11.05.2007

Coaching workshop opportunities

The avid readers of A-News will remember an article I wrote in the March edition in relation to the professional development fund that Athletics Australia had announced, specifically for coaches.

Already a number of coaches have applied for funding to attend clinics and workshops and some to travel overseas with their athletes for elite competition.

The funding area that has not as yet been so enthusiastically embraced in Category B, for coaches, clubs, state branches etc, to conduct clinics and workshops that have special interest to a local community of coaches.  

Up to $2000 is available per program to assist with the costs of organising and conducting workshops and clinics that enhance the knowledge and experience of coaches. The planning needs to combine the Member Association (the State body), and either the ATFCA State Branch, the State Institute/Academy or a club/s. The idea is that the workshop combines the collective interest of a number of groups within the local athletics community.

One program that has so far received funding is a distance running workshop to be held in Perth in May. The aim of the workshop is to consider strategies that can develop a ‘distance running culture’ in the state where currently, no such culture really exists. The evidence from other states is that ‘culture’ is crucial to the development of young and future athletes and whilst Perth is known for its pole vaulters, distance running is in its developmental phase.

The workshop is specifically designed to foster coaching knowledge for the development of junior and senior athletes, to identify the strengths and weaknesses in the distance running community and devise a strategy that will lead to the development of a high performance environment in Perth for distance running. Dr Dick Telford will be the keynote presenter with the workshop being facilitated by Johanna Klap.

All enquires about the workshop should be directed to Susan Andrews at suze71@optusnet.com.au

Information about the Category B funding can be found here or you can contact me on michael.poulton@athletics.org.au

Mick Poulton
National Coaching Coordinator
03 9869 5022
0408 038 969