The South Australian Sports Institute (SASI) is proud to be amongst the National Institute Network (NIN) which is partnering with the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) and National Sporting Organisations (NSOs) to deliver the National Generation 2032 Coach Program.

The flagship national apprenticeship program was launched today and brings together the Australian high-performance sport system to develop the next generation of coaches for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games and beyond.

SASI athletes/developing coaches selected to take part in this initiative were:

• Ashlee Ankudinoff – Cycling
• Bernadette Wallace – Canoe Sprint
• Jared Tallent – Athletics
• Lillian Foster – Diving

As part of the two-year inaugural apprenticeship, coaches will be immersed in high-performance sporting environments, receiving guidance from a senior mentor coach, plus professional development and education through the AIS and participating NIN partners.

AIS Learning Labs will also be incorporated in the program where there will be a focus on using contemporary ways to deliver coaching to future generations of athletes through enhanced use of innovation and technology, advanced interpersonal and leadership skills, and an increased understanding of athlete development.

Olympic gold medallist race walker Jared Tallent OAM said, “Mostly, I’m looking forward to working and learning from my mentor in the program to expand my knowledge and expertise.

“The opportunity to participate in the ‘Learning Labs’ will also be a fantastic opportunity to learn and embrace new ideas from my fellow mentee coaches.”

A total of 31 developing coaches from 22 sports have been selected to join the program.

The under-representation of women in high-performance coaching roles is common within international high-performance sport, so it’s significant that 20 of the 31 places on this program are held by women coaches.

Australian Sports Commission CEO Kieren Perkins said the program is focused on enhancing the depth and diversity within Australia’s high-performance coaching ranks.

“The future success of Australian athletes and sport relies heavily on identifying, developing and retaining our best coaching talent so we can build sustainable success,” Perkins said.

“We want Australia to be a world leader in coach development and this is a big step in that direction.”

Find out more about the National Generation 2032 Coach Program on the AIS website.