The Angling Trust is now inviting applications from talented young game and coarse anglers for the 2013/14 England Talent Pathway programme. Screening events in game and coarse angling have been planned throughout the country providing opportunities in the North, Midlands and Southern regions for young anglers aged 13-17 to showcase their skills and be selected to take part in a series of high performance training programmes.
Anglers attending the screening events will perform in a match environment under the watchful eye of Angling Trust Talent Coaches and be assessed on their technical, tactical and mental attributes. Nationwide a total of thirty six coarse anglers and eighteen game anglers will be selected to progress to stage two of the programme which involves a series of coaching and competitive opportunities focused on tactics and techniques required for International angling. Sessions will be led by Angling Trust talent coaches and elite coaches from Team England squads. Anglers will have the opportunity to be selected for an England U18 trial in coarse angling and participate in the Loch Style National Championship and Qualifier in game angling.
Ben Thompson, Angling Trust Talent Development Manager said, “We are looking to build on the success of the 2012/13 programme which resulted in five anglers from the Talent Pathway programme selected to represent England Youth Fly Fishing in 2014 in game angling and thirteen anglers attended the Team England Sensas U18 trial in coarse angling. The addition of elite coaches Joe Roberts, Des Shipp and Nick Speed to our coarse angling programme will add a wealth of experience and expertise and it’s a great opportunity for our young anglers to work with some of the very best match anglers around. If there are any young anglers with the desire to fish for their country then entering this programme will give them a great platform to achieve their ambitions.”
The Angling Trust England Talent Pathway identifies anglers’ aged 13-17 showing potential and those anglers enter a training programme designed to develop understanding of tactics and techniques required for international style angling. There are 3 squads throughout England, Northern, Midlands and Southern on both game and coarse angling. A sea angling programme is currently under development and will be available in 2013. Anglers interested in getting involved should visit www.anglingtrust.net/talentpathway for more information and details of how to apply. There is a small entry fee of £10 for each event and all participants must be individual members of Angling Trust and membership is FREE for anyone under 18 years of age. Angling Trust membership is available online at www.anglingtrust.net
