Is talent born or is the athlete bred? When the UK’s Sky Brown overcame injury to win a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, which close today, it might have been tempting to think that talent is purely innate.
You might have had the same feeling earlier this summer, when fellow 16-year-olds Lamine Yamal and Luke Littler became, respectively, the youngest-ever male goalscorer at the European Championship and the youngest player to reach the final of the World Darts Championship.
But the moments of elite success hide a more complicated truth about talent, however precious it may be. Talent must be nurtured – and this nurturing is dependent on access.
Sport England has found that people in lower socio-economic groups are the most likely to be inactive (33 per cent) and the least likely to be active (54 per cent). And with nearly a third of the adult population in England – around 12 million people – in such a group, the negative implications are significant for both national sporting success and national health and well-being.
To be fair, the sport sector has made significant strides in recent years towards increasing access for disadvantaged young people. But the current parlous financial position of the public and third sectors puts successful schemes at risk.
The same has arguably never been truer of universities, given the state of the sector’s finances. We have seen it before elsewhere in the education system: schools facing cuts look for savings wherever they can, and often it is sports provision and facilities that face the axe first. Yet we cannot see sport and exercise as a luxury – continued prioritisation is essential to maintain the gains made in student health wellness.
In this context, taking full advantage of existing sporting structures becomes not just beneficial but essential. Through British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS), the UK has one of the largest and most successful higher education sport networks in the world and provides one of the most important pathways to professional level. Universities, with their diverse sport and exercise offerings and broad social reach are uniquely positioned to play a pivotal role in promoting activity, developing talent and driving social mobility.
Research by BUCS and its members highlights the value of university sport in each of these areas, outlining clearly the risks involved in slowing or stopping investment in sport. This includes the impact not only on the recruitment and retention of students but also on their progression once enrolled – volumes of research indicate that students with better health and wellbeing are likely to achieve more academically.
Beyond this, our universities are pioneering new forms of community outreach, investing in local talent and taking it to new heights. Universities can develop sports talent starting with children and extending to professional athletes. This approach involves identifying potential early and nurturing it through structured training programmes, competitive opportunities and academic support.
At the institution I lead, the University of East London (UEL), the Sport in Your Futures programme was designed in collaboration with a range of local partners and stakeholders to offer primary schoolchildren the opportunity to come to campus and take part in exercise and sporting activities delivered by UEL staff and students. For those young people who are then inspired to pursue higher education, there are sector-wide dedicated sports scholarships, accessible events and social teams, as well as partnerships with local schools and clubs and high-performance centres with state-of-the-art facilities.
Providing access to sports at an early stage not only tackles health inequalities, it also helps young people identify their own strengths and interests, as well as potentially representing the first step on a journey towards elite sport. We have recognised this at UEL with our East London Sports Talent Pathway, which begins with targeted interventions for under-represented young people and follows them through their development into professional athletes.
Talent access is not merely a matter of opportunity, but also a question of social justice. That’s why we are so proud at BUCS to be recognising and celebrating the work of our members to promote equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and develop their workforce in this area. One example is the University of Sunderland’s International Outreach Programme, which introduces grassroots football to hard-to-reach groups, including refugees and asylum seekers, with volunteer coaches leading sessions to provide physical activity opportunities, fostering community integration.
Another is Nottingham Trent University’s collaboration with the charity RacketsCubed, whose programme offers tennis classes, maths tuition and hot meals to underserved local primary school students. A third is the University of Nottingham’s Black Sport Collective (this year’s BUCS Workforce Development Award winner), which celebrates achievements, highlights black role models in sports and fosters partnerships for additional opportunities.
The collective impact of such programmes on diversity and inclusion in sports is profound, offering further evidence of universities’ unparalleled position as convenors and changemakers. By promoting equal access to sports from youth to graduation and beyond, universities are helping to break down barriers and create more equitable, healthier communities. We must not let the financial pressures divert us from this vital mission.
Amanda Broderick is chair of British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) and vice-chancellor and president of the University of East London.
