April 2019,

Latest Intake for CAP 2019 Announced

HPSNZ Announce Latest Intake for Coach Accelerator Programme 2019

High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ) are delighted to announce the latest intake of coaches to the highly acclaimed Coach Accelerator Programme (CAP).

CAP is a three-year professional development programme that aims to increase New Zealand’s pool of world-class coaches, capable of producing more World, Olympic and Paralympic Champions.

Now entering its eleventh year, CAP 2019 will welcome high performance coaches from 11 sports including:

  • Desmond Buckingham (Football)
  • Jay Carter (Golf)
  • Mitch Brown (Snowboarding)
  • Willie Rickards (Rugby)
  • Reinga Bloxham (Netball)
  • Glen Wilson (Squash)
  • Glenn Pocknall (Cricket)
  • Jarrod Herriot (Trampoline)
  • Tommy Pyatt (Freestyle Skiing)
  • Bruce Hunter (Triathlon)
  • John O’Connor (Rowing).

 

Recognising the critical role of coaching to athletes and the wider high performance system, High Performance Sport NZ Chief Executive Michael Scott explained:

“The development of world class coaches is a priority for HPSNZ. Through CAP, we aim to support coaches develop their leadership and coaching styles to accelerate their development. When you have the best coaches in the world, leading programmes which are focused on athletes, then you have the critical ingredients for success”.

The Coach Accelerator Programme (CAP) offers distinctive and unique high performance coach development over three years. Small cross sport diverse cohorts continue their coaching practice while engaging in individualised development opportunities as well as an intensive residential series of planned activities that integrate multidisciplinary engagement among facilitators and participants.  The Programme draws upon the principles of social construction, action learning and self-awareness through critical self-reflection, and focuses on applying coaching and leadership principles and practices to each participant’s coaching context.

“We are exciting to be welcoming 11 new coaches onto CAP. Over the next three years coaches will undergo a deep and immersive learning experience designed to test and develop their existing coaching practice. Our aim is to provide a continuous learning experience that is relevant to the challenges and issues coaches currently face in their day to day delivery” commented Christian Penny, Leader, Coach Accelerator Programme.

Since CAP’s inception in 2009, there have been 48 graduate coaches and 34 current coaches from 19 sports who have completed the programme. Key graduates include current All Black Coach Steve Hansen, former Black Caps coach Mike Hesson and two-time Halberg coach of the year Gordon Walker.