The Isle of Man has joined a scheme to support high performance athletes progress in their sporting career while in full-time education.
It comes after all secondary schools and University College Isle of Man (UCM) successfully applied to Sport England’s Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS).
The programme supports young people to gain qualifications alongside their sporting pursuits, follow other interests, and further their personal development.
Guy Taylor, TASS National Director, said: “The accreditation to the Dual Career Accreditation Scheme formally recognises their commitment to supporting student-athletes, to ensure they reach their potential in their chosen sport and in the classroom.”
Dual Career Sport Scheme
The blanket accreditation means the Island is the only jurisdiction in the British Isles to have its whole education system signed-up.
All six will now join a network of educational institutions across the British Isles that deliver core support services, such as physiotherapy, nutrition, lifestyle support, to hundreds of student-athletes each year.
While some of these services focus solely on developing sporting performance, the dual career structure and academic flexibility policies are central to the help available to athletes based at an accredited site.
All the schools were supported with their applications by Isle of Man Sport and the Department of Education, Sport and Culture (DESC) to ensure no additional work was required.
During this process, 33 potential stars have been receiving support through a pilot scheme, receiving mentoring and access to elite facilities, performance services and workshops that fit around their studies.
4 Comments