PLAYGROUND TO PODIUM
2009 Information
Playground to Podium is a
joint initiative run by English Federation of Disability Sport,
Sport England and the Youth Sport Trust and is designed to identify
and nurture disabled young people with the potential to be elite
athletes and performers.
Within mainstream and
special schools, School Sports Coordinators will work with PE
professionals to identify young disabled poeple who show the
potential to become sporting athletes. All disabled children
and young people are eligible to be considered for entry into the
Playground to Podium pathway, not just those with impairments that
are covered by the Paralympics.
Those individuals that have
been identified within schools as showing sporting potential will
be referred to a County Athlete Assessment & Development Centre
(CAADC) which will be held once a year in Surrey.
The CAADC's overall aim is
to allow National Governing Bodies across 6 sports (Football,
Boccia, Wheelchair Basketball, Athletics, Table Tennis &
Swimming) the opportunity to assess the young people as to whether
they have the full potential to further progress within a
particular sport and along that sports Parlympic
pathway.
Each CAADC will cater for
young disabled people of varying impairments and support levels and
will follow a clearly prescribed plan in order to achieve parity
across the country. Each individual attending the CAADC will
take part in all 5 (potential swimmers will be identified via the
ASA so will not be part of the CAADC) sport specific tests and
assessed by the NGBs.
There are three distinct
pathways that inidividuals will take once they have participated at
the CAADC.
A) If an young person
is deemed to have the potential to be an elite athlete they will be
immediately connected into the performance pathway of that
sport. They will be referred to centres of excellence and
will exit the CAADC process.
B) Identification of a
young with a potential that needs developing in a specific
sport. These individuals will be referred to high quality
coaching opportunities within the local club structure for their
sport. They will be continually monitored throughout their
time at their club and will be signposted into suitable
opportunities and pathways in accordance with their
talent.
C) Identification of a lack
of required potential or ability to be considered for elite
performance within specific sports. These people will be
referred back into the community sport and will be signposted to
opportunities to continue at a recreational level or alternatively
signposted to other sports where they could potentially be
more successful.
For further information
please contact EFDS on 0161
2475294 or visit their website at www.efds.co.uk
Page last updated:
June 2009
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