Sport coaches on the North Coast are set to benefit from a coaching conference being held on 3-4 June at the NSW Sport and Recreation Centre at Lennox Head. Sponsored by local community credit union, BCU, and aptly named “Smarter Coaching 2006”, the conference will involve an intensive two-day program of quality and up-to-date information, relevant to coaches of all levels and experience. 

The program includes lectures, workshops, panel discussions and practical sessions on sports science testing and interpretation, functional strength training and strength development, total athlete management, skill acquisition, program planning and periodisation, the role of recovery, implementing effective sports psychology, new technologies in coaching, and coaching challenges in regionalised areas.  “There is no doubt that coaches in regional areas have greater difficulty in accessing development opportunities compared to their city-based counterparts.” said Tony Clarke, NCAS executive director. 

“Too often coaches have to travel to capital cities to undertake coaching courses. In some cases, it’s just too difficult for regionally-based coaches to update or upgrade their qualifications, which stops the development. This conference directly addresses this problem by providing a high quality and practical conference within our own region”.

Attendance at the conference is open to any person who is either currently coaching, is interested in becoming a coach, or whose qualification has recently lapsed. The program is not-sport specific but will include examples from a broad range of sports. Attendance will provide log book credits under the National Coaching Accreditation Scheme. The regional conference has been made possible through the support of multiple partners, including naming rights sponsor, BCU. 

“BCU has a strong commitment to the communities in which we operate and is proud to be associated with the ongoing development of the North Coast community” said BCU Area Manager North, Graeme Green. “We were delighted to support the NCAS in past years with the Sport Smart program which assisted North Coast PDHPE students and their teachers. This Coaching Conference allows BCU to now support the development of coaches in our region, which we see as allowing enormous follow-on benefits to local sports clubs for many years to come” added Green. 

NSW Sport & Recreation will host the live-in conference at their Lake Ainsworth Centre in Lennox Head, where there are excellent conference and sports facilities on-site to deliver the program. Southern Cross University, through its department of sports science of sport management, will also be supporting the conference. All sessions will be presented through a variety of different formats including lectures, discussion groups, active participation and displays. The program includes a conference dinner with keynote speaker, and a variety of overnight and day registration packages are available. 

“It hasn’t been since the last coaching conference in 2002 that there will be so many coaching and sports professionals brought together on the North Coast” said Clarke. “The format of the conference will see local club coaches discussing issues that are relevant to them with the visiting elite coaches who have national and international experience. 

“We are planning on it being very interactive, fun and educational weekend. All sports and clubs on the North Coast will benefit from this conference.” added Clarke.  The NCAS is supported by NSW Sport & Recreation and Southern Cross University. As well as the coaching conference, the NCAS is also known for its junior sports talent enhancement programs that it runs in 13 sports. 

For further information and registration forms for the coaching conference, visit the Academy’s website at www.ncas.org.au or phone 6620-3073. Registrations close on 28^th May 2006.

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