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Pre Academy and Youth Academy 2025-2026

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Athletics NI Pre and Youth Academy 2025/26

*Please note, 2026/27 dates have not been comfirmed. Keep an eye on this page for more information in due course

Athletics Northern Ireland have opened the Youth Academy & Pre-Academy Strands for applications for 2025-2026. 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 Pre-Academy in 2018, athletes and coaches from across Ulster are now supported through the programmes.

ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for:

  • Youth Academy - an athlete must be eligible for Northern Ireland selection by fulfilling one of the below criteria
    • Being born in NI
    • Having at least one parent born in NI
    • Having three years residence in NI.
  • Pre-Academy Strands - an athlete must be either NI eligible (as above) or Ulster eligible (from one of the additional three counties of Ulster) or those living in NI

 

APPLICATION & SELECTION

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 4 year curriculum and the Pre-Academy Strands deliver a 2 year curriculum. All athletes must reapply each year. It is expected that for 2025-2026 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.

 

APPLICATION

Athlete-Coach pairs should discuss and complete the online application form. Please read the accompanying information pack which contains all essential information.

Youth Academy Application Information Pack

Youth Academy 2025/26 Link Here

 

Pre-Academy Application Information Pack

 Pre-Academy Strands 2025/26 Link Here

 

We recommend that athlete and coach discuss the completion of this form and parents of U18 athletes are closely involved in the application process. 

If you have any questions please contact james.douglas@athleticsni.org early in the application window.