Zena Wooldridge University of Birmingham

Higher Education’s role in Talent Development and Performance Sport Zena Wooldridge OBE Director of Sport, University of Birmingham, UK

Success in Performance Sport ?

• Key characteristics of successful systems: • • • • • • •

professional coaching system adequate and comprehensive funding for athletes effective application of sport science robust sport governance structures talent identification and development effective competition opportunities appropriate facilities

Rank

1 2 3 4

2012 Olympics LONDON

5 6 7 8 9

Medal Table

10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

NOC

United States (USA) China (CHN) Great Britain (GBR) Russia (RUS) South Korea (KOR) Germany (GER) France (FRA) Italy (ITA) Hungary (HUN) Australia (AUS) Japan (JPN) Kazakhstan (KAZ) Netherlands (NED) Ukraine (UKR) New Zealand (NZL) Cuba (CUB) Iran (IRI) Jamaica (JAM)

Gold

Silver

46 38 29 24 13 11 11 8 8 7 7 7 6 6 6 5 4 4

29 27 17 26 8 19 11 9 4 16 14 1 6 5 2 3 5 4

Bronze

29 23 19 32 7 14 12 11 6 12 17 5 8 9 5 6 3 4

Total

104 88 65 82 28 44 34 28 18 35 38 13 20 20 13 14 12 12

Team GB Olympic Medals 1992-2012 Games

Rank

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Total

Barcelona 1992

13th

5

3

12

20

Atlanta 1996

36th

1

8

6

15

Sydney 2000

10th

11

10

7

29

Athens 2004

10th

9

9

12

30

Beijing 2008

4th

19

13

15

47

London 2012

3rd

29

17

19

65

Brasil Olympic Medals 1992-2012 Games

Rank

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Total

Barcelona 1992

25th

2

1

0

3

Atlanta 1996

25th

3

3

9

15

Sydney 2000

53rd

0

6

6

12

Athens 2004

16th

5

2

3

10

Beijing 2008

23rd

3

4

8

15

London 2012

29th

3

5

9

17

Rio 2016

10th ?

Team GB’s Journey to 3rd place INVESTMENT Games

Rank

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Total

Atlanta 1996

36th

1

8

6

15

Sydney 2000

10th

11

10

7

29

£60m (180m BRL)

Athens 2004

10th

9

9

12

30

£70m (210m BRL)

Beijing 2008

4th

19

13

15

47

£235m (705m BRL)

London 2012

3rd

29

17

19

65

£264m (792m BRL)

Rio 2016

£284m (852m BRL)

Financial Investment • • •

UK Sport ~ government performance sport agency Public Funding ~ NGB accountability Heavily supported by Lottery funding • •

•

Measures / Outcomes: • •

•

Sport’s % of lottery funding  Economic recession: lottery income  Olympic & Paralympic medals № performance athletes developed

Reward success . . . and penalise failure •

24 sports (2012) to 20 sports (2016)

Performance Systems • • • •

NGB governance, leadership, financial management 4 year investment cycles support an 8-year performance development plans/pathways for sports “No compromise” approach Investment in the Institute of Sport: • •

•

World class sports science & sports medicine services Development of world class practitioners

Other: e.g. research & innovation, coaching expertise, major events, international influence

Higher Education’s role in Team GB success

Rank

2012 Olympics LONDON Medal Table with ‘Team HE’

NOC

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Total

1

United States (USA)

46

29

29

104

2

China (CHN)

38

27

23

88

3

Great Britain (GBR)

29

17

19

65

4

Russia (RUS)

24

26

32

82

5

“Team HE” (GBR)

15

9

6

30

6

South Korea (KOR)

13

8

7

28

7

Germany (GER)

11

19

14

44

8

France (FRA)

11

11

12

34

9

Italy (ITA)

8

9

11

28

10

Hungary (HUN)

8

4

6

18

11

Australia (AUS)

7

16

12

35

12

Japan (JPN)

7

14

17

38

13

Kazakhstan (KAZ)

7

1

5

13

14

Netherlands (NED)

6

6

8

20

Team HE (GBR) Factsheet •

Over 60% of Team GB Olympic medallists have been to University (65% of gold medallists) • Just over 40% of UK 18 year olds go to University

•

56 members of Team GB in 2012 had competed for GB at a World University Games • Universiade as pre-Olympic experience • Shenzhen 2011: 7,155 athletes from 151 countries

 How does HE support talented student-athletes ?

Sports Scholarships • University Sports Scholarships (≈ 65) • Sports science & medicine support • Strength & conditioning coaching • Coaching

Hannah England World Silver Medallist 1500m

• Help with competition costs • Lifestyle support (workshops) • ‘clean sport’ education programme • Academic flexibility for major competition

• Professional support rather than cash • Regional/National Performance Centres • TASS Regional Hub

Louise Hazel Commonwealth Heptathlon Champion

High Performance Centre  applying science to improve performance  integrated team of applied practitioners  collaboration with academic/research colleagues

• Sports Science: physiology, biomechanics, psychology, performance analysis, nutrition, body composition …

• Sports Medicine: musculoskeletal screen, podiatry, physiotherapy, sports massage, sports medicine

• Strength & Conditioning

An HE-FE based sport scholarship programme, to help talented student-athletes successfully balance sport and education

• • • • • •

Government funded (£3m pa) 6,000 awards over 9 years Partnership between HE-FE & sport governing bodies Delivered through 8 regional university hubs Improved quality and consistency of HE delivery Major Games (TASS students / alumni): – Beijing 2008: 15 Olympic + 4 Paralympic medals – London 2012: 200 TASS athletes won 33 Olympic & 24 Paralympic medals

• TASS advising IOC on its Athlete Career Prog (education)

Other HE impact •

Research + applied disciplines of sport: • •

Sports science Sports medicine (physiotherapy & medicine) •

• •

Links with Medical School

Coaching / sports psychology Strength & conditioning coaches

Sports Science & Medicine Biomechanics / Movement Analysis

Physiotherapy / Rehabilitation

Sport Psychology

Motor Control & Learning

research Physiology

applied Sports Medicine Sports Nutrition

Coaching

Other HE impact •

Research + applied disciplines of sport: • •

Sports science Sports medicine (physiotherapy & medicine) •

• •

• • • •

Leading Medical School

Coaching / sports psychology Strength & conditioning

Development of sport practitioners and coaches Innovation/design, e.g. UoB metallurgy & materials Sport policy, governance & admin/management World class facilities