Medway Sporting Academymedway Academy flag

The Medway Sporting Academy - a development programme for Medway’s top young athletes - gives every primary school child in Medway the opportunity to fulfil his or her full sporting potential.

It is open to the best children in Medway each year.

Expert coaches analyse the most talented 10 and 11-year-olds in Medway, looking for the skills and attributes pivotal to sporting success.

They then work with the athletes over a five-year period, developing the core skills and abilities they require to fulfil their potential.

Medway Sporting Academy, the first scheme of its kind in the country, focuses on the long-term development of the area’s most promising talents by creating a fully integrated pathway to excellence.

It has been developed in consultation with:

  • Medway's two International Sporting Ambassadors, Danny Crates and Steve Backley;
  • the Youth Sport Trust;
  • PE teachers
  • primary schools;
  • local Clubmark clubs and
  • Medway’s Community Sports Network.

Academy Reactions Test

In phase one academy recruits focus on developing:

  • A sound running style;
  • speed;
  • agility
  • co-ordination;
  • balance;
  • reactions;
  • flexibility;

In phase two they continue to work on these elements but also focus on:

  • strength;
  • explosive power
  • visualisation; and
  • spatial awareness.

They do this while pursuing a club career in one or more sports

In phase three the University of Kent’s Centre for Sports Studies staff equip the athletes with knowledge in:

  • nutrition
  • psychology
  • injury prevention and treatment
  • physiological testing

The combination of the academy sessions, club coaches and university sports science experts give the recruits every chance of fulfilling their sporting potential.

The academy identifies recruits through a robust selection process.

Children identified for their performances at Mini Youth Games events, nominated by their school or nominated by their club attend a skills assessment day at Medway Park.

This day is used to identify 80 recruits - the top one per cent of 10 and 11-year-olds in Medway.

Performance data gathered at the academy is circulated to schools to ensure its talent development work reaches every child in Medway.

The academy’s patron, Paralympic gold medallist and world record holder Danny Crates said, “I am very honoured to be patron of the Medway Sporting Academy.

"It is essential that we harness the talent of our future champions and nurture it in a controlled environment. Medway is definitely leading the field in this area.”

You can see Danny and pupils from Featherby Junior School, Park Wood Junior School and St Margaret's Junior School in the Medway Sporting Academy promotional film (www.spaghettiweston.com/medway-sporting-academy.html).