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Medway Sporting Academy

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.

Photo of Medway Sporting Academy display panel

It has been developed in consultation with:

Academy recruits attend monthly sessions that focus on developing their skills in areas including:

  • agility;

  • speed;

  • hand-eye co-ordination;

  • balance;

  • flexibility;

  • strength;

  • visualisation; and

  • spatial awareness.

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.

The academy links its recruits to local clubs and national governing bodies to ensure their skills and potential are put to the most suitable use.

Photo of instructor and child


Photo of child running


Photo of instructor and children


Medway Sporting Academy logo

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).