England youngster Claudia Walker is the latest in a long line of budding Lionesses to reap the rewards of the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS).
The Everton forward has been part of the Sport England-backed programme for two years.
TASS has helped Walker cope with the demands of balancing club and international football while studying for a degree in PE and Education Studies at Liverpool John Moore’s University.
The 20-year-old now has access to specialist services – ranging from strength and conditioning support, dietary advice and lifestyle guidance – and the opportunity to work alongside Olympians and athletes from across a range of sports.
Walker said: “TASS help you as a person to find your feet and settle into your academic and sporting life.
“With their guidance and support it’s easier to get to where you need to go. Your mentor helps you to set goals and helps you to achieve those goals.
“As a student the support I receive is second to none. If I’m on an England camp then TASS will work with the university to see if I can get an extension on work that’s due. Or they will look at getting me extra academic support so that I can submit my work early.
“My football has really benefited from TASS support – especially in the last season. I’ve been getting regular call-ups for international games and I’m happy with how I’m playing.
“But I want to push on. There’s an U23 tournament in La Manga next February and that’s what I’m focusing on right now. I hope I’ll be part of it.”
TASS has supported more than 400 athletes across 30 different sports in 2016 and eight members of the senior Lionesses squad are among its alumni, including skipper Steph Houghton.
Mo Marley, Walker’s England coach at U19s and U20s level, helps The FA identify young players eligible for TASS support.
She added: “We consult as national team coaches and we suggest players who we feel would benefit from becoming TASS athletes and who are suitable in terms of meeting the criteria.
“Potentially we could have lost some players who may not have been able to access TASS support.
“This partnership has allowed our players to continue on an elite program when otherwise they may have worked in isolation. TASS encourages our pool of talent to continue with education where some players may have immediately focused on the full-time training route without pursuing an alternative career.
“What I love most about the scheme is that it gives our players a different perspective – they are training alongside other TASS athletes from other sports and that has a huge impact.
“They’re in a positive, competitive environment where they are working with Olympic athletes. These athletes can be fantastic role models and have such a positive impact on our players.”
