June 2022, Articles

New approach to flagship Coach Accelerator programme

After a two-year hiatus, HPSNZ has updated and reactivated its flagship coaching programme Coach Accelerator: Te Tūāpapa.

Coach Accelerator provided support to more than 80 coaches from 2009-2018 including the likes of World Cup-winning All Blacks head coach Steve Hansen, Silver Ferns netball team coaches Janine Southby and Noeline Taurua, and Black Caps coach Mike Hesson.

As part of the implementation of our 2024 Strategy, the programme has now been reoriented to align with the new coach performance pathway.

Programme Lead Christian Penny (pictured) says this new approach will be about providing bespoke, holistic support to those coaches involved in podium level campaigns to support our NSOs achieving their podium potential for the current Olympic and Paralympic cycle.

He explains that the shift comes from HPSNZ’s 2024 strategy which is about building a platform for sustainable success.

“We are focused on how we can work in partnership with sports to build system support, strength and sustainability. When it comes to Coaching, we’ve started from a system perspective and looked at the system through the lens of coaching,” Christian says.

“Rather than solely developing better coaches – the thinking behind our coaching strategy is about coaching’s contribution to the overall sustainable success in the system.”

Christian says with its new ‘Podium Potential Realised’ vision, Coach Accelerator complements other HPSNZ initiatives in the Coaching Pathway – Core Knowledge to support those coaches starting out on their high performance careers and Te Hāpaitanga to support the development of future podium level coaches.

Given the demands on HP coaches leading campaigns with significant podium potential in the current cycle, Coach Accelerator: Te Tūāpapa is now positioned as New Zealand’s dedicated platform for podium level coach support.

“Te Tūāpapa literally means ‘the podium’ but it also means ‘the foundation’. It is made up of two words.  Tua: to go beyond, to stand on the other side or above and beyond – fully present and supreme.  And Papa: to be grounded – connected to whenua /place / people /whakapapa /context and purpose,” Christian explains.

“It is an approach that gives us the opportunity to have a conversation with sports – coaches, athletes and support staff – about what is going to work for them to support their podium prospects for Paris. A conversation that will identify what bespoke support we can provide in partnership with NSOs and podium level coaches to define, and realise podium performance potential.”

Check out a short clip of the recent launch event itself and you can view the Coach Accelerator: Te Tūāpapa online brochure here.

For further information, feel free to contact Christian – Christian.penny@hpsnz.org.nz.

Coach Accelerator Lead Christian Penny at the launch of the new programme