#ЕУзаТебе

Spotter: Sports Talent Without Borders

Good results on the field do not guarantee that a talented athlete will have the opportunity to present their abilities to university coaches. For young people who want to continue their education and sporting careers abroad, finding a suitable programme and establishing contact with universities is often a complex and time-consuming process. At the same time, coaches looking for new players must assess a large number of candidates, often from different parts of the world.

The team at Spotter has developed a digital platform of the same name that facilitates sports recruitment and connects young athletes with university coaches. The platform's development was supported by European Union funding through a programme of the Innovation Fund. It enables athletes to showcase their achievements and increase their visibility among university sports programmes, while providing coaches with tools to identify candidates who meet their teams' needs.

For young athletes, presenting themselves on the platform begins with creating a profile that brings together sporting results, experience, educational background and videos of their performances. Instead of relying solely on recommendations and individual contacts, they have the opportunity to present their abilities to coaches and recruiters looking for new talent. Their profile thus becomes a form of sporting CV, accessible regardless of geographical distance.

“We want to give young athletes the opportunity to have their hard work and achievements recognised, even when they do not have direct access to university coaches. We believe that opportunities for advancement should not depend on where someone lives, but on their abilities and potential,” explains Jovan Jovanović of Spotter.

University coaches, on the other hand, can search profiles and compare candidates based on their sporting and academic records. Advanced filters allow them to select candidates by playing position and statistical indicators, while video footage provides additional insight into athletes' performance and abilities. Direct communication and notifications about activity on the platform facilitate the exchange of information and help users follow the recruitment process.

Finding a suitable university programme does not depend solely on sporting results. In addition to performance on the field, the academic requirements that candidates must meet and their expectations for further education are also important. By bringing this information together, Spotter makes it easier to explore opportunities for continuing both sporting and academic careers.

For the team behind the platform, further development is focused on improving the ways in which talent is discovered and connected with sports programmes. The aim is to simplify searching and communication and make opportunities to showcase their abilities more accessible to young athletes who want to continue their education and compete at university level.

A sports scholarship can open the door to education and competition in a new environment, but the first step is for the right coach to become aware of the right candidate. Spotter aims to make that connection possible even when thousands of kilometres separate an athlete from a university.