7th February 2018

ATHLETES COMPLETE INDUCTION TO AASE PROGRAMME

The second and final induction camp for the 2018 cohort of Athletics Academy of Sporting Excellence (AASE) athletes was hosted at Loughborough this weekend with over 100 athletes coming from centres in Bath, Birmingham, Gateshead, Loughborough and Manchester, following London holding an induction for athletes in the area last month.

The Athletics Academy in Sporting Excellence is a key part of the British Athletics Performance Pathway for young athletes aged between 16 and 18. With 200 athletes selected for the programme, it gives them the opportunity to learn and develop the necessary knowledge and skills to progress on to becoming a senior international athlete whilst gaining further qualifications, and is designed to support and complement club training.

World relay medallists Desiree Henry and Matthew Hudson-Smith, world para athletics T38 long jump champion Olivia Breen, and age-group international medallists Kyle Langford and Tom Gale are alumni of this programme, showcasing the importance of the programme in athlete’s progression through the pathway.

Day one saw the athletes run through a series of workshops delivered by British Athletics performance pathway staff alongside practical sessions on nutrition, strength & conditioning, performance lifestyle and psychology. They also had the opportunity to meet with their mentors which are a mixture of ex-international athletes and coaches.

There were also sessions for parents and personal coaches; these included a workshop on the journey to becoming a world class athlete, the performance pathway parent which explored how to best support the athletes through their journey and a Clean Athletics session.

The second day saw the athletes putting into practise what they had learned during the nutrition session by taking part in a practical cooking session for the camp, led by former British international Louise Bloor. There were also further workshops on social media, injury prevention and international athlete experience with Kelly Massey.

Athletes will then attend eight squads throughout the 2018 calendar year, which include 1:1 days with programme specialists. The programme workshops will be held at regional hubs (Loughborough, Bath, Manchester, Birmingham, Gateshead, London/SE) and on suitable dates to avoid competition clashes, in school holidays and at weekends. Parents as well as personal coaches will also be invited to attend relevant sessions with their athletes and contribute where appropriate to their athlete’s programme.