Applications will open on 16^th July, 2020 for Athlete Development Programme athletes, who are attending University, to apply for a TASS (Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme) award for 2020/21.

TASS is a Sport England funded programme supporting individual athletes studying at university in England. In order to be eligible for nomination, an athlete must meet the following criteria –

• Be a member of British Fencing’s Athlete Development Programme.
• Have a realistic prospect of meeting one or more of the performance standards set out below.
• Be on an education or training programme at a recognised English Institution totalling over 300 learning hours between 1 September 2020 and 31 August 2021.
• Hold a GB passport.
• Represent England as their home nation, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish athletes are not eligible. However, athletes from the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands can be nominated.
• Athletes must be 16 years or over at the start of the academic year (1 Sep, 2020).
• If an athlete is on the DiSE programme or receiving a Sports Aid award they are not eligible for a TASS award. However, if an athlete is receiving Backing the Best support, they can also be eligible for a TASS award.
• Able to and willing to travel to a TASS Delivery Site as often as necessary to meet TASS’s expectations of athletes.

TASS aims to provide athletes with access to training and guidance including strength and conditioning, lifestyle, nutrition and sports psychology. It is designed to complement an athlete’s sport-specific training programme as well as give them the tools to be able to train and compete while also studying full-time. For the academic year 2020/21, British Fencing will be able to nominate 5 athletes for TASS awards. The expectation is that successful nominees would be aiming to target one or more of the following –

• 2021 U20 World Championships
• 2021 U23 European Championships
• 2021 World University Games
• Senior Team representation in World Cup/Grand Prix events within the next 18 months

The application form will be sent to athletes on British Fencing’s Athlete Development Programme, and the deadline for submitting completed applications is 17.00 on 31^st July, 2020.

Once the applications have been received, the Athlete Development Team will review them and decide who the 5 athletes being nominated to TASS for awards will be.

If you have any questions regarding the application process, please contact [email protected]