Nine accomplished coaches spanning Olympic, Paralympic, and Commonwealth Games disciplines have been designated as participants for the 2023 AIS Coach Summit Program.
Entering its third consecutive year, the Summit Program’s objective remains rooted in aiding coaches who operate within the upper echelons of Australian sports. Notably, this year’s selection includes representatives from various sports like triathlon, softball, paddle, and sailing.
AusCycling’s Head Coach of Endurance, Gene Bates, expressed gratitude for his inclusion in the program, stating, “I anticipate the opportunity to glean insights and collaborate alongside some of Australia’s preeminent coaches.” Echoing this sentiment, Swimming Australia’s Technical Lead, Tracey Menzies-Stegbauer, acknowledged, “To participate in a program of this caliber, alongside such esteemed coaches, is indeed a privilege.”
Participants will engage in virtual sessions every three weeks over the ensuing half-year to foster collaboration, exchange knowledge, and experiment with novel concepts. Dr. Paul Perkins, the AIS High Performance Coach Development Advisor responsible for program facilitation, accentuated the program’s distinctive value derived from a social learning framework inspired by the sharing of traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander wisdom.
Perkins elaborated, “The Summit Program shines through its creation of an egalitarian space for learning, wherein every member’s contributions hold significance, fostering an intertwined sense of camaraderie.” He also underscored how the program offers coaches an external support network for counsel and idea-sharing.
Amidst the program’s array of participants, Ellen Randell, Senior Coach at Rowing Australia, and Mathew Helm, National Diving Coach, are both enthusiastic about forging connections and exchanging insights with their peers.
Randell affirmed, “I’ve witnessed firsthand how sharing experiences with fellow coaches on parallel journeys can catalyze authentic learning and advancement, a trajectory I am eager to sustain throughout the Program.” Adding to this sentiment, three-time Olympian Helm emphasized, “I am genuinely excited to broaden my circle of like-minded individuals, enabling the exchange of ideas and the exploration of challenges unique to the high-performance sports milieu.”
These recently welcomed members become part of a distinguished network of coaches that consistently draw upon each other’s support, a circle encompassing luminaries such as Diamonds Coach Stacey Marinkovich, Swimming Australia’s head coach Rohan Taylor, and four-time Paralympian and Para-athletics Coach Louise Sauvage.
This network is poised to offer invaluable guidance to coaches as they navigate their journey toward the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as other forthcoming major sporting events. Reflecting on the camaraderie within the network, Perkins recalled, “During the previous Commonwealth Games, we witnessed many Summit coaches taking precious moments from their demanding schedules to connect and rally for one another in Birmingham.”
2023-24 AIS Coach Summit Program Participants:
- Dan Atkins, Triathlon
- Gene Bates, Cycling
- Michael Blackburn, Sailing
- Rob Hammond, Hockey
- Laing Harrow, Softball
- Mathew Helm, Diving
- Jimmy Owens, Paddle
- Ellen Randell, Rowing
- Tracey Menzies-Stegbauer, Swimming
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Photo Courtesy Australian Sports Commission
Courtesy Australian Sports Commission