Sport NZ Coaching for Impact Programme has commenced. This new initiative is aimed at coaches working with secondary school age players.

Coaching for Impact is closely aligned to Sport NZ’s 2020-24 strategy and the Balance is Better philosophy, supporting rangatahi to have quality experiences in sport and stay involved for life. This is a free two-year programme that will be nationally led by Sport NZ and locally supported by experienced mentors - enabling coaches to learn and grow in their own environment.

Applications opened in 2020 for the programme, and Sport NZ received an incredible 360 applications for the 60 positions available in the two year programme.

Hockey has had a strong representation with the following coaches selected for the programme.

  Shea McAleese  - Hawke's Bay

  Richard Storey - Northland

  Sandra Field - Northland

  Grant Porter - Otago

  James Nation - Otago

  Joe Piggott - Canterbury

  Jack Clayton - Waikato

The programme started in March with an online induction workshop, followed by online presentations from Dr Ralph Pim (Character Development) and Dr Wade Gilbert (Coaching Principles). This was followed by the first face to face opportunity held in April and May, holding residential camps in Papamoa and Silverstream. The main themes of the camps included, building a community of learning, the sharing of learning, self-reflection and coach action planning.

The next steps in the programme include the coaches meeting their mentors and sharing their action plans. Three additional online workshops followed by the second camps in November where the focus is likely to be on increasing our understanding of the teenage brain and modern methods of skill learning and teaching.