ASPIRE, Doha’s state-of-the-art sports academy, has begun its annual quest to find Qatar’s sporting champions of the future, using its advanced “Talent Identification” (ID) selection programme.
Up to 7,500 school children living in Qatar have so far taken part in the programme this year, consisting of Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels, and is one of the most sophisticated programmes to test children’s athletic potential.
First launched in 2004 at the opening of the academy, Talent ID embodies ASPIRE’s philosophy of going as far as possible to find young athletes with natural talent that can then be honed at ASPIRE.
The Bronze stage of Talent ID involves almost every child in Qatar in the sixth and seventh grade, and tests the core areas of speed, endurance, and upper and lower body strength, as well as measuring body shape and mass.
Dr. Esa Peltola, ASPIRE’s Performance Enhancement and Talent ID section head, said, “The aim of the bronze stage is to gauge which athletes have the genetics to become real champions. For example, we are looking for talented sprinters who have never raced or individuals who have natural upper body strength yet have never been trained.”
The Bronze stage began in January and ends in March, at which point approximately 350 children will be invited to progress to the Silver stage which involves more challenging and specific tests.
Each student is evaluated on their efforts in the Bronze stage to determine who will be invited to the Silver stage. During the Silver stage the ASPIRE coaches and staff monitor them once again for their athletic ability, but also competitiveness and mental attitude.
Dr. Randy Hill, ASPIRE’s Senior Talent Identification Officer stated that, “Talent ID is a combination of art and science, in that we use advanced modern methods to find those individuals who have the potential to become international level competitors.”
The final Gold stage will take place in April where an elite short list of 80 children will attend two separate camps at the ASPIRE academy. During the Gold camp the ASPIRE coaching staff will be exposed to the students in small groups to best be able to understand each student.
Once that is completed, only the best students will be invited take up scholarships at the esteemed ASPIRE academy specialising in a number of sports including squash, athletics, table tennis, swimming, and football.
About ASPIRE
ASPIRE, the Academy for Sports Excellence, is a world-class facility that aims to identify, educate and train world-class athletes to compete in professional sports at the highest levels. ASPIRE provides exceptional facilities, including full educational and recreational facilities, advanced dormitories, an amphitheatre, lecture halls, seven outdoor football training fields, and state-of-the-art weight rooms and physiotherapy. The Academy is distinguished by a philosophy which aims to develop the whole student, providing them with full academic and sports development so that they have the widest possible range of opportunities in adult life. ASPIRE TODAY, INSPIRE TOMORROW.
