottery-funded scheme works with talented athletes, education institutions and national governing bodies of sport to bring the best out of the country’s most exciting young talent.
It helps athletes in education – aged 16-plus – to get the very best from their sporting and academic careers without having to choose between the two.
Some of the current core services, including physiotherapy, nutrition and strength and conditioning, focus solely on developing the young person’s sporting performance.
For athletes based at these new accredited centres, the support and flexible study options available will be central to the help available.
BALANCING THE WORKLOAD
Sam Thompson, who is studying law with criminology at Sheffield Hallam University, is a national-level volleyball athlete.
He is on the university’s performance athlete support programme and says studying at a university that can deliver support in his two career paths has helped him.
“Balancing the high workload of my course and the busy volleyball training has proven to be a challenge,” says Sam.
“The athlete support team made this process easy as possible for me, which in turn helped to reduce pressure and stress of balancing the various commitments I have as a student athlete.”
FURTHER INFORMATION
