Sailing success follows ACE UK visit
SubscribeLucy Kimber 20 April 2001
TWO ATHLETE Advisers - Keith Sharpe and Lucy Kimber - put into practice the ACE UK promise of delivering services to Britain’s top sportsmen and women wherever they are in the world by paying a visit to the sailing training camp at Palma, Majorca following an invitation of the Royal Yachting Association (RYA).
The aim of the visit was to inform the athletes, coaches and support staff about the ACE UK programme and integrate the services it offers to top athletes into their training regimes and start delivering them.
Prior to the Sydney Olympic Games the athletes had spent virtually all of their time in Sydney focusing on their Olympic performance and so this was the first opportunity to speak directly with the sailors since the ACE UK Programme was launched 18 months ago.
THE AIM of the Athlete Career and Education (ACE UK) programme - a service of the UK Sports Institute - is to provide athletes with the career, education and lifestyle advice that will help them focus on becoming a more successful athlete.
The training camp provided the ideal opportunity to speak to a large number of the athletes on an individual basis and offer them assistance. This could be through the loan of an ACE UK laptop or by liasing with their universities or potential employers, to ensure they have the flexibility needed to balance their study, work with training and competition demands.
Several of the full time athletes have completed their formal education, however a lot of them identified they would like to do something around their sailing commitments. With the help of ACE UK resources and expertise they can be informed of all the distance learning or short course options that could be integrated into their demanding sporting schedule, without affecting their performance on the water.
The sailors also took the opportunity to teach the advisers a little about their sport by taking them out on the water and showing off their expertise. This together with the glorious sunshine was enjoyed by all.
