19 November 2012

SportsAid is the charity for sports people, raising funds from institutional and commercial sectors, to help the next generation of young British sportsmen and women to succeed.  Over the last four decades SportsAid has distributed more than £50 million across all sports.  Last year SportsAid allocated more than £153,000 solely to athletics.                                                                                                         

The SportsAid nomination process is an online “by nomination only” system.  Athletes will be nominated by UKA and invited to submit an online application form via an email. However, due to the unpredictability of email addresses, UKA accepts no responsibility for those who do not receive an invitation – the onus remains with the athlete to request a nomination/invitation if they believe they meet the criteria and have not been contacted by 1 December 2012.

Please note that nomination is the first stage of the process and is in no way a guarantee of an award. 

Important Dates:

• By 20 November 2012 – Invitations to apply will be sent via email to nominated athletes.

• By 1 December 2012 – Athletes who believe they meet the criteria but who have not received an invitation should contact Mary Edwards via email at medwards@uka.org.uk

• 2pm on 5 December 2012– Deadline for all athletes to finalise and submit their online application.

There is no exception to this deadline or nomination process. 

Who is eligible?

• UK athletes in the Under 23, Under 20 or Under 17 age group during the summer of 2012 and are not already funded through the UKA Futures or WCPP Podium Potential or Podium Programmes.

• All athletes should be ranked in the top two non-funded (not Futures or WCPP)and within the top 4 in the UK in their age group (outdoor 2012 season), U23 rankings are included here.

• U23s should be above the 2012 senior Power of 10 UK 10 target line.

• U20s should be above the 2012 U20 Power of 10 UK 10 target line. 

• U17s should be above the 2012 U17 Power of 10 UK 10 target line.

• Athletes who met the 2012 Futures consideration standards but were unsuccessful in achieving 2012 Futures funding.

• Walks and marathon events – where there is no Power of 10 line – will be looked at on a case by case basis and in discussion with the National Event staff but athletes would still need to be in the top two non-funded in their event group.

• Where possible we will look to retain athletes from 2012 SportsAid who may have moved out of the top 2 (due to moving up an age group) but this will be dependent upon spaces available and the criteria below. 

Performance and Progression Criteria:

• Performance level and ranking will be key criteria in deciding nominations and in prioritising the nominees.  Consistency, development and performances especially at the major age group championships may be taken into consideration, as may performances and progression in previous years. 

Commitment Criteria:

• The athlete will be expected to show how they envisage spending any funding awarded to them.  It is expected that any grant would be used to benefit to their athletics development and/or their essential athletics costs. 

• The Coach should demonstrate a desire for continued professional development.

• The athlete may be expected to make some appearances or to communicate regularly with SportsAid and its sponsors and this would be discussed and arranged at a convenient time.

Prioritising of grants:

• Under 23 and Under 20 athletes will be prioritised over Under 17 athletes. 

• Combined Eventers followed by Pole Vaulters will be prioritised over other event groups.

ONLY those athletes who meet the criteria should apply via this process.  Podium, Development and Futures funded athletes will be published on the UKA website in early November therefore you will be able to ascertain if you qualify as a top two non funded athlete.

Additionally ‘extra’ awards may be made available later in the year and information will be announced on the website after this first wave of nominations. 

NB: Information above is relevant for athletes from throughout the UK but athletes from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should additionally contact their Home Country Athletics Associations (Welsh Athletics, Scottish Athletics, and Athletics Northern Ireland details below) for more information and especially if they do not fit the criteria above, for possible Home Country nomination:

Wales – SportsAid Cymru Wales:

Linda Chamberlain-Jones  – sportsaidwales@googlemail.com 

Scotland –  Scottish SportsAid:

Duncan Hamilton – scottishsportsaid@gmail.com

Northern Ireland – Mary Peters Trust (MPT) Awards:

Gillian Hetherington info@marypeterstrust.org   028 9038 3830

All queries should be directed by email to Mary Edwards at UKA medwards@uka.org.uk