Benchmarking
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The Performance Pathway Team systematically profiles and benchmarks the effectiveness of sports’ performance pathways across Olympic and Paralympic sports comparing them to world’s best.
We try to understand:
- How effective is the UK World Class system at identifying, confirming and developing future athletic talent?
- What is the World Class system athlete turn-over rate and how can we reduce this?
- Which sports promote talent through the pipeline best and why? How can we share these insights across more sports?
- What sports have similar development issues?
- How do sports identify their weaknesses and uncover any gaps in their systems?
Every four years, the Performance Pathway Team delivers a benchmarking process called the Talent Health Check (THC). The THC involves a facilitated discussion between the Performance Pathway Team and the sport’s key programme staff. It covers topics such as gap analysis, athlete profiling, junior to senior transition, retention/attrition rates of athletes in the pathway, confirmation processes and the effectiveness of the development curriculum the athlete receives.
The Performance Pathway Team uses the findings to help sports develop efficient, sustainable development programmes. The THC also enhances collaboration across the World Class system, through the sharing of knowledge and resources. It also ensures that talent solutions delivered by the Performance Pathway Team at the front line are informed by evidence-based practice.
In summary:
- Benchmarking occurs every four years across all funded sports, unless sports request to conduct the process on a more frequent basis
- In 2011/12 the process was successfully implemented with 43 Olympic and Paralympic sports
- Over 210 hours of discussions into athlete development were held with 151 members of staff from Olympic and Paralympic sports
- Outcomes from the THC work help to inform and shape athlete development policy within UK Sport and the work of the Performance Pathway Team for future Olympic cycles
