Michel Assouline, Para-Equestrian Dressage Head Coach, and nine other UK top high performance coaches have been chosen to be part of the inaugural intake of UK Sport’s World Class Coaching: Elite Programme.
The coaches have been chosen due to their proven ability to deliver success at the highest level within the British high performance system, and will benefit from a ground-breaking three-year development programme, with an investment of approximately £20,000 per coach, per year. The Elite Programme will allow unparalleled access to world leading expertise, technology and experiences, while delivery of the programme will be highly bespoke, designed to meet the needs of every individual coach and sport.
Performance Director Will Connell commented; “Equestrian has felt the benefits of the Elite Coach Apprenticeship Programme over the last few years and so we are delighted that Michel has been selected for the new Elite Coaching Programme. Michel has been at the epicentre of the success of the Para-Equestrian Dressage Team and I know he will be both a benefiter and a benefactor for the Elite Coaching Programme. We will also be utilising Michel’s experience on the Programme as we seek to grow and enhance the work we are doing with equestrian coaches. It is a great initiative by UK Sport and once again demonstrates how valuable the Lottery and Exchequer funding is to the development of elite sport in Great Britain.”
Michel, who has been the para-equestrian dressage performance Team Coach since 2005, commented; “I was very honoured to be asked and to be taken as part of this group, on this elite Programme. I have always felt in life, whether you are coaching or with other aspects, that it is a journey and you must carry on with your development, I’m really excited and I hope I can deliver.”
The other coaches selected are: Mark Delaney (Canoeing), Christian Felkel (Rowing), Anna Mayes (Netball), Rob McCracken (Boxing), Dave McNulty (Swimming), Peter Moores (Cricket), Biz Price (Synchronised Swimming), Paul Thompson (Rowing), and Eddie Van Hoof (Gymnastics).
UK Sport has identified high performance coach development as a crucial area of focus if British sport is to better the incredible performance by Britain’s athletes at London 2012 in Rio in four years’ time, as well as creating a stronger, more sustainable high performance system, and the coaches selected have been identified as future leaders of coaching in their sport, capable of sharing their knowledge and expertise.
Chief Executive of UK Sport, Liz Nicholl commented; “I’d like to congratulate the coaches selected to our World Class Coaching: Elite Programme. UK Sport has set some highly ambitious goals for the next cycle, not the least the challenge of delivering a stronger, more sustainable high performance system. The system will only ever be as successful as the people within it, and these coaches have been selected for the important role they will play.
“These coaches are fantastic ambassadors, not only for their sports but for the coaching profession, and I commend them for embracing this opportunity to learn from other sports and industries, to be open and willing to share their own expertise and of course their commitment to continuous improvement for themselves, their sport and their athletes. We look forward to working with them on this exciting journey for British sport.”
For more information, please visit the UK Sport website.
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Assouline earns place among coaching elite
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