The Welsh Start and Potential Programme sits within a British structure and the objectives of the programme and standards are agreed and delivered on a national level.

Objective
The purpose of the World Class Development Programme is to graduate athletes to the World Class Performance Team. The purpose of the World Class Performance Team is to win medals at major international championships, such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games and World/European Championships. Thus, the athletes being groomed through the development programmes must have the potential to become major international medallists.

Process
This potential might manifest in 2 ways that predict their future success: through their physical abilities (including physiology and techniques), and through their approach or attitude. Thus, selection to the programmes should involve a 2-stage process – of identifying the appropriate physical abilities for future success, and by assessing attitudinal and environmental approach.
The matrix below outlines the physical abilities that might lead an athlete into the programmes – to be nominated for selection – after which an interview-type session exploring and planning their approach might confirm their actual selection. With abilities maintained, commitment to the agreed plan will form the basis of reassessment.

The planning process will be coach led, through the World Class Coaching network. Thus, each World Class Coach will be responsible for identifying, appraising, grooming, developing and managing programme athletes in their area, under the arbitration of the Performance Director. At higher levels of the programmes, the Performance Director will be personally involved in the planning, to ensure smooth transitions through to World Class Performance.

Major planning sessions/reviews will be conducted annually (around October), with formal interim reviews 6-monthly and other discussions as often as necessary in the coaching process. The annual review will begin with a programme application from the athlete and attendance at a Talent ID Day, followed by nominations from the Programme Group and planning interviews to confirm selections.
In order to function, the process therefore needs the following documentation:-

• Athlete application form
  
• Objective measure of physical abilities
  
• Athlete selection matrix
  
• Athlete planning form
  

Tools are currently being developed to aid with the structure of the planning interviews and provide some objectivity to the prognostics of athlete 'approach'.

Progression
The continued selection process is designed to allow appropriate athletes to progress at a 'natural' rate (without stagnation) to the level of World Class Performance at the age of 23. The requirement is therefore to show commitment to an appropriate development plan moving progressively forward to that end.

Selection Criteria

Please refer to the points table by following this link.