This post is to help get some answers for:
What is TASS about?
What is its mission statement for slalom?
Who is it designed to help?
How effectively can it do this?
(Anyone with any answers post here would be great!!)
A little background knowledge i do know:
For those of you who don't know what TASS is: Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (a university based scheme).
TASS was set up around 3 years ago inorder to promote sports in the Sporting Gifted and Talented section of Education. Designed to support those athletes who were unsupported, but at College or University.
TASS laid out a scheme where by Scholars (those at university) would be supported to the value of £3000 (- for expenses such as coaching, travel, racing, medical cover, etc.), and Bursars (college) £1000 - for medical cover, coaching and travel expenses.
Initally (year1) applied in this form TASS supported 9 athletes, in their attempts to cross from the Junior system (WCS) to potential, a goal which it did achieve in one case.
Year2 saw a vast drop in the number of TASS athletes, not due to a drop in ability, and a sharpe cut in the funding bracket as decided by the governing body of our sport(not TASS). Reducing the support of Scholars to below £2000.
This lowering of Scholars, was met by a raising of Bursars support. Which was increased to £1600, £1000 of which to be spent by bursars as they desired. (similar to being paid).
On its own this simply seems, a strange balance - seeing how bursars have much less expenses than university students, (hence the system TASS had put in place)
However, and importantly as TASS im sure are unaware, these Bursars were infact on the WCS scheme. Supported by TASS and other government funding, this was strictly disallowed in the TASS criteria.
These Bursars therefore were coached by WCS and not a TASS coach. This resulted in a TASS coach payed position, having more the salary cut from £8-10,000, to £2000. Year on year, this effectively means there was - No longer a job. (interestingly, the coach himself was unaware of the pay cut the governing body were to impose - and the redistribution of the money from the university based system).
We are now into year3, the TASS program was finished a month previous to its agreed timetable in year2, and although due to start in August, was not confirmed until Novemeber(a 4-5month break). This seems pretty unorganised at best, least of all detreimental to the paddlers it was originally due to help.
My question now is, where is the program now. Who is on it, and who is it funding. Is it funding the Gifted and Talented in Education, outside of WC, or is the money being directed else where?
Im sure most people will know who i am, and that i have written this, being on the program, for the first 2 years. My wish however, is for the program to go back to helping those that need the help, as the TASS system was designed, rather than to help those who are already helped.
Please help to sort this out. The ACM is this weekend, lets ask the questions, and make a difference. For surely those who commit to this sport whilst going through university are those who will be in the sport for good.
If you have any answers please help!
???
TASS - What's it all about?
-
John Sturgess
- Posts: 280
- Joined: Thu May 27, 2004 12:01 am
- Location: Gedling, Nottingham/Long Preston, North Yorkshire
HaRVey
Try this, and follow the links to the eis2win site
http://www.tass.gov.uk/default.asp
John
Try this, and follow the links to the eis2win site
http://www.tass.gov.uk/default.asp
John
Err thanks john, but not sure what this shows. All useful websites. But how do they actually relate to TASS in Slalom? Who governs the Canoeing, and whats their aim for the application of TASS?:rock:
Who is it going to help? When is it going to help them? Why isn't this already known? WCDP have a mission statement, about getting medals. Whats TASS role, and is it simply helping WCDP to achieve their goals, rather than supporting the others who are not on programs?:0
Who is it going to help? When is it going to help them? Why isn't this already known? WCDP have a mission statement, about getting medals. Whats TASS role, and is it simply helping WCDP to achieve their goals, rather than supporting the others who are not on programs?:0
-
John Sturgess
- Posts: 280
- Joined: Thu May 27, 2004 12:01 am
- Location: Gedling, Nottingham/Long Preston, North Yorkshire
I have followed your links on EIS2WIN website, and yes i have read the section on TASS and who they fund.
Slalom
Sprint
Polo
WWR
However, it says there that they support only athletes not on programes as you have stated.
Also in reasearching the sprint situation. TASS in year 1 supported more than 5 athletes, all at university and college. Looking to make the grade inorder to further themselves and achieve in Sprint racing.
