The Army Elite Sport Programme (AESP) Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) Selection Board Results

The ASCB has great pleasure in announcing the list of athletes who have been selected for the 2019/20 AESP TASS Support Programme.

TASS is an initiative that receives funding from Sport England with the following mission: ‘A world-leading partnership between education and sport to help talented athletes in England fulfil their potential and balance their sporting development with their education and training.’  TASS supports athletes who are currently unfunded by UK Sport and who sit somewhere close to the standard required for entry into Podium/World Class Development programmes.  The Army has established a strong relationship with TASS and selects and funds, through the ASCB, talented Army athletes for placements regionally at universities or in the Aldershot hub to receive TASS support. (1)

(1)The support provided is S&C, nutrition, psychological, lifestyle and physiotherapy services.  TASS placement does not provide direct financial support.  

Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme

Held annually in Jul, the principal aim of the AESP TASS Selection Board is to provide a robust and transparent process (2) for the approval of TASS placements for Army athletes.  In accordance with References A and B, the fourth AESP TASS Selection Board was held on Tue 09 Jul 19 to consider applications received from Army athletes.

(2) The TASS Selection Board follows a similar process to a promotion board with all decisions evidence-based.  The Board is chaired by DASCB and consists of representatives from TASS, HQ Army (Pers Pol (A)), HQ RAPTC and the ASCB.

There were 57 applications from 20 separate Army sports secretaries. In total 51 athletes were selected for TASS placements starting in Sep 19; the list of successful individuals is below.

Unsuccessful candidates were automatically considered for BAE Scholarships or Army Sports Scholarship Scheme awards.  COs are requested to inform successful personnel as soon as possible on Thu 18 Jul 19.  Army Sports Secretaries will be informed of results on Thu 25 Jul 19 where they will be available for general release.

There is a mandatory Briefing/Induction Day for all Army TASS athletes.  This year it will be held in Aldershot at the Army School of Physical Training on Tue 3 Sep 19.  Further details will be distributed but for planning purposes the day will commence at 0930 hrs and will be completed by 1600 hrs.  As the TASS delivery model is currently being reviewed with some potential changes from the previous delivery programme it is strongly recommended that a unit representative also attends this Briefing Day.

Maj Gen Shaun Burley
DASCB