Having a focus beyond their sport gives athletes a wider perspective on life, enables them to see a future post competition and explore different ways to gain financial security. Planning a career alongside their sport encourages athletes to view their life holistically.
Athletes work with Performance Life Coaches to identify their values, strengths, interests, transferrable skills, motivators, preferred industries, and potential employment opportunities. They will guide athletes through work exploration, support internships and facilitate work experience.
Performance Life Coaches support athletes who are eligible to apply for a Prime Minister’s Scholarship to support their education and professional development for future life aspirations.
“The HPSNZ Performance Life Programme fits really well with what we believe in the Men’s Kayaking Programme.
“They do a great job in making sure that our athletes are supported in areas that are outside of my skill set. The positive effect on individuals and therefore the team are evident. The relationship between the Coaching team and the Performance Life team is also crucial to ensure excellent outcomes.”
Craig Mustard, Head Coach, NZ Men’s Kayak Team.
“Utilising Performance Life support services has allowed me to develop an identity beyond a high performance athlete. When I made the decision to focus exclusively on sport, believing it was essential for success, the sudden impact of Covid took sports away from me. This abrupt change led to an identity crisis, as I had neglected to explore other aspects of myself beyond high performance sport. This made me realise how important Performance Life was and through their involvement, I discovered my other identity which was supported by receiving Prime Minister Scholarships for academic pursuits. Overall, engaging with Performance Life has facilitated personal growth, instilling the belief that I am more than just a high performance athlete and that there are viable paths for me beyond my athletic career.”
Dame Sophie Pascoe, Paralympic Swimmer, Swimming NZ
