The Eastern Cape Academy of Sport is a cooperative programme of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee and the Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture.
MISSION
To develop excellence in sport through the coordination and facilitation of services for athletes, coaches, officials and administrators in performing optimally at national and international level.
THE ROLE OF ECAS
Eastern Cape Academy of Sport athletes compete on both the national and international stage in individual and team sports. As such, the Academy ensures that these talented athletes and their coaches receive key services that enable them to compete at an elite level. These services are offered through specialist Sport Science interventions and accredited service providers.
Main objectives of the Academy system are to:
- Enhance the level of performance of talented athletes and coaches and increase the rate of sports development
- Create a structured performance pathway for talented athletes and coaches
- Assist in changing the demographical composition of South African sports teams through accelerated development programmes for previously disadvantaged groups
- Provide quality support services to talented athletes and coaches in the Province
- Ensure that a holistic approach is taken toward the development of athletes, coaches and administrators including the provision of appropriate life skills
- Enhance the education of individuals and groups by means of training opportunities for coaches, administrators, and technical officials
- Contribute to a national database on elite athletes
- Provide access to relevant information (literature, videos and internet) on the latest trends in sports training, coaching, science, sport analysis programmes and other related topics
- Provide education on anti-doping in conjunction with the SA Institute for Drug Free Sport
- Provide education on HIV/AIDS with particular reference to the sporting fraternity
- Use international best practice for the benefit of athletes and coaches
- Ensure close co-operation and implement co-operative programmes with the National and Provincial Federations, Clubs and all spheres of government in the delivery of the Academy’s programmes.