MSA British Rally Elite under way
Class of 2005 gathers at Edinburgh University
The Motor Sports Association's rally talent development programme,
the MSA British Rally Elite, got under way last week as the
six chosen athletes attended a two day induction course at
Edinburgh University.
Drivers Philip Morrow, Stuart Jones, James Wozencroft and
Matthew Wilson were joined by co-drivers Daniel Barritt and
Scott Martin as the first students on the recently established
programme.
After an introduction from former world rally champion and
Performance Director of MSA British Rally Elite, Robert Reid,
an outline of the programme was presented by Hugh Richards,
Lecturer in Sport Psychology at Edinburgh University, illustrating
the breadth and scope of the skills that the sports scientists
can employ to deliver marked improvements in elite performance
in any sport.
"We have developed a bespoke programme, especially for
the very particular demands of rally driving and co-driving,"
said Richards. "Having put the students through their
paces, we were immediately impressed by their physical strengths.
It was also clear after the one-to-one sessions that these
individuals are way ahead of their contemporaries in terms
of psychological maturity."
The next stage of the programme will take place this weekend
on the Jim Clark Rally when the students' performances will
be observed, monitored and evaluated in the heat of competition.
"We have established a performance benchmark for each
individual," explains Edwards, "but that was in
a controlled environment. Now we need to see them in a competitive
situation to monitor how they react to pressure and understand
how their performances fluctuate during the event."
"I am delighted that the programme is off and running,"
says Robert Reid. "None of the guys really knew what
to expect this week, but they have all been surprised by how
much they have got out of even this preliminary induction.
They have all, without exception, confirmed that we are offering
a massively valuable addition to their career development,
one that they would otherwise not have the opportunity to
pursue.
"What was also interesting is that the group of six,
most of whom did not know each other particularly well, came
to the realisation without any prompting that collectively
they now have a value as a 'virtual' team. They are the MSA
British Rally Elite; they have been identified as the best
of the next generation and that has instantly given them a
lift in their careers."
MSA British Rally Elite at Edinburgh University. Pictured
left to right are: Stuart Jones, Philip Morrow, Daniel Barritt,
Scott Martin, Matthew Wilson and James Wozencroft.
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