Excellence in School Sport Programme

Background

West Lothian Council Education and Cultural Services are embarking on the first Excellence School Sport Programme (ESSP). The vision for the Excellence School Sport programme is to provide a co-ordinated and planned approach to high quality sports coaching and support services for talented and aspiring sports pupils, during curricular and extra curricular school, as part of a balanced curriculum.

The programme aims to help our most talented sporting pupils to achieve their full potential by accessing opportunities for high quality training within West Lothian, whilst obtaining academic qualifications.

Our objective is to create role models within West Lothian Schools.  We hope that our talented sports pupils can assist to inspire other pupils and help create a strong and vibrant sporting ethos within secondary schools.

ESSP will commence in August 2007 and is open to pupils in S5 and S6 for academic session 2007/2008 attending secondary schools within West Lothian.   Each sport will undertake a selection process under the guidance of the relevant Scottish Governing Body of Sport and Coaches.

ESSP will take place at a number of different schools, venues and facilities and shall initially include 4 sports:

• Boys Basketball
• Girls Football
• Golf
• Swimming

High quality specialist coaches and additional experts in fitness training and support services specialists such as nutritionist, and sports psychologists, will deliver the programme with guidance from the appropriate governing bodies of sport, East of Scotland Institute of Sport, sportscotland and West Lothian Council Sports Development Team.

The Sports Development Team will manage the project with support from a member of West Lothian Council's Physical Education staff to help to co-ordinate the programme.  The ESSP Steering Group will oversee the project.  This group is made up of members representing, Head Teachers, PE Teachers, sportscotland, Scottish Governing Bodies of Sport, East of Scotland Institute of Sport and West Lothian Council Sports and Recreation Services.

The Programme

The pupils selected for the ESSP will be fully integrated into their own school, however they will be given time out of the school day to travel to the appropriate training venue to undertake specialised sports coaching.  The sports pupils will also undertake strength and conditioning and fitness training as part of their training programme.  Pupils will also receive workshops and support on sports Nutrition, sports psychology, physiotherapy and lifestyle.   On top of this the sports pupils will undertake coach education qualifications.  This will all be carefully timetabled around their academic subjects such as English and Maths.  Specialist provision is intended to ensure that such pupils are given the best opportunity to develop their sporting talents as part of the school education.  Great care will be taken to provide pupils with every opportunity to maximise not only their sporting potential but also their academic potential.

Below are some details of the logistics for each sport, however there are still some details to be finalised:

Transport

Pupils will be transported to and from the selected venues by various methods such as mini buses, public transport and taxis. 

Role Modelling

Pupils will be asked at times to undertake role modelling visits and assist with helping at events and competitions involving younger pupils. 

Basketball

Training Venue: Bathgate Academy  (tbc)

Training Day: Wednesday afternoons (tbc)

Head Coach: Iain Gordon, current U16 Women's National Team Coach

Support Services e.g. Sports Psychology workshops, nutrition workshops, sports medicine workshops, coach education courses: Friday afternoons at various venues

Strength & Conditioning: Training session prior to school at a selected venue.  Day and venue still to be finalised.

Fitness conditioning: Sports pupils will receive free access to West Lothian Council and West Lothian Leisure Gyms to undertake a fitness conditioning programme.

Girls Football

Training Venue: Inveralmond Community High School

Training Day: Wednesday afternoons

Support Services e.g. Sports Psychology workshops, nutrition workshops, sports medicine workshops, coach education courses; Friday afternoons at various venues

Strength & Conditioning: Training session prior to school at a selected venue.  Day and venue still to be finalised.

Fitness conditioning: Sports pupils will receive free access to West Lothian Council and West Lothian Leisure Gyms to undertake a fitness conditioning programme.

Golf

Training Venue:       Kingsfield Driving Range, Linlithgow

PGA Professional: Colin Gillies

Training Day: Tuesday afternoons

Support Services: Sports Psychology workshops, nutrition workshops, sports medicine workshops, coach education courses will be delivered on Friday afternoons at various venues

Strength & Conditioning: Training session prior to school at a selected venue.  Day and venue still to be finalised.

Fitness conditioning: Sports pupils will receive free access to West Lothian Council and West Lothian Leisure Gyms to undertake a fitness conditioning programme.

Driving Range Access: Sports pupils will receive a Digi Card each (this entitles them to 500 range balls in 10 lots of 50, which they are free to use at any time pupils wish outwith the coaching programme)

 For Further Information contact:

The Sports Unit
Balbardie Park
Torphichen Road
Bathgate
West Lothian
EH48 4LA
Tel: 01506 776295
sportandrecreation@westlothian.gov.uk