All key partners (such as county sports partnerships, national governing bodies and education) in the region need to work closely to make sure that the long term athlete development model (LTAD) for each sport is effectively delivered and supported. To achieve this, we need to make sure that national governing bodies whole-sport or one-stop plans are supported.

It is essential that links are made between the PE, School Sport and Club Links (PESCCL) programme and other local agencies and providers.

Investment is needed to develop specialist facilities, athlete support services, coach and coaching development processes, as well as support for sports officials. It is important to create a culture in the East Midlands that celebrates sporting success by, for example, hosting large-scale sporting events, supporting elite sportsmen and sportswomen, and getting support from large, important sectors such as higher and further education, schools and the population as a whole.

For case studies go to our Sport Changes Lives page

Strategic aims

• To make sure that every athlete in the East Midlands has a clear, supported pathway to sporting success
  
• To develop an environment with the best resources that will attract elite athletes, players, coaches and performance support staff to the East Midlands
  
• To support the regional delivery of national governing bodies whole-sport and one-stop plans

Key actions

• Make sure the sport system in the East Midlands provides performance pathways where roles and responsibilities are clear
  
• Develop a regional network that has the necessary resources to support performance athletes.
• Audit the sports system for performance in the East Midlands
  
• Work with stakeholders to share and develop a regional vision and specific plan for performance sport
  
• Work with higher and further education to secure their support for performance athletes and performance sport, and in research, innovation and sport medicine
  
• Provide education and training for teachers and coaches, athletes, parents and officials, and increase the quality and quantity of coaches and officials
  
• Ask for support from employers for athletes, coaches, administrators, parents and officials involved with performance sport
  
• Promote wider understanding of the LTAD
  
• Work with emda to increase the quality and quantity of international sporting events in the East Midlands
  
• Develop systems to identify talent in the East Midlands, working with key delivery agencies such as schools to support gifted and talented pupils
  
• Effectively work with the professional and private-sector sports clubs
  
• Develop support systems for people from currently under-represented groups to make sure that they can access and follow the sporting pathway to success (in particular, girls and women, people with disabilities, and people from black and minority ethnic communities.)
  
• Secure funding that supports performance sport in the East Midlands
  
• Increase the number of athletes and coaches from the East Midlands who perform in and work with national squads at junior and senior level
  
• Work with partners to make sure that sport is safe, healthy and drug-free
  
• Work with NGBs to meet specialist facility requirements identified in their plans.