Annex B: Training Expectations for Carded Athletes
Athletes carded under the AAP are expected to rank amongst the top 16 in their discipline at the World Championships or at Olympic/Paralympic Games. To achieve such high levels of performance, athletes must adhere to a carefully planned program of specialized training and competitive activities.
The type and the amount of training done by athletes carded under the AAP should correspond to the stage they are at in their sport’s Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model. As a rule, carded athletes have reached the Training to Compete or the Training to Win stages of athletic preparation.
A review of the available literature indicates that at these competitive levels there is a high correlation between the volume of training performed by the athlete and the quality of the performances achieved. Because the optimal way of measuring and prescribing training volume and intensity may vary from one sport to another, it is not within the scope of this document to make specific recommendations in this regard.
However, it is the position of Sport Canada that athletes carded under the AAP should follow an annual periodized program that is (1) adapted to their stage of athletic development and (2) consistent with their sport’s LTAD model with regard to the type, the amount, and the sequential organization of training activities to be carried out.
References
Balyi I., Cardinal C., Higgs C., Norris S. and R. Way. Long-Term Athlete Development - Canadian Sport for Life. Canadian Sport Centres.
Bompa, T. Theory and Methodology of Training. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt, 1994.