Post by chrisbullen on Oct 29, 2006 13:35:44 GMT 12
Success in high performance sport is a relentless pursuit. It requires a lot of money energy, focus and time, not only on the part of the athletes and coaches, but also of the administrators –there is a risk that this may come at the expense of the remainder of the sport.
In recent times it has been interesting to witness how the NZ Rugby Union has worked to re-establish its connection with grass roots rugby. The advent of professional rugby and the Super 12/14 has brought profile for the sport and considerable investment, but the challenge is to ensure that this does not continue to happen at the expense of amateur/heartlands/grass roots rugby. Rugby is now investing heavily in these parts of the game to ensure it retains its position as NZ’s national game. Remember the clever pitch for the 2011 Rugby World Cup, ‘NZ: a stadium of 4 million people’!
Although at opposite ends of the athlete pathway, high performance sport and grass roots sport are interdependent; without each other they run the risk of withering.
The success of national athletes and teams can add to the profile of the sport and attract more people into the sport. The benefit of greater numbers for HP sport is that the bigger the base of players to select from, the greater the chance of finding and developing athletes with the talent to be successful.
High performance sport provides events that youngsters want to compete in, and heroes they want to be like. Grass roots sport provides the pathway (eg Small Whites to All Whites programme) by which athletes have the opportunity to try to get there.
Whether it’s high performance sport or grass roots sport, the dependency on volunteers is huge. Many volunteers began their involvement in high performance sport through their involvement in grass roots sport. Sports need to provide a pathway of opportunities for match officials, administrators and event support staff to ensure that volunteers learn the skills they need and the experience they require.
Coaches have a huge impact on the sporting experience of the athletes they coach. Irrespective of whether they coach at club or international level, coaches will do better for their athletes if their behaviour and approach is consistent. National coaches need athletes to come into their programmes with excellent skills, attitudes and behaviours. Club coaches need national coaches to lead and model these skills and behaviours.
The strength of the link between high performance and grass roots sport is a key determinant in the long term viability and sustainability of a national sporting organisation.
In recent times it has been interesting to witness how the NZ Rugby Union has worked to re-establish its connection with grass roots rugby. The advent of professional rugby and the Super 12/14 has brought profile for the sport and considerable investment, but the challenge is to ensure that this does not continue to happen at the expense of amateur/heartlands/grass roots rugby. Rugby is now investing heavily in these parts of the game to ensure it retains its position as NZ’s national game. Remember the clever pitch for the 2011 Rugby World Cup, ‘NZ: a stadium of 4 million people’!
Although at opposite ends of the athlete pathway, high performance sport and grass roots sport are interdependent; without each other they run the risk of withering.
The success of national athletes and teams can add to the profile of the sport and attract more people into the sport. The benefit of greater numbers for HP sport is that the bigger the base of players to select from, the greater the chance of finding and developing athletes with the talent to be successful.
High performance sport provides events that youngsters want to compete in, and heroes they want to be like. Grass roots sport provides the pathway (eg Small Whites to All Whites programme) by which athletes have the opportunity to try to get there.
Whether it’s high performance sport or grass roots sport, the dependency on volunteers is huge. Many volunteers began their involvement in high performance sport through their involvement in grass roots sport. Sports need to provide a pathway of opportunities for match officials, administrators and event support staff to ensure that volunteers learn the skills they need and the experience they require.
Coaches have a huge impact on the sporting experience of the athletes they coach. Irrespective of whether they coach at club or international level, coaches will do better for their athletes if their behaviour and approach is consistent. National coaches need athletes to come into their programmes with excellent skills, attitudes and behaviours. Club coaches need national coaches to lead and model these skills and behaviours.
The strength of the link between high performance and grass roots sport is a key determinant in the long term viability and sustainability of a national sporting organisation.