Youth Academy & Speed-Power Academy

 

Nurturing Junior Talent, Aspiring to Senior Success

In September 2014 Athletics Northern Ireland launched the Youth Academy to support Northern Ireland’s talented young athletes and their coaches.

“We believe physical & technical preparation and a performance mindset are critical for athlete development and we must create a challenging, supportive, open and professional environment where athletes and coaches can fulfil their potential.”

Athletics Northern Ireland's Academies aim to identify and develop talented junior athletes and raise their potential for senior success. We are focused on improving physical qualities, sporting knowledge, psychological skills and performance behaviours in young athletes whilst educating parents and coaches on what it takes to perform consistently on the international stage as seniors. In doing so we believe Northern Ireland will develop a pipeline of junior athletes who will become successful seniors representing Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games and Great Britain or Ireland at major championships.

Since establishing the Academy in 2014 supported Athletes have achieved Commonwealth Youth Games Medals, European Junior Medals & World Para Medals & made breakthroughs to compete at European Team Championships, Senior Commonwealth Games, European & World Indoors. At the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022 there were five Academy Graduates on the team who achieved 3x top 10 finishes and a silver medal.

Eligibility

• Youth Academy… an athlete must be eligible for NI Commonwealth Games selection by fulfilling one of the below criteria
  • Being born in NI
  • Having at least 1 parent or grandparent born in NI
  • Having 3 years residence in NI.

• Speed - Power Academy… an athlete must be either NI eligible (as above) or Ulster eligible (from one of the additional 3 counties of Ulster.)

 

Youth Academy

The Athletics Northern Ireland Youth Academy has proven popular and successful and now has bases at Jordanstown and Coleraine. The 2023-2024 recommenced launched in October 2023 supporting 30 athlete-coach pairs.

ATHLETE	EVENT	COACH
Aida Zukauskaite	Hammer	Paul Kirkpatrick
Andrew Greer	100m WC	Heather Ardis
Annabel Morrison	3000m	Tommy Farrell
Aoibheann Dempsey	400mH	Ian Neely
Ashleigh McArdle	Shot / Multis	Barry McArdle
Ava Colgan	Multis	Jim O'Neill
Ava Diver	800m	Catherine Diver
Ben Acheson	1500m	Mark Kirk
Blaine Lynch	Javelin	Laura Lewis
Callum Baird	400m	Ian Neely
Callum Morgan	5000m	Mark Kirk
Charlie Lawden	Javelin	Laura Lewis
Clara Casey	800m	Tom Doherty
Emer McKee	1500m/3000m	Lawson Cochrane
Emily Morris	1500m/3000m	Lawson Cochrane
Emmy Thornton	800m	Mark Kirk / Lawson Cochrane
Finn Diver	1500m	Catherine Diver
Finn O'Neill	Decathlon	Jim Alexander / Wendy Phillips / Damien Crawford
Frank Buchanan	1500m/3000m	Francis Shaw
Isa McCarron	800m	Jim McKeown
Jodi Foster	800m	Davy Foster
Kirsti Foster	1500m	Davy Foster
Lucy foster	1500m	Davy Foster
Lughaidh Mallon	1500m	Mark Kirk
Luke Kelly	3000m/5000m	Mark Kirk
Meabh O’Connor	LJ/Heptathlon	Michael O'Connor
Nick Griggs	1500m/3000m	Mark Kirk
Poppy Hastings	3000m	Barrie Holmes
Rebecca Rossiter	1500m	Mark Kirk
Veronica O'Neill	100mH/400mH	Jim O'Neill

 

In 2023-2024 Academy support will include:

• Weekly speed development and strength and conditioning
• Quarterly strength diagnostics
• Integrated Physiotherapy clinics
• Athlete, parent and coach education
• Performance planning support for athletes and coaches

 

Speed Power Academy

The Speed-Power Academy, delivered at Ulster University Jordanstown recommenced in October 2023 with 18 athletes from NI & Ulster aged 14-18 years old selected. Speed-Power Academy assists athletes and their coaches with improving physical preparation & performance behaviours. Athletes have the opportunity to sample aspects of the Youth Academy curriculum and access strength and conditioning, speed development and strength diagnostics. The Speed Power-Academy has previously proven useful in accelerating a number of young athletes towards Youth Academy.

ATHLETE	EVENT	COACH
Caleb McFadden	HJ	Stephen Lewis
Ben Sykes	100m	Gillian Sykes
Cora Scullion	1500m	Adrian Scullion
Erin Cross	400m	Lawson Cochrane
Ewan Donald	100m	Gillian Sykes
Finn Cross	800m	Lawson Cochrane
Finn McClean	80mH	Brendan McConville
Grace Bennett	3000m	Jim McKeown
Jonny McLaughlin	Javelin	Paddy McGrattan
Katie Keown	1500m	Jim McKeown
Lily Rimmer	1500m	Jim McKeown
Martha Orr	200m	Ian Neely
Noah Harper	800m	Jim McKeown
Noah Watt	3000m	Andrew Han
Olivia Morgan	800m	Jim McKeown
Roger McMullan	Long Jump	Adam McMullen
Saul Thompson	800m	Ian Neely
Thomas Williams	Hammer	Neil Williams