REALISING POTENTIAL PROGRAMME: HYDRASUN ATHLETICS ACADEMY
BLUE HORIZON:: Seeing Worth:: Building Confidence:: Expanding Horizons:: Realising Potential
Aberdeen Sports Village (ASV), Aberdeen Univerisities Sport and Exercise Team, and Blue Horizon's Eddie McKenna have a Memorandum of Understanding in creating a local Development Athletics Academy for athletes which mirrors the support that is available through the Grampian Institute of Sport.
This is part of the REALISING POTENTIAL PROGRAMME run by Blue Horizon.
An international company based in Aberdeen and working in a variety of industrial sectorsis the Academy’s sponsor and has agreed to come on board with the three major service providers and will be supporting the Academy for at least the next 4 years, together with the ASV and AU and Blue Horizon. Blue Horizon is delighted to be working with Hydrasun in this exciting project!
What does this mean?
Those development athletes who achieve a standard approved byscottishathletics and the Athletics Academy Management Committee will be offered sponsorship consistingofa hitherto unprecedented level ofsupport services and personal performance mentoring to assist them in reaching their goals.
What do eligible athletes receive?
Free Athletics Membership to the Sports Village and free access to strength and conditioning areas when required.
Free Strength and Conditioning programming, and delivery up to two times per week at ASV or King’s. (Separate arrangements for RGU members of the Academy)
Free Full Physiotherapy Profile by Spear Physiotherapy to create a base level report for an Annual Plan.
Free Physiotherapy services when required to a level approved by the Academy.
Free Sports Psychology if required (subject to the above).
Free Nutritional Advice if required (subject to the above).
Free advice and support for Coach and athlete in Goal setting and planning and performance management throughout the year in conjunction and with the full support with Regional and National Coaches.
Free Kit. A level of free kit will be offered
Free Access to an online web based site which will be developed for athletes and coaches.
Free testing if and when appropriate in conjunction with the University and the Grampian Institute of Sport.
Free access to Seminars and Activities when appropriate run by the University of Aberdeen.
Financial support to offset travel costs in attending major championships.
Who qualifies?
Qualifying athletes will be 15- under 23. They are athletes who have reached national standards as approved by scottishathletics and the management group of the Academy.
For this year, this will be Power of 10, 100 standard 2010, (or equivalent in the case of U23)
Who runs the Academy?
The Academy will be run by a local management group consisting of senior staff of all the partners and will have an independent chair. In the first year through Blue Horizon, our New Horizons Director Eddie McKenna is the Performace Manager, who offers mentoring support for athletes and coaches.
Donald Pirie, Head of Aberdeen University Sport and Exercise Team
Jan Griffiths and David Beattie, Sports Development Manager and General Manager of Aberdeen Sports Village
Karen Young of Spear Physiotherapy Therapist Advisor
Representatives of Sport Scotland and the Grampian Institute of Sport will also be part of the management structure (ex officio)
This is a major investment by a group of partners to realise the potential of young athletes and is part of a much wider desire by Blue Horizon to recognise that every young person can find ways to develop their talents and to gain the confidence to be all they can be
Realising Potential
Blue Horizons programme to encourage participation in Sports
Europe's premier supplier of fluid connectors, hoses, fittings, instrumentation and process control products to a wide range of industry sectors,are relocating their main Office to South Aberdeen in December and are seeking to add significant value to the community and the Cityby supporting Blue Horizon and therefore the Sports Academy as a local charity on their doorstepand this citywide andAthletics Academy.
Aberdeen Sports Village is the creation of a modern, vibrant new facility which will provide a variety of sports for all. This venture is the realisation of a vision first discussed in 2003 by funding partners the University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen City Council and sportscotland. Their joint efforts were realised with the grand opening in August 2009. They believe in delivering high quality sports services and opportunities for all at the home of sport in the North East
The University of Aberdeen Sport and Exercise team is based at Aberdeen Sports Village and use the superb collection of new sporting facilities. As a department they are dedicated to encouraging participation, enjoyment and mastery in sport and exercise. They take pride in their teaching and the vast amount of opportunities we offer staff, students and the local community.
Dr Frank Dick OBE “The Hydrasun Aberdeen Athletics Academy is a most valuable initiative which will contribute significantly to raising the profile of athletics and elevating performance standards not only in Aberdeen but in Scotland. Warmest thanks and congratulations to everyone for this outstanding endorsement of the value of effective partnership"
Nigel Holl Chief Executive scottishathleticsThis initiative is exactly what we need to see supporting our sport at local and regional level. The partnerships that have formed to provide athletes in and around Aberdeen and Grampian with enhanced opportunities are excellent - proof that local initiative can combine to raise the flag as well as the bar for athletics in this area. scottishathletics is delighted to support this initiative, and I know that it will help many young athletes on the pathway to international success.
Laurier Primeau former HEAD COACH SAL
It is with hearty enthusiasm that scottishathletics supports a partnership which coordinates facilities, paramedical support and coaching to maximize potential of the rising stars in Grampian. This programme will add not only to the strength of our programme nationally, but perhaps more importantly will enrich the sporting experience for many athletes who will learn skills that they will in turn pass on to the next generation of track and field enthusiasts.
