About South West Talent Academy

The South West Talent Academy has been set up to identify and support the development of talented young athletes in the South West Region.

As well as the opportunity to attend exciting and varied training days covering aspects such as mountain biking, track riding (velodrome), open water swimming, athlete education and transition work the athletes will compete at selected Elite events. 

Coaches

The Academy coaches’ where possible will be to liaise between an athlete’s school or individual sports coaches to ensure they are undertaking a sensible and balanced training and racing schedule that gives them the best chance to go on to be successful athletes in years to come.

Training

Pre-season training will begin once the season has completed and will continue throughout the winter months.  The Academy will meet at different locations across the South West to nurture and develop triathlon specific skills giving its members access to the best coaching and facilities available.

Racing

During the race season Academy coaches will provide where appropriate support and training at and around races.   Athletes who are selected to join the Academy will receive mentoring and support from some of the best coaches in the country with where appropriate support at South West Series events and major national events along with extra training sessions where possible.

Funding

The academy receives funding from the regional committee each year, this year we will receive around £5,000, this is not guaranteed in future. The academy does not run to make a profit although the costs are greater than the funding we receive so we do ask for a contribution towards the cost of each training day from the athletes who attend. This is a voluntary contribution and an athlete who cannot afford this will not be excluded from attending. We are always looking for external sources of support whether financial, equipment or time.

Small print

The academy coaches are paid to coach on academy days. The academy coaches in the South West are involved as they want to improve triathlon for young people the money they make working on the academy is considerably below the commercial rate they would make as private coaches. Beyond the paid work on training days all the academy coaches mentor support and plan for academy athletes in an unpaid capacity.

All of the regular South West Regional Academy regular coaches (Harry Wiltshire, Andy Bullock and Will Newton) are commercially active coaches.  Their involvement with the Regional Academy is purely for the benefit of the athletes within it and as such coaching recommended or offered to the athletes is in the best interests of the athletes and not
the coaches.  Any coaching given over and above that provided by the academy is done with the knowledge and support of the other coaches involved.

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