A major initiative to help young sportspeople develop their skills has been officially launched.

The Isle of Man Sport Aid Academy will deliver a programme of education and training with a focus on enhancing the skills needed to shine on the world stage. During the first year, the Academy will assist athletes aged between 13 and 17 from 11 different sports, as well as six students from Queen Elizabeth II High School.

Participants have been selected from among athletes in the tier below those currently supported by Isle of Man Sport Aid, and will be given the support and knowledge needed to work towards becoming the elite athletes of the future.

The creation of the Academy is a legacy of the Isle of Man Sporting Excellence Programme, which was led by double Olympic gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes and her colleagues at Kelly Holmes Education. Run between 2012 and 2014, the programme included a series of training events for young Island athletes and their coaches, as well as ongoing mentoring and support.

Building on the success of the Sporting Excellence Programme, the Academy will seek to further involve parents and coaches in in its training programmes.

The Sport Aid Academy, which is being funded by sponsors SMP Partners and Newfield in partnership with Isle of Man Sport, was launched at the Manx Museum in Douglas on Wednesday.

The event was attended by athletes who will participate in the Academy, parents and coaches, members of the Department of Education and Children and representatives of sporting bodies, including the Isle of Man Commonwealth Games Association.

During the launch, the audience heard from Isle of Man Sport Aid Sports Performance Co-ordinator Chris Quine, sponsor representatives and one of the Island’s current sporting stars Catherine Reid, a Sport Aid recipient who won a bronze medal in the 400 metres at this year’s World Youth Championships in Athletics in Colombia.

Cycling great Mark Cavendish, a 26-times stage winner at the Tour de France and former World Road Race Champion, also made a surprise appearance to address the audience and inspire the young athletes.

Speaking afterwards, Mr Quine said: “The Sport Aid Academy is an extremely ambitious initiative which aims to give a number of young athletes who do not yet fulfil the criteria for the Sport Aid programme the opportunity to access help and advice.

“Research shows that for a variety of reasons some of the potential champions of tomorrow do not always shine so brightly at a young age and, as a result, are not always picked up by the Sport Aid programme. One of our aims with this initiative is to identify these individuals and give them a helping hand along the way.”

He added: “It is great to have 11 sports and one school on board and I know from previous experience that this is also a great opportunity for athletes to learn from others in different sports. However, perhaps the most unique aspect of this programme is that, for the first time, it will aim to bring together athletes, coaches and parents so that all understand both their own and each other’s role in the any sporting success.”

The first year of the Academy will comprise four events, with experts including coaches, sportspeople and sport organisation representatives offering their knowledge and experience to the young athletes. The first event will take place on the evening of Friday October 16.

Leading independent trust and corporate services provider SMP Partners and Newfield, an Isle of Man-based company within the eGaming sector with a focus on international sporting events, are working with Isle of Man Sport to fund the Academy.

SMP Managing Director Mark Denton said: “We are very excited to be supporting the Isle of Man Sport Aid Academy, which will give our young sportspeople the support, knowledge and encouragement they need to work towards becoming elite athletes.

“Our company was instrumental in delivering the Sporting Excellence Programme, which helped many of our of rising sporting stars, and the coaches they work with, develop a wide range of skills. The programme was not just about physical training , but also explained the importance of nutrition, psychology, interacting with the media and many more areas which have better equipped participants for performing on the world stage."

He added: “The Sport Aid Academy is a further legacy of that programme, and will help to identify and nurture earlier, ensuring our young athletes are well prepared to become the sport stars of the future. The Isle of Man has a strong tradition of producing outstanding athletes and we are proud to be involved in helping to develop the next generation of top Manx sportsmen and women.”

Newfield Director Mark Reynolds said: “We are absolutely delighted to be supporting the Isle of Man Sport Aid Academy. As soon as we were made aware of the plans to expand the current Sport Aid process, and had met with Chris and the team, we were immediately interested in further adding to the legacy that Sport Aid and the Sporting Excellence programme have achieved. We are very proud that we can support what will hopefully be the best possible platform to develop the Island’s prospective sporting elite to progress to the next level.

“Newfield has been actively involved in sponsoring a number of sporting individuals and teams over the past two years, including assisting three individuals to attend the recent Island Games, two of whom are employees of the company.

“One of our aims when first establishing the company was to take on and develop Manx employees, which is captured in our company motto ‘tackling international challenges through local talent’. We feel proud to be associated with a programme which will similarly nurture and allow local, talented individuals to flourish. As well as having the opportunity to develop their sporting talents, the recipients will learn a number of values, characteristics and skills which will help them in later life and future careers, whether that is in sport or industry.”

Minister for Education and Children Tim Crookall, whose Department is responsible for sport development in the Island, said: “The Isle of Man is known for punching above its weight in sport. However, if we want this to continue in the future, we have to seek new ways of identifying and nurturing talent.

“I am delighted that Isle of Man Sport is being joined in this initiative by two partners from the private sectors, SMP Partners and Newfield, and would like to express our gratitude to them for their generous support. Without them, we would not have been able to launch this programme.”

Photo - Cycling great Mark Cavendish addresses the Isle of Man Sport Aid Academy launch.  Photo courtesy of Richard Radcliffe.