Athletics Northern Ireland have today opened the Youth Academy & Speed-Power Academy for applications for 2024-2025. The Academies will support the progression of talented 14-21 year old athletes.
The Athletics Northern Ireland Youth Academy was first launched in September 2014 to support Northern Ireland’s most talented young athletes and their coaches, with the addition of the Speed-Power Academy in 2018, athletes and coaches from across Ulster are now supported through the programmes. This year we saw the first and second Academy graduates selected for the Olympic Games with Kate O’Connor (Heptathlon) and Rachel McCann (4x400m).
An exciting development for the new season is that James Douglas will be leaving his position as Head of Athletics and Strength & Conditioning at the Norwich School in the south of England to take up the role of Pathway Lead at Athletics NI which will involve management of both Academies and the wider talent pathway programmes.
To be eligible for:
The Academies aim to support athletes and coaches who have identified their own strengths, weaknesses and areas for progress and who will benefit most from engaging with the physical preparation, physiotherapy and performance lifestyle support available. Selection will prioritise athletes who demonstrate the potential and ability to eventually represent Northern Ireland at a Senior Commonwealth Games.
Athletes will be assessed for inclusion based upon their performance standards and performance potential. The Youth Academy is designed to deliver a 3 year curriculum and the Speed Power Academy delivers a 2 year curriculum. All athletes must reapply each year. It is expected that for 2024-2025 there will be considerable interest from new applicants and although athletes who have completed their first year of Academy will be offered a place subject to satisfactory progress, spaces are not guaranteed for those athletes reapplying who have not shown upward progress. Limited Academy capacity means athletes across all events must be compared. During the selection process both performance and potential factors will be taken into consideration.
Athlete-Coach pairs should discuss and complete the online application form by 11.59pm on Friday 11th October 2024.
Link Here: https://forms.gle/JMa4TdqwVn2uBQLk9
We recommend that athlete and coach discuss the completion of this form and parents of U18 athletes are closely involved in the application process. A panel will deliver the selection process on the week commencing 14th October 2024. All applicants will receive communication by Monday 21st October 2024.
If you have any questions please contact scott.paulin@athleticsni.org early in the application window. Please read the accompanying information pack which contains all essential information before getting in touch.