the search is on for aspire’s new recruits
No Stone Left Uncovered in Academy’s Drive to Identify and Improve Local Kids’ Fitness
ASPIRE has opened up a second wave of Talent Centres, ensuring that the push for better fitness among the young people of Qatar now extends beyond the borders of Doha.
The Centres ensure that almost 2,000 boys and girls are taking part regularly in professionally run fitness and sports sessions, on top of their school sports activities.
Using advanced techniques designed by ASPIRE’s multinational team of coaches and sport scientists, the sessions are tailor-made to ensure that the youngsters’ development is ideally served.
Starting with children at five years old, the Centres provide a focal point for the health and fitness of young people throughout their childhood. Sessions continue beyond the school calendar throughout the year, pausing briefly for the Eid holidays.
Each participant’s progress is tracked in depth over the years. When the boys reach Grade Six at school (at the age of 11) they undergo more thorough testing. Those showing the most potential as aspiring athletes are then accepted on full scholarship to study at the Academy full time.
After six years of well-organised training, many of those taking part will be able to realise their full potential as young sportsmen and women.
The programs are run in full cooperation with local schools. After being assessed by the ASPIRE team, local educational facilities are used and teachers themselves help run the sessions.
Boys Talent Centres now run at Abu Baker School, Al Yamouk Boys Independent School, Oman Bin Al Kathab School and Saud Bin Abdul Rehman Model Boys Independent School in Al Wakra as well as taking place in the ASPIRE Dome.
Centres for girls are also now running in Al Bayan, Al Khadeeja, Al Salam in Wakra as well as two at ASPIRE itself.
The creation of ‘ASPIRE Talented’ sessions at the ASPIRE Dome means that special focus has now been given to the best female athletes between the ages of 11 and 13. Specially selected girls take part in activities designed to improve skills in their chosen sports.
ASPIRE Sports Coordinator Dr Hazem Anabtawi said “Our approach to maximising the health and fitness of children in Qatar is all-inclusive. By creating Talent Centres outside of Doha we hope to bring sporting activity to the heart of even more young people’s lives.
“As well as preparing children adeptly for our student recruitment in Grade Six, we are seeing more and more young people making sports and healthy living main priorities in their lives and moving away from televisions and junk food. We believe that such activities inevitably also benefit the emotional and academic development of young people too.”
