Since its formation in 1978 BCS has developed a system of aspirational representative teams across a number of sports. The overall aim of the programme is to develop students who are combining full-time studies in further education colleges with playing high level sport. More recently the programme was planned to run alongside the BCS Strategic Plan to offer FE students opportunities.
As at the start of the 2009/2010 academic year BCS runs representative teams in Men’s and Women’s Hockey and Netball with National Teams (England, Scotland and Wales) in Men’s and Women Football and Rugby.
Aims & Objectives of Programme
- To develop an effective system to allow players in full-time further education to represent their country.
- To identify players within college sport with outstanding ability and place them in an environment designed to produce sporting and educational excellence, raising their aspirations to progress further with their studies and sport.
- To develop an effective system to identify coaches and workforce with high potential working within the FE sector and develop, train and mentor them.
Philosophy
The philosophy of the programme is a combination of the high performance requirements expected of a representative team integrated with education values. This means creating an environment which applies learning concepts, long-term player development principles and strives for best practice in the development of elite performance (appropriate to the 16-19 age group). The infrastructure and delivery mechanisms in place to support this, include:
Access to high quality facilities
- Working with highly qualified and skilled coaches and expert staff within this age group
- A Multi-disciplinary support programme embracing sports science disciplines
- A balanced and progressive training programme based around concepts from sport specific long term player development model
- Appropriate competitive fixtures against high quality national and international teams
- Utilising technology, innovation and educational concepts to inform programming
- A culture of improvement and personal development
Players
It has become apparent that all players have had varying experiences of high level participation within their sport, e.g. in the football teams this has been within a professional football club’s youth academy or centre of excellence. For many of our students the BCS representative teams have enabled them to continue to play at a higher level whilst completing their studies and in some cases given them a second chance by putting them in the “shop- window”
In order to be eligible all players, male and female, must be full-time students within a BCS-affiliated Further Education College and should be playing within the BCS league and cup programme for their sport. This has helped recognise, particularly with the former scholars, that it is possible to pursue education whilst also maintaining involvement in high level sport.
Process
Players are selected from a structured trial system that starts initially with phase one regional trials in October, progressing through to a phase two competition in November and through to a phase three national team selection camp in December where squads are finalised.
Once selected, players follow a similar programme to most national teams with structured meet-ups building up towards peak performance in a tournament at the end of the season. The objective of the season is therefore to develop all players, whilst also inviting further players on the fringe as guests in selected training camps. Over the course of the season the players will participate in a series of training camps, including an international camp, together with British-based fixtures. Level of involvement in the final tournament is dependent on the performances developed over course of these events.
Staff
BCS has established a skilled workforce with high potential to develop and succeed together. The workforce is sport specific with a manager to help oversee the operational management of the programme, integrate staff to form a cohesive team and focus on the long-term development of the system.
Most programme staff are full-time sports staff within BCS high performing member colleges, possess high level experience within their sport and adopt the national team positions as volunteers with their colleges support (with no financial gain). In return BCS provide an environment where the staff can develop personally, develop their skills and experience within a prestigious national team setup and take ideas back to their colleges to help raise the standard of sport and educational delivery.
Exit Routes
Striking the right balance between the education of the student-player together with promoting opportunities for further sporting involvement is carefully managed. A key element of the programme is therefore on ensuring appropriate exit routes for the players. Feedback from the students and staff about the outcomes they had gained from participation in the programme, can be grouped as follows:
Skills & Experience
- Education about demands of international sport
- Experiencing technical and tactically advanced level games
- Experience of undertaking a process to prepare for high level performance
- Experiencing of raising levels of performance in pressure situations
- Personal and team responsibilities when representing your country
- Demonstrating a disciplined lifestyle to take advantage of opportunities.
- Taking ownership of complex situations to succeed as individual & team
- Gaining transferrable skills to many facets of life and career
Progression
- Trial and subsequent contract from professional club/ high level sport through exposure with national team
- Recruitment to semi-professional club through exposure with national team
- Pursuing studies within English higher education institutions (universities)
- Pursuing a US University scholarship to widen horizons thanks to advice gained whilst part of the national team
- Pursuing a career in the sports industry through interest and contacts generated through participation within the programme – environment encourages many to pursue a career in some of the support positions i.e. sports science, psychology, fitness & conditioning, injury management, physiotherapy & sports massage
- Pursuing employment, boosted by their positive experience and raised aspirations
Operational Development of the System
BCS, with the support of our partners, will develop an operational plan which identifies the key functions and structures needed to create and support a high quality representative programme.
The operational plan will include the following key strategic aims:
- Deliver a dynamic and relevant national sport specific curriculum built on outstanding coaching, teaching, instructing and learning.
- In partnership with the NGB’s, continue to develop and expand the learning opportunities for both players and staff, and support players to make a confident transition into adult life and employment and life-long learning
- Establish a vibrant and high quality exit programme that meets individual player and future employer needs.
- Build on highly successful relationships with the NGB’s and other key external bodies to ensure competitive advantage for both British College’s Sport and the BCS Representative Teams.
- Secure significant new income from the investment already made in British College’s Sport and through harnessing new commercial opportunities.
- As a BCS National Team, fulfil our commitment to develop the skills of our staff and support regional sport growth in FE.
- Ensure the British College’s Sport Representative Team continuing financial health by efficient and effective deployment of resources.
- Foster and promote awareness of cultural diversity, equality and environmental responsibility.
Research and Development
As an education-based organisation BCS will create a research and development programme to include such areas as monitoring, evaluation and quality assurance. The aim will be to evaluate the effectiveness of the implementation of the programme and review the impact that the programme is having in relation to the delivery of the wider aims.
With BCS growing partnerships within the higher education sector and closer links generated with institutions delivering higher education courses, the programme will invite undergraduates/postgraduates to conduct research as part of their studies to help inform BCS about programme development.