From the Director of High Performance
Kia ora tatou. Nau mai haere mai. Welcome to our Spring update.
It was an absolute privilege to spend time at both the Paralympics and Olympics. Once again sincerest congratulations and thanks to all of you who have been involved in this Paris Cycle. There is no doubt we have much to be proud of both in terms of results and the way our people carried themselves.
It was my first experience of the Paralympics and it was certainly hugely inspiring. I witnessed many incredibly gutsy performances as the NZ Paralympic team competed at the top of their game. Like their Olympic counterparts, our Kiwi Paralympians did us proud.
I know these sentiments also resonated with New Zealand audiences here at home. At the time of writing we have yet to see the final viewership figures, but early indications are that coverage on TVNZ1 broke records and raised awareness of Para sport to unprecedented levels. No doubt the final figures will show the NZ Paralympic Team not only gave us something to talk about but also engaged and inspired New Zealanders all around the country.
With the Paris cycle complete we are now into a critical transition phase for athletes. Regardless of their results, many returning Olympians and Paralympians will use the upcoming weeks and months to consider what next. Our teams are here to support you and your people through this critical transition.
In this HPSNZ Update, we reflect a little more on Paris. HPSNZ Performance & Technique Analyst and Hamish Kerr’s coach James Sandilands provides some interesting insights into their gold medal high jump campaign. Dr Helen Fulcher talks about her first Olympic Games as part of the NZOC’s medical team.
We also reflect on the completion of the first Kia Manawanui coaching programme which included four Paris 2024 coaches.
Looking ahead, our focus is already on the next Olympic and Paralympic cycle. With that in mind we look forward to formally launching our 2025-28 Strategic Plan in early October. Many of you have assisted with the refining of this strategy and it builds on the lessons we have learnt over the last cycle. It will of course guide us as we work our way through the investment process for the LA cycle which will be complete by the end of the year.
There won’t be any surprises in the strategic plan as it represents phase two of a three phased approach to delivering on the 2032 High Performance System Strategy. But is important to provide our stakeholders with clear line of sight and understanding of strategic priorities for the next cycle.
Ngā manaakitanga
Steve
Golden glow for high jump coach
Pretty surreal.”
Those are the two words James Sandilands uses to sum up his experience in Paris as coach of gold medal winning high jumper, Hamish Kerr.
James has been the subject of almost as much media interest as his high jumper since that golden day in Paris when television cameras captured his nerves and then excitement as Hamish cleared 2.34m to win the jump off against American Shelby McEwen.
While so much attention has been on James’ recent role as a coach, his relationship and role as part of HPSNZ’s APS team with Hamish goes back several years.
Paris 2024 Olympics doctor looks back
In July ahead of Paris 2024 Olympics, HPSNZ Athlete Performance Support Lead, Dr Helen Fulcher, shared her excitement, her preparations and what the medical team hoped to achieve in their role providing health care to NZ Team.
Checking back in with Helen after her return from Paris, we asked her to share her highlights and challenges in the lived experience of being part of the on the ground team to help the Kiwi Olympians achieve their goals.
Prime Minister’s Scholarship Internship applications open
Applications for the fourth year of Prime Minister’s Scholarship Internships will be open from 1 to 31 October.
After three successful years of the internship programme, some 26 athletes have had the opportunity to gain flexible work experience that will assist their transition to real world workplaces.
2024 Paralympic Games gold and bronze medallist Anna Grimaldi, a scholarship recipient in the second intake, completed an internship with leading quantity surveying firm Naylor Love in 2023.
Anna says the internship opened her eyes to many aspects of a business. “I got important insights into what the job really entails, how a business is structured, how workplace communications operate and how different the onsite experience versus office experience is.”
You can read more about Anna’s internship experience here.
Further information and the Prime Minister’s Scholarship Internship applications can be found here.
