Following the success of the London Olympic bid, attention has started to focus on the likely medal haul at these games. Whilst the games may appear a long way away, it is important to remember that many of the potential medallists are currently in our schools and colleges. Potentially, schools provide an ideal opportunity to positively affect the athletic development of our future athletes. It is therefore important to examine whether or not our schools are providing the appropriate opportunities for the optimum development of our future stars. Whilst many schools have very impressive sport skill development programmes, the number that effectively develop strength and conditioning is limited.