Teaming up with Manchester’s landmark snow attraction the Chill Factore, Eddie ‘the Eagle’ Edwards is searching for up to five youngsters who have an unrivalled affection for winter sports.
This unique talent spotting initiative aims to cross the divide between grass roots kids and winter sports by offering the most enthusiastic youngsters a 12-month sponsorship with the Chill Factore.
Speaking to MM, Eddie offered an insight as to what the talent spotting team is looking for.
“We’ll be looking at their passion for their sport, because if they love their sport and they’ve got a passion for it, you know they will want to be up here all day everyday just skiing or snowboarding as much as they can.”
The successful applicants will receive a full year’s training in the sponsored athletes programme and enjoy unlimited access to the slopes.
Unlike various other talent spotting programmes, this initiative doesn’t take competition wins or status into account, preferring instead to witness a person’s talent first hand.
With such an open forum Eddie – who rose to fame at the Calgary 1988 Games – is keeping his options open.
“We’re not quite sure what we’re going to get, we might get some people who have only skied and snowboarded for a couple of days or a couple of week.
“But we might get some guys who have been skiing or snowboarding for a number of years and they’re really, really hot skiers or boarders and then they can join the programme and get even better still.”
But the Eddie’s vision of success and the objective of the programme remain the same.
“We’re trying to encourage people from grass roots who might not have the money, have the backing or yet, have the talent but they’ve got the potential.
“We want to realise that potential, train them and then who knows, they might go on to bigger and better things and end up going to the Olympic Games.”
If you enjoy your time on the slopes and want to apply for the talent spotting programme you’ll need to be 6-18 years old and must submit a 200-word written explanation about your future aspirations and, why you have the passion and potential to realise your snow sports dream.
Entries can be accompanied by photography or video content which shows personality and sporting prowess and entrants have until September 22 to apply.
Entries must be sent to [email protected].