Performance Pathway fuels Tall Blacks ambition
Young Wellington basketballer Troy Plumtree is achieving his goals ahead of schedule thanks to his own talents and drive and the support of HPSNZ’s Wellington Performance Pathway team and Wellington Basketball, along with his strong circle of support.
A member of the Performance Pathway group in Wellington since its inception in 2022, Troy is having a stellar year in 2024.
Inaugural Kia Manawanui programme comes to an end
After 18 months and six hosting residentials, the inaugural Kia Manawanui programme has come to an end for the 12 participants, including four Paris 2024 coaches, following a final two day wrap up residential earlier this month.
HPSNZ team members Lyn Gunson, Craig Phillpott, Craig Palmer, Graeme Robson, Christian Penny, Jodie Cameron and Richard Smith delivered most of the programme content, each focussing on their strength areas. They were complemented by guest coach speakers, Canoe Racing NZ’s Gordon Walker and Snow Sports NZ’s Tom Willmott.
Women in High Performance Sport lead Helene Wilson and High Performance Coaching Consultant Tristan Collins delivered the 360-learning circle profile work at the start of the course which several coaches ‘circled’ back to in their final presentation.
HPSNZ Head of Coaching and programme lead, Daryl Gibson, says Kia Manawanui truly distinguished itself from other HPSNZ Coach Development programmes by offering each coach the opportunity to host the group at their own sport venue and coach in front of their peers.
“The majority of our participants came from aspirational and individual sports like 3×3 basketball and table tennis, which not only enriched the diversity of experience but also created valuable opportunities to share and support coaches who juggle dual careers and carry a heavy workload”
Te Hāpaitanga fifth intake underway
Applications have been received for the fifth intake of the Te Hāpaitanga programme, offering an exciting opportunity for female coaches from a diverse range of sports.
Throughout October, interviews will be held to select candidates, with successful applicants announced by the end of November 2024.
Jody Cameron,Te Hāpaitanga programme lead, shared her enthusiasm: “We’re thrilled by the exceptional quality of this year’s applicants. It’s inspiring to see such a dynamic mix of women from various sports and regions across New Zealand.”
“Te Hāpaitanga has built a remarkable legacy since its pilot in 2021, with three successful intakes since then. To date, we’ve supported 51 women from 21 different sports—from major disciplines like netball, football, rowing, and rugby to unique sports such as beach volleyball, boxing, weightlifting, and surf lifesaving.”
The programme also boasts impressive regional representation, with participants hailing from nine North Island centres and four South Island centres, stretching from Auckland to Invercargill.
For those joining the 2025 intake, the journey will include residentials in April and June next year, promising a transformative experience and a chance to be part of a vibrant, supportive community.
2024 Innovation funding applications open
Innovation continues to sit at the heart of much of New Zealand’s sporting success up to and including the recent Olympics and Paralympics.
Of the 20 Olympic medallists in Paris, 16 were directly supported by HPSNZ’s innovation team in a number of ways, with that support having made a direct and positive impact on New Zealand performances on the world stage.
The HPSNZ Innovation team opens applications for round 2 of this year’s innovation project funding from 7 October with applications closing two weeks later on 18 October.
Head of Innovation Simon Briscoe says there is a deliberate and early managed transition into the Los Angeles 2028 cycle and he expects this next round will likely be for projects targeting 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympic and Paralympic campaigns and LA.
Wellbeing initiatives take shape
As much of the high performance sport sector transitions out of the 2024 pinnacle event cycle, the Wellbeing Programme is ramping up initiatives to help NSOs and their athletes as they look to the future.
NSO Wellbeing Leads from a range of sports – hockey, equestrian, snow sports, cycling, swimming and athletics – came together with representatives from HPSNZ and Sport New Zealand for a two day hui earlier this month.
The majority of the hui was devoted to activities and discussion designed to support the Wellbeing Leads and the embedding of wellbeing systems within their respective NSOs and sports more broadly.
