University is a front runner for a national scholarship scheme

The University of Wolverhampton has been selected to become a national delivery site for the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) - helping students who compete at an elite level and opening doors for a new Performance Hub for Women’s football.

TASS is a Sport-England backed programme which supports young sports people on the talent pathway to have the opportunity to gain a qualification alongside their sports endeavours.

The delivery site status further cements the University’s commitment to supporting the dual career pathway which sees a commitment to support flexibility for students studying and competing at an elite level. The university will now provide performance sport services to elite athletes across the academic areas of Strength and Conditioning, Sports Psychology, Nutrition, Lifestyle and Physiotherapy.

In becoming a delivery site, the University will also become a ‘Performance Hub’ for Women’s football and will deliver the support services to the academy section of Football Association Women’s Super League side, Aston Villa Women’s FC.

James Dale, Sport Performance and Development Manager at the University, said: “I am incredibly proud that the University has been able to achieve this accreditation and it goes to show the hard work and fortitude by all to elevate our status in this area to meet the TASS delivery standard.

“The accreditation will bring greater recognition for sport at the university with a view to attracting a greater number of talented athletes. The services will also extend to the whole performance programme including sports scholarship athletes.

“This is the next step on our journey to becoming a high-performance sport university and we are excited to work with TASS and see the project develop. I am also very pleased that the university has become a ‘performance hub’ for Women’s football which will see us work in partnership with Aston Villa Women’s Academy. This further reinforces the university’s vision of supporting the development of Women’s football both at the University and within the wider community.

“The overarching development of this project will provide a number of opportunities for our students to gain access to elite athletes for practise-based learning and research which is exciting for everyone involved.”

Cristina Torkildsen, Aston Villa Women’s Youth Technical Director, said: “I am really pleased that we have formed this partnership with the University of Wolverhampton, TASS and the Football Association to deliver support services to our academy players. I am really supportive of the TASS/ FA model which will raise awareness and benefits of the dual career pathway as part of the ongoing relationship between the club and the University."

Guy Taylor, TASS National Director, said: “We’re delighted to add the University of Wolverhampton to our growing network of dedicated delivery sites.  James and his team have done an incredible job in demonstrating an ongoing commitment to dual career sport and fully deserve their accreditation.

“We’re excited to see what the future holds for elite athletes at the University of Wolverhampton and we’re proud to support a proven programme.  Talented athletes deserve targeted support during their studies and our delivery sites recognise that need.

“The University of Wolverhampton is perfectly positioned to support the next generation of elite sportsmen and women and it’s great to bring them on board.”

As part of the new development, the University is currently recruiting two new roles to support and deliver the TASS Delivery Site. The new Strength and Conditioning Coach will support the performance service delivery across a range of disciplines and a TASS Coordinator will coordinate the performance programme. For more information about the new roles and how to apply, check out the vacancies on the website.

For more information about the TASS Delivery Site or to discuss the roles above, please contact James Dale: James.Dale@wlv.ac.uk.

For anyone who already has the results of their qualifications, applications can be made through Clearing from Monday 5 July. Our Clearing webpage provides further information on all the courses we have available in Clearing. Applications can be made either by calling our Clearing Team on 01902 51 8585 or through our social media channels on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. 

For anyone who is awaiting the results of their qualifications, they can register their interest and book a phone call with a Clearing Adviser on results day, Tuesday, 10 August.

Anyone looking to study at the University of Wolverhampton should register for one of our forthcoming Open Days.

ENDS