Former Olympic swimmer Ash Delaney, triathlete Megan Hall and sailor Tom Squires are among the latest cohort of coaches to join the AIS Elevate Program, an athlete development program for Performance Pathway coaches.

Kicking off with a three-day workshop on the Gold Coast, cohort 7 worked together to determine the content they wanted to learn during the 16-week online program.

For Diving Australia Talent Pathways Coach Belinda Kennedy learning new coaching techniques was a priority for her coming into the Elevate experience.

“I am hoping to gain a greater understanding of what it will take to help me get the best out of my athletes and learn different approaches to coaching techniques, which will in turn help me improve my style of coaching.”

“I’m keen to discover how other sports are integrating para sport into their National Programs,” Equestrian Australia Program Executive Manager Julia Battams added.

Tailored to their individual needs, this cohort of Elevate coaches will receive education and training to assist them with identifying, supporting and developing nationally categorised athletes at the emerging, developing or podium potential level.

Delivered in partnership with La Trobe University and the University of Sydney, networking between coaches is also key component of the AIS Elevate Program and is what AusCycling Head of Methodology Brenton Jones is most looking forward to.

“Being able to connect with other the high-performance coaches who work with athletes in the pathways programs and share the same passion for coaching as I do is what I’m most looking forward to.” Jones said.

Cohort 7 join an esteemed group of Elevate alumni, with the accomplishments of their predecessors not going unnoticed by Triathlon Australia Para Hub and Talent Coach Megan Hall.

“It is a real privilege to join this Elevate cohort and follow on from the success of the groups before us.”

“Connecting and collaborating with other high-performance coaches creates a culture of diversity in learning which in turn benefits our athletes, their programs and the future success of Australian sport,” Hall said.

After completing the four-month online component, the coaches will regroup for a final face-to-face workshop at the AIS to discuss insights learned throughout the program and share their future plans.