Empowering Our Sports Leaders: A Day of Growth and Learning
As we approach the end of another successful year, it gives me great pleasure to share details about our upcoming Sports Leaders Professional Development Day, scheduled for our staff on Thursday 30 November. This event represents a pivotal moment in our commitment to enhancing our co-curricular sports and activities program, integral to our compulsory educational offerings.
Recognising the evolving landscape of school sports, we understand that the role of a Sports Leader has grown increasingly complex. They face challenges such as managing facilities, ensuring safety and managing risks, recruiting and retaining skilled coaches, navigating competitive challenges, and addressing escalating operational costs. We will consider these challenges as we respond to the School’s updated strategic plan and focus our efforts on developing our programs.
The PD Day is tailored to empower our sports leaders with insights and skills essential for navigating these complexities. It’s a rare opportunity to learn from some of the best in the field, with three distinguished guest presenters sharing their wealth of knowledge and experience:
- Brett Aitken OAM – A Champion’s Perspective on Leading Teams: Olympic gold medallist and acclaimed cycling coach Brett Aitken will inaugurate the event. Drawing upon his extensive experience in both competition and coaching, Brett will delve into the nuances of leading high-performance teams, a critical skill set for our sports leaders.
- Stephen Schwerdt – The Art of Building Commitment: Former AFL player, fitness coach, and high-performance manager Stephen Schwerdt will discuss the vital role of establishing buy-in for successful sports programs. His diverse career in sports management provides him with unique insights into the intricacies of team dynamics and leadership.
- Michael ‘Mick’ Nelson – Coaching the Coaches: Renowned Olympic coach and high-performance specialist Mick Nelson, who also contributes to our programs as a coach developer, will focus on effective feedback and coaching strategies. His session is designed to enhance our leaders’ skills in guiding and mentoring other coaches.
In addition to these invaluable presentations, the day will feature sessions on building a sport pathway development framework and strategic planning, essential for laying a strong foundation for future years.
This PD day is a strategic step towards preparing our sports programs for a successful 2024. Our aim is to create an environment where our sports leaders can reflect, learn, and prepare to elevate our co-curricular activities to new heights.
I encourage parents and members of our community to contribute their insights regarding sports at St Peter’s College. Your perspectives are invaluable as our sports leaders plan for the year ahead. Please feel free to email me your thoughts at BEaton@stpeters.sa.edu.au.
We are confident this day will herald the beginning of an exciting new phase of growth and development for St Peter’s College sports programs. Your continued support and involvement are greatly appreciated.
Barnaby Eaton
Director of Sport and HPE
