SAL Performance Foundations

The purpose of PF programme is to provide a structured and supportive pathway for Scottish athletes & coaches, to help increase retention and maximise potential. We work in partnership with British Athletics, the sportscotland Institute of Sport (SIS), Commonwealth Games Scotland and other partners to aspire to achieve the following outcomes:

• Facilitate the development and progression of Scottish athletes onto the British Athletics World Class Plan
• Scottish athletes at relevant World Athletics Rankings (at 3 per country) to be invited to World Championships / Olympic Games
• Achieve a representation of 9 percent (or more) on British Athletics teams
• Medals to be won at every European Championships & Commonwealth Games
• Medal(s) to be won at every Olympics/Paralympic Games & World Championships

As part of the PF programme athletes will undertake a needs analysis process to help understand what service support will prove impactful on their development in the season(s) ahead. These service support areas include:

• Medical Support
• Physiotherapy Support
• Physical Preparation Support
• Physiology Support
• Nutritional Support
• Sport Psychology Support
• Competition Support

These service support opportunities are not a given and, while we recognise that the right support at the right time, with full engagement from the athlete & coach pair, can be very effective in helping performance develop and progress, from experience we also recognise that they are not ‘magic bullets’ in isolation or without commitment.

Athletes will be considered for inclusion in the PF programme based on their performances up until the end of the summer season and the programme runs annually from December till December.

Para athletes will be considered for the PF programme if they are on the British Athletics Futures Programme or on the World Class Plan.

Athletes who achieve the performance levels expected for someone of their age and stage are likely to be retained on the programme (reviewed on an annual basis).  However, should an athlete not achieve these standards for two years in succession, then it is unlikely they will be retained on the programme beyond that year.