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Performance Sport
While
sport is about fun and enjoyment, many people have a desire to improve their
sporting performance, maximise their potential and possibly achieve publicly
recognised success.
Realising
these aspirations involves a combination of many factors such as ability,
determination, opportunity and appropriate support.
The aim of the performance sport team is to make sure that the best
conditions are available to enable talented individuals to climb their own performance
ladder. For
some this will stretch from the playground to the podium of sporting
success.
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sports performers testify that their success has not just been due to their own
ability. In
order to reach their optimum performance they have relied upon the right mix of
a number of factors.
Some of the most important factors, aside from personal ability, are:
Coaching
– available and of high quality
Competition
– available at the right level
Facilities
– accessible and of appropriate quality
Support
- lifestyle management, financial support, sport
science and medicine support,
drug awareness education,
family and friends
Effective
structures – governing
bodies, facility providers, etc.
Many
of these factors are in place in Northern Ireland but they are not always
widespread. We
want to improve this situation so that people can indeed reach their optimum
level of performance if so desired.
The action programme set out within the NI
Strategy for the Development of Sport can best be summarised by the words of
Forbes Carlisle, an Australian Swimming Coach:
“aim
not to create a champion but create a situation in which champions become
inevitable.”
The
Performance Sport team works with a wide range of agencies including Coaching
Northern Ireland, the Sports Institute for Northern Ireland, governing bodies of
sport, local authorities and the Sports Councils in the UK, England, Scotland,
Wales and the Republic of Ireland.
The key areas of work currently include:
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The
development of a new Performance Strategy for sport in Northern Ireland.
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Working
in partnership with governing bodies of sport and local authorities to develop
the Long Term Athlete Development Model in Northern Ireland through programmes
such as multi sport camps, schools of sport, regional development squads, the
Golden Cow Youth Games etc.
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Providing
planning guidance and advice to governing bodies of sport.
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Managing
financial Awards made towards the implementation of governing body and other
performance sport development programmes;
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Supporting
the development of sports science, sports medicine and anti-doping programmes
and working with the relative agencies to ensure appropriate support structures
for elite and potentially elite performers.
The
Performance Sport Team members are:
Paul
Johnston – Governing Body planning and investment ([email protected])
Stephen
McGeehan – Irish Football
Association development centres and soccer strategy implementation,
Governing Body planning, performance ladder (stephenmcgeehan@sportni.net)
Chris
Moore - Governing Body planning, Schools of Sport and Area Partnerships
([email protected])
Jill
Poots – coaching,
sports medicine, drug free sport and performance sport team management.
([email protected])
Dorothy
Spence – Team Secretary ([email protected])
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