The BWF strategic plan identifies players as central to our long term success. This is reflected particularly in the Development area of the strategy.

As such, the World Academy of Sport, in conjunction with the BWF has developed the Player Pathway Programme. The programme is focused on allowing National Federations to build a systematic approach to talent identification and athlete development for Badminton in each country. Through the identification of short, medium and long terms goals the programme highlights ways to maximise outputs at each stage of the player pathway.

Throughout the Player Pathway Programme (PPP), participants will unpack the approach required to build and manage player pathways as well as learning how to systematically and practically approach the planning process to maximise outputs at each stage of the pathway. At the completion of the programme participants will develop an action plan to present to BWF and their Continental Confederation in order to establish the ongoing work required to implement their player pathway plan.

The PPP has been built utilising the WAoS Executive Education methodology, which is based around delivering moderated, themed and targeted executive workshops, seminars and problem solving exercises that are tailored specifically to the needs of participants. This methodology combines inputs from top academics and industry experts with targeted case study materials that are supported by group work activities which inform practical workflow outputs at the completion of the programme.

The PPP is delivered over a three day workshop and consists of 10 topic area sessions supported by group work and action planning. During the workshop sessions, groups will work through a series of activities, applying their learning to a fictional organisation for which a brief is provided. This enables participants from different organisations to work through a shared set of circumstances which promotes ‘learning through doing’ and exposure to different perspectives and ways of working.

During the final day of the workshop, each group will present a short presentation that reflects their work from the group activities and showcases the applied learning from the programme.

Outside of the workshop sessions, participants will work on their own sport/ organisation plan through a provided workbook. The work undertaken in the workbook will contribute to the final output of the programme, which is for participants to submit an action plan, detailing their approach for implementing or enhancing their player pathway through strategic performance planning for their sport/organisation.

Each session will address specific learning outcomes, linked to the overall learning objectives, which are for participants to be able to:

• Identify the key drivers and inputs required for the development of a player pathway for their sport/ organisation
• Recognise the role of the player pathway in underpinning the development of high-performance outcomes for their sport/organisation
• Review good practice case examples of successful player pathway development, realised through strategic performance planning
• Describe how to make the player pathway a priority within their sport/ organisation
• Develop an action plan for their player pathway which includes:
  • Talent pool creation strategies based on ‘end-point’ planning
  • Strategies to identify and select players into the player pathway
  • Talent development strategies with associated KPIs and resource planning
  • Player support services linked to pathway and player requirements
  • Talent presentation strategies that aim to retain high performing players and provide them with the greatest chance for success
  • Stakeholder integration and strategies for a shared vision.

The programme is aimed at those with key decision-making responsibilities for player pathways and performance programmes and is based on the conceptual player pathway model, developed by WAoS, which is targeted at the design and management of an player pathway from a national sporting federation perspective. The WAoS model considers; organisational design and leadership; internal and external stakeholder collaboration; talent pathway and player development principles; the key performance drivers required for success; player support services; and, end point requirements, including the identification of short, medium and long-term goals.

A key feature of participants journey through the PPP is the workbook. The workbook contains high-level summary of the session learning materials, activities, critical questions, case materials and templates that will support participants to apply their learning throughout the programme and ultimately contribute to the development of their action plan at the completion of the programme.