Trackspeed1-UK is an established training group of club, national and international level athletes based at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre. Head Coach John Powell is hoping to develop a permanent 'Academy' group which will avail his skills and the experience of his more senior athletes to entry level your people aged from 11 years, and who will be offered training sessions twice a week aside from the main squad. They will also be encouraged to take part in local competitions as well as being given the chance to take part in individual time trials. the emphasis would be on participation and its healthy byproducts, but the development of obvious athletic talent would also be a priority. This has been piloted with significant success this last academic year, but ongoing coaching and club membership costs, plus facility costs and lack of kit and equipment has deterred many from sustaining their initial interest.

What we'll deliver:

• Increase young people's participation in athletics with top level coaching but with sessions tailored to ability
• Offer young people unique development opportunities in athletics
• Offering input from external agencies combining with these sessions to expose career opportunities and lifestyle advice
• Working alongside partner charity project 'Met-Track', offering club membership and positive onward pathways post-entry

Why it's a great idea:

This would bring together a diverse group young people drawn from widely varied backgrounds, with an opportunity to extend and develop their interest in getting fit and taking part in athletics. It would promote government, local authority and leisure industry agenda's of increasing participation in sport, and offer young Londoners a unique diversionary activity away from anti-social behaviour or offending, along with an opportunity for talent development, in turn providing benefits for local communities. The squad's partnership with the Met-Track project would mean that input from outside agencies and individuals such as international athletes, coaches, clubs, Police, and the Prison Service would supplement the sports sessions. This would open their eyes to the benefits of positive lifestyles, the dangers of negative mindsets, and the opportunities offered by sport. This is a tried, tested and proven exercise over the past academic year, but is entirely unfunded going forward.

Steps to get it done:

• Recruit at least 50 young people to sport over the period of one academic year

The lead coach for this project has been coaching athletes from club to Olympic and World Championship level for over four decades, in many cases taking young people from entry level to international athletics. His colleagues are schooled and trained to a high level, and have been afforded additional skills to deploy where appropriate in mentoring, nutrition, and lifestyle advice. It's a unique package, but one which is likely to reduce or collapse without further funding. Young people entering any sport need to be taught correct techniques from the off, preventing bad habits developing that are then difficult to correct. This necessitates in some cases specific equipment, such as starting blocks, harnesses, therabands, medicine balls, jumping boxes, and low hurdles. Any or all of this would greatly enhance the success of this project.