From athletes competing at Olympic and Paralympic level, to World and European Championships to professional contracts, there has been no shortage of young talent progressing through the Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence (AASE). The programme was launched in 2004 when SkillsActive, the sports’ national governing bodies (NGBs) and industry experts wanted to ensure top young athletes received the help and coaching they need to succeed in elite sport. AASE provides a structured training and development route across a number of sports for young, talented athletes (aged 16-19) who have a real chance of excelling in their sport. Created by SkillsActive, the sector skills council for active leisure, the programme is funded by the Skills Funding Agency and supported by Sport England.
The first sport to begin delivery of AASE was football, which offered its Premier League and Football League Education scheme to all 92 professional clubs across England’s top four tiers. Since then, the sports performance apprenticeship has grown and is now offered to 3,000 athletes annually in more 30 sports.
Talent identification
Each AASE programme reflects the range of skills, knowledge and performance criteria required in elite level sport. Crucially, they also give athletes the skills, knowledge and qualifications to pursue a dual career, should they fall short of their ultimate goals. The programme covers performance and knowledge related topics, technical skills, tactical skills, physical capability, nutrition, psychological skills, lifestyle management, career planning, health and safety and communications.
To complete an AASE programme, apprentices must produce a portfolio demonstrating what they’ve learnt about each of the units during their sporting pursuits. This could include a training log, a nutrition diary, video samples or a journal. Apprentices must also work with a qualified assessor to test their understanding and work-based performance.
AASE is a unique talent programme because it is specifically tailored to meet the demands and support the needs of young talented athletes within each individual NGB. The NGB plays a crucial role in the delivery and endorsement of the programme. To be eligible for the apprenticeship, athletes must proven ability and/or the potential to play at the highest level in their sport, determined in collaboration with the NGB of each sport.
Ian Taylor, SkillsActive CEO, said: “The AASE programme provides a clear framework to help apprentices develop their skills and build on their knowledge to become an elite athlete. As well as measuring development in their sport, AASE looks at wider issues such as lifestyle, career path, media communication and health and safety.”
From classroom to Podium
A total of 30 AASE apprentices represented Team GB in the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and a further four competed at the winter Olympics in Sochi. At last year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, there were 23 athletes who had come through the AASE. Some of the most recognisable names in British sport are products of AASE – swimmers Rebecca Adlington, Jemma Lowe and Lauren Steadman; diver Tom Daley; and Arsenal and England footballer Jack Wilshere.
Matt O’Dowd has been delivering the AASE programme for a number of years and manages Loughborough College’s Elite Sport Team. He is currently a sport work related manager on the college’s AASE programme.
He says the system is perfectly geared to deliver sporting excellence as well as secure a career path for athletes.
“The AASE programme is unique as it allows talented young athletes to continue their development as elite sports performers and to aid their progression from junior to senior level,” he said.
“It allows NGBs to offer more quality support from coaches and support services at this crucial time. For many NGBs, AASE has created a new level in the performance pathway and information gathered as part of AASE can follow the athlete through the pathway and on to senior elite level. Here at Loughborough College we currently run AASE with England Hockey, British Athletics, Rugby League, England Netball, Volleyball England, England Squash and Racketball and Short Track Skating.”
Each NGB delivers the AASE differently and there are currently more than 2,500 athletes on the programme throughout England. SkillsActive will continue to support NGBs to deliver success for programmes for rising talent and also looks to encourage new sports which are not currently engaged in the programme to begin delivery.
Find out more: www.skillsactive.com/aase