News Release from West Yorkshire Sport
Wednesday 17th September 2008
West Yorkshire Sports Partnership is today launching a project to give top athletes free of charge access to participating sports facilities, to support them in realising their Olympic or Paralympic dream.
The project, named STARS (Supporting Top Athletes Recognition Scheme) draws partners together from across West Yorkshire Sports Partnership to offer services to help support these athletes.
The scheme has the commitment from partners in the districts across the sub-region of West Yorkshire. The facility partners range from Local Authority sites, (across City of Bradford MDC, Calderdale MBC, Kirklees Council, Leeds City Council and Wakefield MDC), leisure trust sites (Kirklees Active Leisure) and University sites (University of Leeds and Leeds Metropolitan University).
Nigel Harrison Director of West Yorkshire Sport, the lead agency for the project said,
"We have seen over the last six weeks outstanding achievements by our Olympians and Paralympians. To get to that level of performance in any sport there has been a huge amount of effort and resources put in by the athletes and their family.
"Through the STARS project the various partners with West Yorkshire aim to ease the pathway for our top athletes at all age levels by using a variety of methods. The first, being announced today, is free access to certain training facilities within the county. These sportspeople deserve the best support they can get and the partners coming together in this scheme are determined to give it to them."
The recognition scheme fits along side talent support programmes such as TASS (Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme) and SportsAid’s grants programme.
Further information and applications can be made through the STARS website, www.westyorkshirestars.co.uk
All involved in the STARS programme have high hopes for the success of the scheme and its contribution to 2012 athlete development.
ENDS
Notes for editors
1 For press information please contact Joe Baker, on 01484 234087, or email joe.baker@wysport.co.uk
2 West Yorkshire Sports Partnership is a multi-agency partnership responsible for driving the development of sport and active recreation across the county of West Yorkshire. For further information go to www.westyorkshiresport.co.uk
3 STARS stands for Supporting Top Athletes Recognition Scheme
4 To qualify for the scheme, athletes must be of national standard; part of a national squad, national training programme or ranked in the top 20 - and amateur. They must be resident in West Yorkshire for the majority of the year, a member of a West Yorkshire club or studying in West Yorkshire. They must be able to provide National Governing body evidence to support their application.
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