Vision:
To create a learning culture to help maximise the potential for ANZ-HP athletes to achieve inspirational performances on the World stage while carrying out our key aspirational values:
- Integrity
- Respect
- Excellence
- Collaboration
- Passion
What is the purpose of an Event Group Plan?
Our purpose is to support, upskill and inspire identified high performance athletes towards the penultimate goal of achieving medals at the highest level. To do so, we need to remain strategic about how we allocate our resources to have the greatest impact. Since 2015, all our top 8 performances at the World Championships or Olympic Games have come from our three Targeted Event Groups and we will continue to build upon this platform. As per the 2024-2028 Strategic Approach document, the priority Event Group will be Throws as the Targeted Event Group.
Within each group, we endeavour to increase connection between each EG to expand knowledge, skills, and attitudes as a sound platform to grow potential in all disciplines.
Athletics New Zealand is broken up into six different categories. Within each category, we have an Event Group Lead who will assist with the creation and implementation the Event Group Plans. The categories and the lead coaches are:
Pole Vault: Event Group Lead – James Steyn
Throws: Event Group Collective – All HP throwing coaches
Horizontal and High Jump Events Plus Combined Events: Event Group Lead – Terry Lomax
Sprints/Hurdles/Relay: Event Group Lead – James Mortimer
Distance/Walks: Event Group Lead – Maria Hassan/Craig Kirkwood
Para: Event Group Lead – Raylene Bates
How do we best utilise resources to not only enhance our success at the top level, but help develop athletes to be future medallists?
Each Event Group is allocated a strategic level of funding based on performance and potential. This will provide resources to help achieve our vision. The Event Group Co-ordinator will oversee each event group leader in the combined creation of initiatives. These initiatives will be reviewed throughout the year to ensure we are delivering programs at the highest level. These initiatives will be in the form of clinics, camps, specific competitions, coach education and engagement opportunities throughout the year.
Initiatives linked to community-based opportunities:
High-performance athletics is only made possible as a result of a strong flow on from athletics at a grass roots level. As such, the following initiatives aims to build links with community-based programs:
Initiatives
- Regional based development opportunities where athletes and coaches connect formally/informally around training opportunities.
- Delivery of CAD level I module
- Regional/club coach development delivery by request.
If you have any questions regarding community athletics, please contact: kim@athletics.org.nz