Introduction

TASS is a government-funded programme that aims to support talented athletes in a dual career. It is a unique partnership between National Governing Bodies of sport and Educational Institutions, designed especially to cater for the needs of athletes within the education system during higher and further education. For more information on TASS please visit their website www.tass.gov.uk. 

Description

Fencing is one of 27 sports that have been awarded the new Sport England TASS award.  The sport has been given a limited number of 15 places for this year, with the aim to embed the award into our pathway for further places in the coming years.

The TASS awards will create an alternative route for athletes attending university who wish to continue training and developing their fencing but prioritise completing their education at university.  This programme will be available to athletes in all weapons that can hit the criteria set out in this document.

The University TASS Programme will also be for athletes that transfer from the Talent Programmes to this programme when they require a degree of flexibility due to their education situation changing and a move up to the seniors level.  

It should be noted that the Talent Programmes are the priority route for athletes that want to progress onto the Podium or Podium Potential Programmes due to the collaboration across the World Class Programmes.  Taking the University TASS Programme route means athletes will need to prepare themselves to step onto the Podium or Podium Potential Programmes.

Through providing this alternative route we hope to keep more athletes included within our fencing system, allowing later developing athletes to come back into the main system post education and to provide support for athletes who have missed out on the opportunity of the Talent Programmes which only began in October 2013.

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