Selection process begins for top Meath competitors

The most promising young athletes across a wide range of sports are set to benefit from a joint-initiative between Meath Local Sports Partnership and the Irish Institute of Sport, under the auspices of the Irish Sports Council. Meath Local Sports Partnership (MLSP) with support from Ken Lynch (pictured) of the Irish Institute of Sport launched their SHINE 2010 Athlete/Player Development Support programme earlier this month. The closing dates for applications was last week and with 15 places available, competitors from a wide-range of sports will be considered. There was an information evening at the Ardboyne Hotel, Navan at the beginning of October where the criteria for participation was outlined. Lynch has a wealth of experience in player/athlete development having worked across Europe, the US and New Zealand where he worked with 30 Olympians, all of whom have enjoyed varying degrees of success, but all who have reached the pinnacle of their careers. SHINE 2010 is based around the development of skills and knowledge that will enhance the ability of young athletes to fulfil their sporting potential. All sportspeople in Meath between the ages of 15 and 23 who are participating in sports recognised by the Irish Sports Council were eligible to apply for a place on the programme. Some of the development areas targeted include planning, nutrition, performance psychology, strength and conditioning and media and communications. MLSP aim to use some of Ireland’s top practitioners to ensure they deliver a programme of the highest standard to maximize the potential of Meath’s emerging athletes and players. Lynch will present the first seminar on time management and goal setting to the 15 candidates who are successful. The second seminar will be run by Gerry Hussey, a respected sports psychologist and motivator and there will be further lectures by other highly-regarded figures in Irish sport over the course of the nine-month programme. “We want to give local athletes and players in Meath the skills and knowledge to help them achieve their potential,” Lynch told the Meath Chronicle. “We want to help them to progress from being a very competitive junior athlete or player to a good senior performer,” he added. “This programme will be delivered by experts in different areas and over the course of an academic year we will work on planning. “Then we will identify barriers to success and figure out ways to negotiate those obstacles. Then we want to attack an area where we can help players or athletes improve their skills. Hopefully they can use these tools in the future. “We also want to teach athletes how to minimise injuries and we will look at every aspect of what is needed to make it to the top in a chosen sport,” concluded Lynch.