Year 2, saw a drastic cut in numbers, to 1 athlete. When governing body were asked why this was the case they were given the answer,that there were many more slalom athletes this year. (Interesting considering the OFFICIAL slalom numbers were cut from 8/9 to 4.)
Contact with the TASS athletes on Polo, resulted in a similar point being raised, about the numbers of athletes in slalom. However, their few Scholars still get the £3000 per athlete.
Recently crossing over to WWR i have found that some athletes eligible for TASS, do not apply. But again the numbers are very limited due to (standard answer) money going elsewhere. However, i would like to point out, this is the only canoeing discipline with a recognised TASS athlete with achievment at world level. A bronze (impressive i think)
So again i ask the question, where is the official list for athletes supported by TASS, (or simply paid by TASS money). If it is such an honourable and open system why are they not officially listed as on the program. And why do these funded juniors take priority over (possibly) far more able paddlers in other disciplines?
It really concerns me that the sport of slalom (and thus canoeing as a whole), appear nonchulant, when it comes to TASS and a direction and outcome for the support system.
This system should be to help young athletes, maybe your child, sister/brother, achieve both in sport and academia. Im sure everyone can understand that your sport requires the commitment of your life, but what happens when ur sporting life ends? Where are the jobs, money, life going to then? (Interestingly, i interpreted a profiling system carried out by a organisation for the sport, as actually deducting marks for being at a university or college.) Which seems an excellent way to inspire young athletes to achieve their full potential, both academically and athletically. ???
Why isn't the system open, and the selection process transparent? :O
Slalom
Sprint
Polo
WWR
However, it says there that they support only athletes not on programes as you have stated.
Also in reasearching the sprint situation. TASS in year 1 supported more than 5 athletes, all at university and college. Looking to make the grade inorder to further themselves and achieve in Sprint racing.
Year 2, saw a drastic cut in numbers, to 1 athlete. When governing body were asked why this was the case they were given the answer,that there were many more slalom athletes this year. (Interesting considering the OFFICIAL slalom numbers were cut from 8/9 to 4.)
Contact with the TASS athletes on Polo, resulted in a similar point being raised, about the numbers of athletes in slalom. However, their few Scholars still get the £3000 per athlete.
Recently crossing over to WWR i have found that some athletes eligible for TASS, do not apply. But again the numbers are very limited due to (standard answer) money going elsewhere. However, i would like to point out, this is the only canoeing discipline with a recognised TASS athlete with achievment at world level. A bronze (impressive i think)
So again i ask the question, where is the official list for athletes supported by TASS, (or simply paid by TASS money). If it is such an honourable and open system why are they not officially listed as on the program. And why do these funded juniors take priority over (possibly) far more able paddlers in other disciplines?
It really concerns me that the sport of slalom (and thus canoeing as a whole), appear nonchulant, when it comes to TASS and a direction and outcome for the support system.
This system should be to help young athletes, maybe your child, sister/brother, achieve both in sport and academia. Im sure everyone can understand that your sport requires the commitment of your life, but what happens when ur sporting life ends? Where are the jobs, money, life going to then? (Interestingly, i interpreted a profiling system carried out by a organisation for the sport, as actually deducting marks for being at a university or college.) Which seems an excellent way to inspire young athletes to achieve their full potential, both academically and athletically. ???
Why isn't the system open, and the selection process transparent? :O
NB: Am very impressed, to see the TASS athlete list on the gbcanoeing website. This is the first time this has happened. But what about those other athletes on programes (juniors)on the Bursary's?! (Am i just making these up?)
Importantly congratualtions to all those who did make it on the program. (with the competition for places so high, you have all done really well - enjoy it and make the most of it) Well done! :laugh:
I belive there is also a TASS olympic fast track (two very capable World Class athletes), could TASS not also claim these athletes to be theirs, should they not be listed as TASS athletes?
Importantly congratualtions to all those who did make it on the program. (with the competition for places so high, you have all done really well - enjoy it and make the most of it) Well done! :laugh:
I belive there is also a TASS olympic fast track (two very capable World Class athletes), could TASS not also claim these athletes to be theirs, should they not be listed as TASS athletes?