England regional talent squads

Photo: Sam Pratt, Edinburgh World Cup 2022

There will be three regional Talent squad regions each with its own GB England Regional Pathway Coach. In each region there will be a minimum of six age and stage appropriate group sessions with other athletes from a similar geographical area. 

The England and Scotland programs in the GB Climbing Pathway are being developed collaboratively by the two organisations, to ensure alignment. The England Pathway Program activity will be delivered by the GB Climbing department at the BMC, and the Scotland Pathway program will be delivered by Climb Scotland at Mountaineering Scotland.

The England Regional Talent Squads will also offer program activity for athletes from Wales and Northern Ireland.

Welsh and Northern Irish athletes will be included in the England Regional and England talent squad activity. The BMC is looking at its organisation structure and how it could work for the devolved nature of Wales. The BMC is currently not regarded as the official governing body for climbing in Wales, as Sport Wales requires a number of fundamental organisational reforms before any funding were to be made available. These reforms will take time, and most likely will need to be voted on at an AGM in the near future.

Northern Irish athletes will also have the same opportunity to be selected, and access squad activity with support from GB Talent and Pathway coaches. Mountaineering Ireland is an ‘all Ireland organisation and we will continue the work to ensure pathway programs are inclusive to all eligible athletes.

The sessions may be in the evening or at the weekend and will be approximately two-three hours in length (depending on the groups location, age and stage).

Athletes will be allocated groups initially based on age and stage but may move groups if another is more appropriate to their development needs.

Each athlete will also have a minimum of three ‘Individual Athlete Development Plan’ (IADP) development meetings with their GB England Regional Pathway Coach.

 

Photo: Youth World Championships, Slobodan Miskovic