Performance Pathway update

The following has been received from BG:

Trampoline Performance Pathway 2015-2016

What is the Performance Pathway?

Following the success of the first year of the Performance Pathway in Trampolining, British Gymnastics is pleased to announce details of the programme for the coming cycle; October 2015 to June 2016.

The Performance Pathway has been set up by British Gymnastics to support the development of young gymnasts through a series of challenging, educational and engaging training camps based at three High Performance Centres across the country:

• North England – City of Liverpool Trampoline Club
• Midlands – Northampton Trampoline Gymnastics Academy
• South England – OLGA Gymnastics and Trampoline Club

The programme is funded by Sport England and is open to English Gymnasts who have achieved a specific set of performance criteria. If you live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, please contact your Home Nation Governing body to find out about development opportunities in your areas.

Who can attend?

The Performance Pathway for Trampoline is designed to select gymnasts who are keen to learn and develop into World Class performers. History and evidence has shown us over the years that many of Great Britain’s best young athletes never makes it to senior level, so it can be very difficult to identify which young gymnasts performing well now will ever go on to achieve success. Our programme is designed to pick up some of the best current performers to teach them about all the physical and mental skills they will need for success and guide them on their way to glory. We also try to cater for some of the gymnasts who are not necessarily performing really well in competition YET, but are displaying some of the characteristics that World Class performers show.

Evidence has shown that some of the very best athletes in the world were not that good when they were younger, but they worked really hard and learnt how to be the best. So therefore, our system has two tiers; the first for gymnasts performing well in competition and the second for gymnasts who display characteristics of successful elite performers.

Our Tier One gymnasts will be invited to four training camps at their nearest High Performance Centre between October 2015 and June 2016. Their personal coach will also be invited to attend every session. At each camp, the Pathway coaches will be delivering technical education both for the gymnast and the coach to improve development even further. In addition to these four camps, Tier One gymnasts and their coaches will be invited to three National Performance Pathway overnight camps at the British Gymnastics Lilleshall National Headquarters in Shropshire. Eligibility for selection onto the Performance Pathway Tier One squad is based on the criteria below:

• Any gymnast who has qualified for the British Championships in 2015 in the following age groups; 9-10 / 11-12 / 13-14* (1st year 13-14’s only).
• All medallists from NDP 8 National Finals in the following age groups; 9-10 / 11-12.

*Gymnasts who move up to 15-16 in 2016 are not eligible for Performance Pathway Squad selection.

Tier One gymnasts and their coaches will receive their selection letter and information in September 2015.

Our Tier Two gymnasts will be invited to four training camps at their nearest High Performance Centre between October 2015 and June 2016. Their personal coach will also be invited to attend every session. At each camp, the Pathway coaches will be delivering technical education both for the gymnast and the coach to improve development even further. Eligibility for selection onto the Performance Pathway Tier Two squad is based on the criteria below:

• All finalists from NDP 8 National Finals in the following age groups; 9-10 / 11-12.
• All medallists from NDP 7 National Finals in the 9-10 age group.
• Any gymnast from 9-10 / 11-12 / 13-14 (1st year 13-14’s only) who competed in FIG (elite) grades in 2015 and achieved British Championships qualification scores on a minimum of one routine (this could be compulsory, WAGC set or Vol – minimum execution).
• All qualifiers for NDP 7 and  8 Finals in the following age groups;  NDP 8; 9-10 & 11-12 / NDP 7; 9-10
• Wildcard Selections – Each Zonal Lead Coach in consultation with the Head National Coach & Head Pathway Coach reserve the right to select any gymnast from any NDP / FIG level based on:
  • A gymnast achieving an exceptional score(s) at a BG sanctioned event.
  • A gymnast who has been ill or injured during the 2015 season.

Tier Two gymnasts and their coaches will receive their selection letter and information in October 2015.

he selection criteria for both tiers outlined above is for initial selection onto the Performance Pathway programme in October 2015. Our Pathway Coaches will be continually monitoring the gymnasts’ progress throughout the course of the year which may result in athletes moving from one tier to another to reflect their current ability.

As much as we wish to be able to support as many gymnasts as possible, we cannot guarantee selection and it will always be subject to the places available in each High Performance Centre and National Pathway camps at Lilleshall, with priority going to gymnasts who have achieved the Tier One standard.

TIER ONE SQUAD
3 x National Pathway Squads (Lilleshall)
4 x Zonal Pathway Squads (North, Midlands or South)

TIER TWO SQUAD
4 x Zonal Pathway Squads (North, Midlands or South)

Coach Education Opportunities

We recognise that in order to raise the domestic level of Trampolining across the country and aspire to be continually producing World and Olympic Champions, we need to provide learning opportunities for both gymnasts and coaches. Therefore, at each of the four Pathway camps based in our three High Performance Centres, there will be a unique opportunity open to any other coaches in the area to attend the camps, irrelevant of whether they have a gymnast on the programme. Information about attending these camps as a coach without a gymnast on the programme will be circulated around the regions and clubs. For more information on 2015-2016 camp dates and booking onto a camp, please contact your nearest Performance Pathway Coordinator:

• North England – Jonathan McFadden  (jonathan.mcfadden@british-gymnastics.org)
• Midlands – Jenni Morgan (jenni.morgan@british-gymnastics.org)
• South England – Julie Jenkins (Julie.jenkins@british-gymnastics.org)

In addition to these technical development opportunities, we will be running a coaching symposium over two days in January 2016 at the British Gymnastics Lilleshall National Headquarters. This is a brand new event specifically created for coaches at the start of a gymnasts’ journey and will offer a whole range of technical and non-technical education sessions. More information about the 2016 Trampoline Coaching Symposium will be circulated in the coming months.

How much will it cost?

High Performance Centre camps (North, Midlands  South)

£25  Performance Pathway Tier One & Tier Two gymnasts

£25 Personal coaches of Performance Pathway gymnasts

£25 Any other coaches wishing to attend

National Performance Pathway overnight camps (Lilleshall)

£100 Performance Pathway Tier One Gymnasts

£75 Personal coaches of Performance Pathway gymnasts

The Performance Pathway Trampoline Team

BG Pathway Manager:   Sarah Benson (sarah.benson@british-gymnastics.org)

BG Performance Manager:  Alan Edge (alan.edge@british-gymnastics.org)

Head National Coach:   Craig Lowther

Head Pathway Coach:   Jay Scouler

North England Pathway Coach: Paul Greaves

North England Assistant Coach: Dan Greaves

North England Coordinator:  Jonathan McFadden

Midlands Pathway Coach:  Harvey Smith

Midlands Assistant Coach:  TBC

Midlands Coordinator:   Jenni Morgan

South England Pathway Coach: Brian Camp

South England Assistant Coach: Mike Wood

South England Coordinator:  Julie Jenkins