National Talent Camp 2018
Goalball UK’s talent camp arrived back at the Royal National College for the Blind in Hereford for the 5th year running. 33 players were selected after being nominated by their club, school, college, club coach, teacher or member of the Goalball UK staff team. Funded by Sport England the camp provides an invaluable opportunity for players to work with top international coaches whilst challenging themselves against players from across the country.
Our National Talent Camp is designed to show athletes what skills, characteristics and attributes are needed to be the best player they can be but also to give them a taste of what it takes to be a Great Britain athlete. During the week athletes take part in goalball drills and game play, fitness testing, strength and conditioning workshops, recovery workshops, performance culture workshops and momentum workshops.
Players attended from:-
Birmingham Goalball Club
Cambridge Dons Goalball Club
Croysutt Warriors Goalball Club
Fen Tigers Goalball Club
Lancashire Lions Goalball Club
Londonderry (Northern Ireland)
HNC (Huddersfield New College)
NCW (New College Worcester)
Northants Saints Goalball Club
Nottinghamshire Sheriffs Goalball Club
Morpeth School (London)
RNC (Royal National College for the Blind)
Scarborough Goalball Club
South Yorkshire Goalball Club
Winchester Goalball Club
Wollaston School (Northamptonshire)
Additional to the camp this year Goalball UK nominated three new club coaches to attend, over the course of the week Judith Brennan (Northern Ireland), Suzanne McDonald (Northants Saints GC) and Tom Britton (Croysutt Warriors GC) developed their understanding, knowledge and practical delivery ideas for goalball. To upskill further each coach worked alongside our Goalball UK referees Dina Murdie, Dani Dillon and Judith Oakley learning how to officiate games, further their understanding of the rules and how to tactically use the rules when coaching. Thank you to all of our club coaches for attending and to our officials for sharing their knowledge, experience and love of goalball.
2018 has seen our largest, most successful camp to date, this is a hugely down to each and every club investing in youth development and continuing to deliver quality goalball opportunities for players to improve. Thank you to everyone who has supported, mentored and nominated players for our camp. Goalball UK are already looking forward to our 6th National Talent Camp in 2019, nominations will once again open in late 2018, where we are looking forward to welcoming the next generation of junior/youth talent and hopefully find the next Great Britain players of the future.
