SPORTS YEARBOOK 2011 (Including the 2009-2010 Review

Talented Athlete
Scholarship Scheme
The Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme, better
known as TASS, is a unique partnership between
National Governing Bodies of Sport and Higher
Education, providing financial and professional
support to elite young athletes who are committed to
continuing their education.
All athletes are nominated by their relevant National
Governing Body to receive a scholarship, funded
through UK Sport. Every scholarship includes key
services such as Strength and Conditioning,
Performance Lifestyle Management with trained
mentors and help towards competition, training and
equipment expenses. Many of the athletes have
already competed on the national or international
stage and will be aiming to be among Great Britain’s
medal hopefuls at London 2012.
TASS underwent significant changes in 2008/9 and the
University became part of a regional ‘Hub’ of 6
institutions, together providing services to athletes
across the East of England. Despite this, the University
was still able to boast having 6 of its students within
the scheme, the largest number of any Further or
Higher Education Institution in the region.We also
provide the same high quality of service to 4
external students.
The high number of University athletes gaining TASS
scholarships has continued from 2009/10 – when we
had seven TASS athletes studying at Cambridge, when
no other Institution had any more than two.
One of this year’s new intake Fiona Hughes, a 1st year
Engineering student from Queens’ College,
represented Great Britain at the Winter Olympic
Games in Vancouver in 2010. A full profile can be
found later in this review, along with profiles of three
more of the University’s TASS athletes: Mairead Rocke,
Bradley Dixon and Matthew Halliday.
Commenting on the continued success of elite young
athletes at Cambridge,TASS Administrator Simon
Cornish said “It’s fantastic that we can give such good
support to these athletes coming to Cambridge in
4 Sports Yearbook 2011
order to balance their studies and the achievement of
their sporting ambitions.We can be extremely proud
that we have an Olympian coming here to continue
her studies. Hopefully, some time in the not-so-distant
future, all of the athletes will look back at the
exceptional Strength and Conditioning support
from Tristan Coles and Helen Boyle as being vital to
their successes!”.
Anthony Crutchett, who was supported on the TASS
programme for his 4 years at Cambridge between
2006 and 2010, is now fencing full-time and continues
to receive Strength and Conditioning from Tristan Coles.
2009/10
Athlete College Sport
Anthony Crutchett Downing Fencing (Sabre)
Bradley Dixon Trinity Modern Pentathlon
Matthew Halliday Clare Orienteering
Anna Railton Pembroke Rowing
Mairead Rocke Churchill Orienteering
Victoria Stevens Jesus Orienteering
Alex Young St John’s Triathlon
2010/11
Athlete College Sport
Matthew Halliday Clare Orienteering
Mairead Rocke Churchill Orienteering
Victoria Stevens Jesus Orienteering
Bradley Dixon Trinity Modern Pentathlon
Joshua Radvan St Catharine’s Modern Pentathlon
Fiona Hughes Queens’ Cross Country Skiing
Charlotte Roach Trinity Triathlon