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Submission by Australian Canoeing on 06 November 2008.
1. Ensure Australia's continued elite sporting success
A full version of this response is at http://www.canoe.org.au/Sport-Panel. Overview. Australian Canoeing submits its own response here to the Sports Panel’s five Terms of Reference. We are members of the Coalition of Australian Olympic Sports and we have contributed to the Coalition’s presentation to the Sports Panel on 31 October 2008. We note this participation in our responses to Terms of Reference 1, 3 and 4 in particular. We identify in our response to Terms of Reference 2 the diversity of canoeing and its potential to impact on health and wellness. We note our commitment to the modernisation of the organisation in our response and we propose a range of initiatives to energise participation in canoeing. We believe we have a wonderful physical activity to share with the Australian population that has the added bonus of adventure and excitement. We make a strong claim to being a sport for all although we recognise explicitly that there are major access and safety issues for people with a disability. We note in our response to Terms of Reference 3 that we offer a spectrum of pathways in the sport for athletes, coaches, officials and volunteers. We will take a consultative approach with all our technical committees to ensure that we offer participants in the sport a rich variety of opportunities that spans occasional involvement and lifelong participation. We are reviewing our High Performance structures at the present time in order to set new standards of excellence to guide our preparations for 2012 and 2016. We note that in our process of change as an organisation we will deliver a much better coordinated approach to volunteers. At the moment we are unremarkable in our promotion of voluntary effort. A measure of our success as an NSO must be to change this situation as a key outcome of our work. In our brief response to Terms of Reference 4 we note that our Olympic disciplines have been early adopters of innovation. Both disciplines have made extensive use of AIS and SIS/SAS services in sport science and sport medicine. Details of the use made of cutting edge approaches are not presented here but are available to the Panel if required. We believe our use of sport science and sport medicine would be benchmarked very favourably in global terms. We acknowledge in Terms of Reference 5 our determination to diversify our funding base and ensure that we are not over-reliant on Australian Government funding through the Australian Sports Commission. We see this as a key to the sport’s sustainability. We note the low costs of participation in recreational canoeing. We will develop promotional packages to energise participation in this part of the sport and will be pursuing commercial partnerships that link sales of canoeing equipment with direct membership to Australian Canoeing. We know that some of the more adventurous disciplines are attractive to young participants and we see enormous opportunities to service this group. We will make increasing use of new media to promote the sport. The cost-effectiveness of digital items provides us with an innovative opportunity to extend our reach as an NSO. We are determined to implement strategic approaches to development that uses the expertise of the Australian Sports Foundation wherever possible. 1. Ensure Australia’s continued elite sporting success. Australian Canoeing’s views on continued elite sporting success are incorporated into the Coalition of Australian Olympic Sports’ submission to the Sports Panel. We draw attention to this submission as an example of the collaborative effort required to drive, support and develop excellence in Australia. Australian Canoeing has two Olympic disciplines (Flatwater and Canoe Slalom). Every four years the sport has an opportunity to measure its success in these disciplines. Olympic medals demonstrate the sport’s contribution to meeting emerging challenges and maintaining Australia’s status as one of the world’s greatest sporting nations.
