Academies | High Performance Academy Fastpitch Softball

In March 2022 a review of the BaseballSoftballUK Talent and Performance Pathway model was undertaken.

Home Grown youth development was discussed and a broad vision for youth development was centred on the ambition to enable BSUK to create an Academy System that would promote a long-term strategy with the aim of developing more and better homegrown players and to engage with clubs in the UK to develop this system. The Academy Accreditation System is a long-term plan which promotes the development of young athletes. It aims to deliver an environment that promotes excellence, nurtures talent and systematically converts this talent into players capable of playing at an International level.

In addition to player development, the Academy System will develop and support coaches, and performance personnel will provide a pathway to the BSUK High Performance Academy with progression through to GBR squads, North American Collegiate Programmes or Pro-Leagues.

Long-term sustainability of athlete supply for both sports is the objective.

TALENT MATTERS | High Performance Academy Objectives

To create a world class environment where a players and teams can excel and inspiring success at all levels.
Develop an inspired performance community delivering unprecedented success.
To build a culture, a system, and a sense of team, working together to provide players with outstanding experiences.
Increase the number and quality of Home-Grown Players gaining international selection and progressing through to collegiate schemes
Embed academy structure in BSUK Performance Pathway
Create entry point to pathway for players
Create more time for players to play and be coached
Implement a system of effective measurement and quality assurance
Positively influence strategic support into the High-Performance Academy System
Seek to implement significant gains in every aspect of player development
Establish an appropriate curriculum for player progression

TALENT MATTERS: The High Performance Academy

People and Culture - Appoint the right people who work effectively together, are empowered to take ownership, supported appropriately and are held accountable. Live the culture that supports the individual.
Leadership - Leadership will create and maintain a high performance culture by clarifying and communicating values, reinforcing positive behaviour, encouraging open communication, empowering employees and athletes , and reviewing appropriately.
Athlete - Recruitment and engagement with appropriate athletes. Athletes educated on the performance process. Individual athlete development programmes that they have ownership.
- Athlete Focussed
- Coach Led
- Performance Driven
- Systems Guided
Systems - From vision to funding to facilities, how well can we operate and achieve the vision. supporting our people with the systems they need to be at their very best
Data - Benchmarking and continual tracking of athletes against world’s best. Appropriate destination pathways

TALENT MATTERS: To produce more and better Home-Grown Athletes

Develop technically excellent players who are tactically astute and independent decision makers, fully equipped for a successful international playing success
We will build a culture that is athlete centred and offers support to all our people based upon their individual needs.
We understand that an athlete’s development and performance will depend upon their mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing, and that medals are an outcome of a system that prioritises looking after athletes as people first.
A long-term strategy with the aim of developing more and better homegrown players.
Mission of producing more and better homegrown players, the plan promotes the empowerment of each individual player through a player-led approach.
Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP), whose objective is to produce more and better home-grown players by further developing Academy coaching, as well as producing the highest-quality coaching at all levels
We will set and expect high standards of athletes, coaches, and practitioners as they strive towards success on the world stage. We will focus on continual growth and improvement, creating a desire for continual improvement and learning through the sharing of knowledge, expertise, and philosophies.
Always with Integrity
Our culture will be built on the foundations of mutual trust, respect, honesty, and transparency.
There will be a strong sense of team and community, where volunteers, clubs, coaches, and support staff work together in an inclusive, open and collaborative partnership, aligned behind a long-term strategic vision for the sports.
These Values define how we go about our business throughout the performance department at BSUK, applying equally to athletes, coaches, staff, committee members and volunteers.
We want to inspire individuals to be the best they can be, and this starts by putting our athlete’s right at the heart of everything we do.

ATHLETE CRITERIA

The athlete must be in the player pool for selection to a Great Britain National Team.
Have aspiration to trial for age-level national team selection.
Players must have a Great Britain passport or be eligible to get one.
Athletes must be enrolled in BaseballSoftballUK Performance System or Program (or equivalent if not currently based in England).
Each player MUST submit an enrolment form for selection; The Performance team with the National team coaches will then make selections for training based on the Player Pool.

Coaching Staff

Colin Barrett (Performance Pathway and Academy Manager, GB Women’s Team Operations Manager, International Softball and Baseball Coach)
Dani Briggs (GB U13 and U15 Women’s Assistant Coach)
Alan Dean (GB Baseball and GB Women’s Strength and Conditioning Coordinator)
Faye Townsend (Sports Nutritionist)
David Morris (GB U18 Women’s Team Operations Manager)
Emmanuel Owolabi (GB Women’s Strength and Conditioning Coach)

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