STARS (Supporting Talented Athletes on the Road to Success) Pilot Launched in Stoke-on-Trent
An area based Youth Sport Trust STARS Pilot scheme has been launched in Stoke-on-Trent to support talented local athletes balance their work, education and training.
Former Great Britain champion and Commonwealth and Olympic Games gymnast Craig Heap, now a National Athlete Mentor with the Youth Sport Trust, launched Stoke-on-Trent's STARS programme for budding athletes.
The Youth Sport Trust and North Stoke School Sport Partnership founded the scheme and will be working with the very best young athletes in the north of the city as part of a pilot programme.
The aim of STARS is to provide a support network for talented athletes who, with training and competition schedules, have to work hard to find the time for their sport, their studies and their other everyday activities.
The STARS programme will provide young athletes with the support to balance their work, education and training, while allowing them the opportunity to dedicate enough time to their training to achieve a professional standard.
North Stoke Partnership Development Manager, Richard Harvey said: “The fact that we have identified a STARS squad of 20 students, all achieving national standard in their respective sports is an indication of the depth of talent we have in Stoke-on-Trent. Local star Alex Nelson helped Craig to run the first event so that he could share his experiences with the youngsters.”
The young people were involved in various activities during the course of the launch afternoon, and were introduced to what the STARS project hopes to achieve. Lakeside Physiotherapist clinic has teamed up with the School Sport Partnership and will be providing core strength and flexibility exercise tests in order to guide the athletes with regard their physical development.
School staff who work with the athletes also attended the launch to get some guidance on supporting talented students in school, and national advice on supporting gifted and talented athletes.
Councillor Derek Capey, cabinet member for sport and leisure said: “We’re trying to give young talented sportsmen and women the opportunity to train, live and work all at the same time. Sometimes it can be difficult to attain that balance but we must do all we can to help their development.
“The important thing is that we give young people the right opportunities to nurture their talent and become a success. The STARS programme will allow them to do that and hopefully we will be able to expand it citywide if this is a success.”
STARS (Supporting Talented Athletes on the Road to Success) Squads works with schools to pioneer the development of squads of young people performing at the highest level in sport. Potential elite athletes often appear in clusters rather than as isolated performers. This is no co-incidence. Talented young people working together can drive, inspire, challenge and support each other to achieve their potential. The Youth Sport Trust want to help develop and foster the best environments in which talent can thrive
To be considered schools must have at least four high-performing young athletes in any sport. They need not be high achievers in the same sport or the same year-group. In fact the Youth Sport Trust actively encourage applications from schools which have a diverse range of high-performing young athletes. Schools must have a desire and commitment to developing a squad culture and an understanding of the specific difficulties facing the school’s talented young athletes. STAR athletes focus on the squad ethic and developing the mental side of elite performance. Becoming a champion involves natural talent but turning talent into triumph requires: ambition, hard work, coaching, determination and support