The Pathway to Elite Performance in British Sport

• what are three organisations that play crucial roles in the process of developing elite performers

  National Governing Bodies (NGB's)

  National Institutes of Sport (NIS)

  UK Sport
• what are National Governing Bodies and examples

  they are responsible for the development and promotion of specific sports in the UK

  they oversee grassroots participation, talent identification, and the development of elite athletes

  examples = FA, RFU. British Cycling and UK athletics
• what are National Institutes of Sport and examples

  they provide world-class training facilities, scientific support, and performance services to elite athletes and teams

  they aim to create an environment that maximises athletes' potential

  example = The English Institute of Sport, the Scottish Institute of Sport, Sport Northern Ireland, and Sport Wales
• what is UK Sport

  the government agency responsible for investing in Olympic and Paralympic sport

  it provides funding, expertise, and strategic direction to NGBs and NIS to support the development of world-class athletes
• what are the four aspects of the collaborative approach

  talent identification (talent ID)

  development and progression

  performance support

  world-class performance
• what is talent identification (talent ID)

  NGBs play a key role in identifying young athletes with potential trough talent spotting programmes, competitions, and talent camps
• what is development and progression

  once identified, athletes are supported through various development programmes provided by NGBs and NIS

  these programmes may include coaching, strength and conditioning, nutrition, sports psychology, and physiotherapy
• what is performance support

  as athletes progress, they receive further support from the NIS, including access to world-class facilities, sports science and medicine services, and performance lifestyle advice
• what is world-class performance

  UK Sport plays a pivotal role in funding and supporting athletes at the elite level, with a focus on olympic and Paralympic success
• what are the aspects of UK Sport's world class programme

  podium and podium potential levels

  gold event series

  athlete performance awards (APA)

  performance pathway support
• what is podium and podium potential levels

  the programme is divided into two levels based on an athlete's medal potential

  podium athletes are those with a realistic chance of winning a medal at the next olympic/Paralympic Games, while podium potential athletes rare those who show promise for future games
• what are gold event series

  this identifies sports and events with the greatest potential for British medal success and allocates resources accordingly
• what is athlete performance awards (APA)

  direct financial support to athletes, enabling them to focus on training and competition
• what is performance pathway support

  funding for NGBs to deliver world-class coaching, performance support, and talent development programmes
• what are the aspects of collaboration with National Institutes of Sport

  performance enhancement

  training facilities

  performance lifestyle support
• what is performance enhancement

  providing sports science and medical services, including biomechanics analysis, physiology testing, nutrition guidance, and injury prevention strategies
• what are training facilities

  offering access to world-class facilities like high-performance gyms, environmental chambers, and sport-specific training venues
• performance lifestyle support 


  assisting athletes with education, career planning, and personal development to ensure a holistic approach to well-being