Olympic Bound Lizzie Launches Emerging Talent Programme
Cork's Red FM joined the Mardyke Arena UCC to launch a new programme to help aid emerging athletes across all sports codes from 15 – 18 Years Old to reach their full potential. The Emerging Talent Programme (ETP) will give athletes the structured supports to maximise their physical performance to compete at the highest level and to achieve their goals. The Mardyke Arena UCC will invest €30,000 across 12 emerging athletes per annum with the selected athletes required to pay only €800 towards the cost of services. As proud media partner for the programme Cork's Red FM will be choosing one of the 12 candidates details of which will be announced in the coming weeks.
The Mardyke Arena UCC have been no strangers in nurturing talent over recent years with Rachel Vanderwall - GB Olympic Basketballer, John Ryan - Munster Rugby, Jean O’Driscoll – International Underage Golfer, Ally Cunningham – Junior European Championship Swimmer, Sam Healy – Irish Record Holder of the Junior Men’s 60m Hurdles and Louise Shanahan - 800m Youth Olympic Champion, are some of the names that have come through their ranks.
Olympic bound Lizzie Lee who herself is a member of the Mardyke Arena UCC was on hand to launch the programme. “This is a fantastic new initiative by the arena.” she said. “The Emerging Talent Programme maximises the world-class resources available at the Mardyke Arena UCC and puts the selected athletes at the forefront of everything. The programme gives athletes the structured supports to help achieve their goals & ambitions.”
The programme will be headed up by Jeff Gomez, Sport and Athlete Performance Manager at the Mardyke Arena UCC. Jeff Gomez has been involved in athletic development with various sporting disciplines and worked with athletes competing at Olympic, international and national level. His involvement with those athletes allowed him to develop his own physical athletic development philosophy with a focus on working towards an optimum quality of movement.
“We have developed the Emerging Talent Programme to help assist emerging athletes in reaching their full potential” said Wayne Falvey, Marketing Manager at the Mardyke Arena. “The ETP offers those eligible for the programme a specialised vehicle to fulfil their sporting potential through access to sports science, strength and conditioning, performance psychology, clinic services, performance analysis, nutrition & lifestyle support. We act as a support function to the coach, athlete and parent.”
Closing date for applications is Monday 29th August with the first intake of emerging athletes commencing the programme on Monday 5th September. For further information on the programme and to apply visit www.mardykearena.com or contact Nora Aherne, High Performance Manager, on 021 490 47 62 or n.aherne@ucc.ie
Image Caption:
Pictured at the launch of the Emerging Talent Programme at the Mardyke Arena UCC
Front Row (L- R): Alley Cunningham – Irish Swimmer, Louise Shanahan – Irish 800m Runner, Lizzie Lee – Irish Olympic Team Rio 2016 and Sam Healy – Irish Hurdler
Back Row (L- R): Nora Aherne – High Performance Manager Mardyke Arena UCC, John Ryan – Munster Rugby, Stephen Ryan – Director of Marketing Red FM, Wayne Falvey – Marketing Manager Mardyke Arena UCC, Kate O’Herlihy – Red FM, Nicola Cullinane – Marketing Executive Evening Echo & Jeff Gomez – Sport & Athlete Performance Manager Mardyke Arena UCC