2. Better place sport and physical activity as a key component of the Government's preventative health approach
Canoeing is a wonderful sport for all. Its diversity is the key to its inclusiveness. It is a physical activity that can be structured and formal but has a strong informal lifestyle dimension too. It resonates with an Australian passion for water sports and proximity to oceans, rivers and lakes. The diversity of canoeing disciplines enables Australian Canoeing to offer an involvement in the sport from an early age that can help build character and discipline in children that can be applied to other aspects of their lives. Hard work, self-esteem, good health, discipline and teamwork that are necessary to achieve success in canoeing can be translated to everyday life. The adventure component of canoeing makes the sport a particularly powerful vehicle for resilience and the triumph over adversity. We can offer this experience to individuals, families and generations of families because of the lifelong nature of the sport. We are particularly proud that the sport offers and celebrates equal access to both genders. Canoeing can and does play a strong role in building a healthier Australia. It is a non-weight bearing activity that makes it attractive to people of all ages and sizes. Events like Kayak for Kids, the Avon Descent, and the Murray Marathon exemplify the range of participation available to the community. Australian Canoeing will demonstrate its modernising approach to governance and the provision of a spectrum of opportunities to participate in the sport. We aim to be an NSO that can enable and manage change to increase our relevance to our members and the wider community. There are 137 registered canoe clubs throughout Australia. Many of our clubs embody the community-building role so valued in Australian life. Clubs provide a focus for significant voluntary effort and promote a real sense of civic pride and responsibility. At these clubs individuals can engage in a recreational activity that has a life-changing potential. Many clubs offer a range of canoeing activities at the one venue. These are powerful places for social inclusion. Australian Canoeing will be working to grow club and community links and to build on the energy demonstrated in this example of a canoe polo program in Armidale, New South Wales. Australian Canoeing proposes to work with schools, colleges and voluntary organisations (the Scout and Guide movement, Police Youth clubs, for example) to support experiential learning through canoeing activities. We are keen to participate in the Active After-school Program and see this as a wonderful opportunity to provide young people with structured physical activities that form a framework of choice for lifelong involvement in physical activity. Canoeing’s collaborative ethos has enormous potential to develop fundamental educational principles. We will promote the intrinsic appeal of canoeing activities and intend to reach as many demographic groups as possible. We propose to do this with minimal environmental impact practices in a way that will be sensitive to the issues identified so powerfully in Twelve Canoes. We have examples of good practice to share and point to the work of the Penrith Lakes Environmental Education Centre in this context. We will develop further our role as the peak industry body for canoeing and drive rigorous and coherent safety guidelines for the sport. We will continue our work as the peak body for canoeing to implement, review and manage recreational canoeing accreditation and qualifications. We propose to develop a network of trained volunteers that will promote and support uptake of the sport. We see enormous potential for canoeing to integrate with schemes such as the provision of swimming pools in indigenous communities and projects addressing at risk populations and or diversions schemes. We propose to make use of the Government’s investment in broadband infrastructure to connect volunteers around Australia and grow a community of practice...
3. Strengthen pathways from junior sport to grassroots community sport right through to elite and professional sport
Australian Canoeing’s response to how the relationships between the Commonwealth Government and National Sporting Organisations, State Sporting Organisations and Australia’s peak representative bodies at key multi-sports competitions may be strengthened to deliver better performance outcomes is included in the Coalition of Australian Olympic Sports’ submission to the Sports Panel. We indicated in the response to Section 2 that we believe canoeing is a sport for all members of the community. We noted that our record on the provision of opportunities to people with disabilities is poor and identified the reason for this. Here we note that a number of our disciplines have World Championships and that two of our disciplines (Flatwater and Canoe Slalom) are Olympic disciplines (There are no Paralympic events in these disciplines.) We are delighted to offer a spectrum of opportunities to participants in the sport that ranges from occasional involvement to World and Olympic competition. Australian Canoeing will work with its technical committees to develop pathways to excellence for athletes, coaches, officials and administrators. We propose to have a rigorous approach to the identification and development of young athletes and will work closely with those charged with national and state initiatives. We believe this consultation process will lead to a consolidated approach to athlete pathways. We are keen to be part of any scheme that enables athletes to transfer between sports to provide more opportunities to those who are determined to participate in competition at national and international level. We propose to develop our coach education and development programs to ensure that all those athletes who are keen to pursue excellence have access to quality assured coaching based upon the highest standards of safety and risk management. Australian Canoeing is reviewing its high performance structure and will have a rolling eight-year program for athlete development in its Olympic disciplines. We have identified a cohort of potential Olympians for 2016 and will focus our approach to the Games once the host city is announced. We are streamlining our working relationships with the SIS/SAS programs and the AIS to reduce any unnecessary administrative duplication. Australian Canoeing recognises that the Sport Panel will be exploring this issue in detail and we note here our support for this process. As with all sports that will respond to the Sports Panel, Australian Canoeing acknowledges the vital role voluntary effort plays in the flourishing of the sport. We must make greater efforts to ensure that our volunteers are valued and that we provide the environment that affirms their choice of canoeing as a life interest. Our clubs are the bedrock of voluntary effort and in our process of change as an organisation we will deliver a much better coordinated approach to volunteers. This will be an important step for Australian Canoeing to demonstrate its relevance to its membership. Throughout Australia, canoeing clubs recognise the local heroes that are the lifeblood of the community. We have a national awards ceremony each year that recognises the contributions made by volunteers. Five of the ten awards made are to volunteers. We are unremarkable in our promotion of voluntary effort. A measure of our success as an NSO must be to change this situation as a key component of our work.
