The TASS
Story

TASS is launched at 10 Downing Street by the then Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell. TASS was funded by SportEngland and supported athletes at the top of the talent pathway who were in education or training.

At the time, Tessa Jowell said “TASS will provide that vital link in the sporting chain where sometimes we’ve failed to convert promise into real success at the top.
“These awards will help harness the talent that we have amongst the young in this country – and hopefully propel them on to the highest level.”

Soon after London was announced as host to the 2012 Olympics, TASS was given extra investment to support an additional 130 athletes who were on the road to the Olympics and Paralympics. These athletes included an 11 year old Tom Daley who went on to win a bronze medal in 2012. TASS funding is moved to UK Sport.

The first TASS medallist is Shelley Rudman, who won silver in skeleton bobsleigh at the Winter Olympic Games in Turin.

Shelley said: ‘As the first TASS athlete to go on to win an Olympic medal, I can genuinely say that the support TASS provided was invaluable. The team helped me balance every aspect of my journey, supporting me throughout my sporting commitments and my education. That backing made all the difference, giving me a clear pathway into a new career once I retired.’

TASS Learning create and deliver a range of Athlete Personal Development qualifications, which are nationally recognised and regulated by the awarding body 1st4Sport.

TASS developed TALS (Talented Athlete Lifestyle Support), which was the original regulated qualification in Athlete Personal Development Support and now have a portfolio of world leading personal development qualifications.

Click here for more details on TASS Learning.

At the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics TASS / former TASS athletes scoop 10 Olympic and 11 Paralympic medals.

Medallists included:
Louis Smith (pictured) – Bronze in Gymnastics (Pommel Horse)
Rebecca Adlington – 2 x Gold in Swimming (400m & 800m Freestyle)
Pippa Wilson – Gold in Sailing (Yngling class)
James DeGale – Gold in Boxing (Middleweight)
Ellie Simmons – 2 x Gold in Para Swimming (100m & 400m Freestyle)
Felicity Coulthard – Silver in Para Equestrian (Freestyle test – Grade II)

Many more TASS / former TASS athletes are selected for the London Olympics and win 57 medals.

Medallists included:
David Smith (pictured) – 1 x Silver, 1 x Bronze in Boccia (BC1 Individual and BC1/BC2 Team)
Luke Campbell – Gold in Boxing (Bantamweight)
Greg Rutherford – Gold in Long Jump
Will Bayley – 2 x Gold in Para Table Tennis (Individual and Team)
Ellie Simmonds – 2 x Gold, 1 x Silver, 1 x Bronze in Para Swimming (400m, 100m and 50m Freestyle, 200 IM, 100m) S6 and SM6
David Stone – 2 x Gold in Para Cycling (Mixed T1-2 Road Race and Mixed T1-2 Time Trial)
Natasha Baker – 2 x Gold in Equestrian (Grade IV Individual and Freestyle).

Sport England becomes TASS’ primary funding partner, strengthening the foundation for athlete support. The partnership aligned with Sport England’s commitment to developing pathways for emerging talent, ensuring athletes could balance their sporting ambitions with education and personal development.

This partnership enabled TASS to expand its reach and resources, enabling more athletes to access tailored support services. It was a significant step towards creating a sustainable system that nurtures future champions while promoting dual career opportunities.

TASS has developed a programme that delivers support to the specific requirements of Army Athletes.

TASS take an holistic approach to delivering sports science services, recognising that the person being supported is not just an athlete or a soldier, but also an individual.

TASS can provide services (S&C, Physiotherapy, Performance Nutrition, Sports Psychology, Personal Development) to the Army Sport Performance Programme athletes via the Aldershot-based Army Elite Athlete Performance Centre (AEAPC) and at the 41 TASS Delivery Sites.

At the Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games, the number of medals for TASS (and former TASS) athletes soars to 79.

Medallists included:
Heather Stanning and Helen Glover (pictured) – Gold in Rowing (Coxless Pair)
Women’s Hockey Team (11 of whom had received TASS support) – Gold
Amy Tinkler – Bronze in Gymnastics (Floor)
Phil Burgess, James Rodwell and Dan Norton – Silver in the Rugby Sevens
Alice Tai – Silver in Para Swimming (100m backstroke)
Jeanette Chippington and Emma Wiggs – Silver in Para Canoe (KL1 and KL2)

The TAAG (TASS Athletes’Advisory Group) was established to help ensure that the views, experiences and suggestions of TASS athletes were shared and considered in order to monitor and continually improve the delivery of TASS. Eleven TAAG members offered advice, opinion and recommendations from the TASS athletes’ perspective to the TMG and/or to TASS HQ.

