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Snow Australia Coach Academy

In 2019, Snow Australia developed the first phase of the Snow Australia Coach Academy – a coach development program committed to establishing a clear and robust framework for Identification & Selection, Growth & Development, Performance Monitoring & Management, and Succession & Progression of winter sports coaches in Australia.

The Program had a highly successful soft launch in Sept. 2019 with a 2-day Lab bringing together approx. 30 rising coaches across the different winter disciplines.  Strong uptake by the first cohort combined with a global pause in all travel due to COVID-19 has created a unique window for accelerating the long-term vision of the Coaching Academy into a full-fledged offering during 2020.

The current mission is to rapidly develop the Snow Australia Coach Academy into a 12-month, rolling admission, multi-facilitator program designed to match the “world’s best mindset’ vision of Snow Australia in a development pathway (live and remote) committed to maximising potential and lighting up the future for snow sport performance and coach development.

The Vision

  • Fortify Snow Australia domestic Coaching capabilities, expanding capacity to progress into National Team level coaching – while upskilling club coaches across all disciplines
  • Harness & cultivate the unique qualities that make individual coaches great, while embedding elements of a unified ‘Snow Australia coaching approach’ (aligning core values of OWIA & NSWIS)
  • Draw upon our expanded global network of SMEs, master coaches and breakthrough athletes to develop a curriculum that is a cross pollination of best practice philosophy and approach across all key aspects of coaching
  • Develop a cohesive sense of “Team” and Culture across the different coach disciplines – with a compelling network and platform for continuous improvement that serves the path of committed coaches - from club to national / performance levels
  • Create a clear roadmap and long-term development pathway with consistent engagement and enough intensity to keep people fully engaged and on the path
  • Build an interactive, “living” / evolving Online resource with content that can be easily accessed and re-accessed globally, integrated with live events and developed over time

Program Outline

  • 12-month (rolling) core Coach Academy curriculum
    • 1 x Annual Coach 360 Self-Assessment + Learning Development Plan
    • 4 x Quarterly themes related to the peak performance coaching path
    • 12 x Monthly core module curriculum 
    • Monthly group engagement including (3-4 x key touch points each month – full-group, coach pods, independent and buddy work) 
    • 4 x Quarterly check-ins with Mentor (live / remote)
    • Final “Assessment” or Completion Project
  • Potential for integrating the online Academy with 2-3 x Live / in-person Group Labs – September & May (COVID-19 pending) 
  • 2-3 year engagement pathway with continued development opportunities in years 2-3
  • Coach Mastery and Progression program for high-potentials (Apprenticeship Program
  • Coach the Coach mentorship of future Coach Academy cohorts.