4. Maintain Australia's cutting edge approach to sports science, research and technology
Australian Canoeing’s response to developing and enhancing a cutting edge approach to sports science, research and technology is incorporated into the Coalition of Australian Olympic Sports’ submission to the Sports Panel. We note here that our Olympic disciplines have been early adopters of innovation. Both disciplines have made extensive use of AIS and SIS/SAS services in sport science and sport medicine. Details of the use made of cutting edge approaches are not presented here but are available to the Panel if required. We believe our use of sport science and sport medicine would be benchmarked very favourably in global terms.
5. Identify opportunities to increase and diversify the funding base for sport through corporate sponsorship, media and any recommended reforms, such as enhancing the effectiveness of the Australian Sports Foundation
Australian Canoeing is determined to diversify its funding base and ensure that it is not over-reliant on Australian Government funding through the Australian Sports Commission. We see this as a key to the sport’s sustainability. We are particularly keen to point to the low costs of participation in recreational canoeing and believe that a team discipline such as canoe polo presents real opportunities to add to people’s leisure choices. We will develop promotional packages to energise this part of the sport. We will explore commercial partnerships that link sales of canoeing equipment with direct membership to Australian Canoeing. The recognition of the recreational market as a powerful revenue stream provides opportunities to develop the service offered to members, our training and education qualifications and the dissemination of safety guidelines. There are freestyle and extreme versions of canoeing that are instinctively attractive to young people. Our aim is to mange the risk of such activities whilst enabling young people to explore the adventure component of the sport. We see these two areas as a distinctive growth area in the sport. As with other activities like snowboarding, skateboarding and BMX there are some important lifestyle decisions to be made in freestyle and extreme kayaking. There is evidence that a range of commercial opportunities is emerging in these sports. Australian Canoeing will develop a strategic plan to access this market and the opportunities for sponsorship that are being created. Australian Canoeing is developing its approach to new media and the sharing of digital information about the sport. For example, the Canoe Slalom Technical Committee has developed its own wiki to grow a community of practice around shared resources. This approach will be extended to ensure that there is a repository of information, pictures, stories, video and audio for local and national media in all Canoeing disciplines. This link is an example of how a local story is part of a national story after Olympic success. It demonstrates too how athletes can be role models for important Australian values and ethical principles. The cost-effectiveness of digital items provides us with an innovative opportunity to extend our reach as an NSO. Australian Canoeing is determined to implement strategic approaches to development that uses the expertise of the Australian Sports Foundation wherever possible. Mitta Mitta Canoe Club’s experience provides an excellent case study of how partnership with the Australian Sports Foundation can work. Conclusion We have responded here to the Sport Panel’s Terms of Reference as a national sporting organisation. We conclude: 1. We are delighted to have had the opportunity to respond to the Sport Panel. 2. A version of this response is hosted at http://www.canoe.org.au/Sport-Panel and contains all the hyperlinks associated with this response. 3. We are a modernising National Sporting Organisation. 4. We have a range of strategies to grow the sport. 5. We are streamlining our working relationships with the SIS/SAS programs and the AIS to reduce any unnecessary administrative duplication. 6. We have a sport with enormous diversity, excitement and adventure. 7. This sport can make a significant contribution to Australians’ participation in recreation and structured physical activity.
Page last updated: 06 November, 2008