In 2023, the TAAG became the TASS Athlete Reps. This group of 5 TASS Athletes (including one alumni), represent the TASS athlete voice and act as a link between the athletes and TASS.

Barnet & Southgate College and LeAF Studio become the first FE institutions to achieve TASS Dual Career Accreditation. We now have 125 accredited institutions.

These schools, colleges and universities are integral to the TASS network. They provide academic flexibility and support to talented athletes who are trying to balance training schedules with academic success. Athletes at accredited sites can also benefit from a programme of workshops, helping them to develop competencies needed to pursue a dual career. They are also invited to central TASS events geared towards creating academic pathways for athletes transitioning from FE to HE institutions.

At the PyeongChang Winter Olympics and Paralympics, 27 TASS athletes and alumni represent Great Britain and bring home 11 medals.

Medallists included:
Jennifer Kehoe – 1 X gold, 2 x silvers, 1 x bronze in Alpine Skiing (as a guide to a para athlete)
Lizzy Yarnold (pictured) – Gold in Skeleton
Laura Deas – Bronze in Skeleton
Dominic Parsons – Bronze in Skeleton

144 TASS athletes and alumni compete at the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, bringing home 66 medals.

Medallists included:
Chelsea Giles (pictured)  – Bronze in Judo (52kg)
Tom Daley – 1 x Gold, 1 x Bronze in Diving (Synchro 10m Platform, and 10m Platform)
Tully Kearney – 1 x Gold, 1 x Silver in Para Swimming (200m and 100m Freestyle S5)
Georgia Taylor-Brown – 1 x Gold, 1 x Silver in Triathlon (Mixed Relay and Individual)
Tom McEwen – 1 x Gold, 1 x Silver in Equestrian Eventing (Team and Individual)
Gaz Choudhry, Gregg Warburton, Lee Manning, Ben Fox, Jim Palmer and Billy Bridge – Bronze in Men’s Wheelchair Basketball
Emma Wiggs – Gold in Para Canoeing (Women’s VL2)

At the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, over 120 TASS-supported athletes competed, 20 of whom were current TASS athletes. These athletes won an amazing 75 medals.

Medallists included:
Zoe Newson – Gold in Para Powerlifting (lightweight)
Nathan Maguire – Para athletics 1500m (T53/54)
Keely Hodgkinson – Silver in 800m
Naomi Metzger (pictured) – Bronze in Triple Jump
Javier Bello and Joaquin Bello – Bronze in Beach Volleyball
Jamie Ingram – Silver in Swimming (4 x 100m Freestyle Relay
Marfa Ekimova – 1 x Gold, 1 x Bronze in Gymnastics (Individual all round and Team)
Chris Murray – Gold in Weightlifting (81kg)
Jack Hunter-Spivey – Gold in Para Table Tennis (Men’s Classes 3-5)

Prior to 2022, TASS provided support to athletes who were in education and/or training, and were at the top of the talent pathway.

This remit was extended to ensure that TASS would support all athletes at the top of the talent pathway. This has enabled TASS to roll out support to an extra 800 athletes each year.

Team GB at the Paris Olympics and Paralympics Games included 123 TASS athletes and alumni, who came home with 28 Olympic and 32 Paralympic Medals.

Medallists included:

Becky Wilde – Bronze in Rowing (Double Sculls)
Tom Daley – Bronze in Diving (Synchro 10m Platform)
Helen Glover – Silver in Rowing (Women’s Four)
Joe Clark (pictured) – Silver in Kayak Cross
Sabrina Fortune – Gold in Women’s Para Shot Put F20
Alice Tai – 1 x Gold, 1 x Silver, 1 x Bronze in Para Swimming (Women’s 100m Backstroke, 200m IM, 400m Freestyle and 50m Freestyle, all S8)

Photo credit: Paddle UK/Garry Bowden

TASS currently support around 1500 athletes annually. The network includes 43 TASS Delivery Sites and 41 NGBs. TASS has international partnerships with FIBA, FIFPro and the IoC.