A Wellington City Council and Yachting New Zealand initiative, administered by the New Zealand Academy of Sport - North Island,
designed to help increase the number of Wellington youth sailors achieving international success
wya site

Introduction
The underlying philosophy of the Wellington yachting talent development programme is that campaigns need to be sailor focused but COACHES ARE THE KEY to improving performance. With this in mind the talent development programme includes two initiatives aimed at helping to increase both the quantity and quality of sailor-coach interactions. The first of these initiatives is the establishment of regular in the water coaching at satellite training bases. The second key initiative is coaching research and seminars as coach development tools.


On the water coaching at satellite training bases
The talent development programme is integrated into the New Zealand Academy of Sport regional 'Centre of Excellence' structure with satellite training bases at Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club and Worser Bay Boating Club. The NZAS regional centre of excellence provides the infrastructural and personnel support for the implementation of the sport science and sport medicine aspects of the talent development programme. The satellite training bases will be supported over time to develop their infrastructure as a base for clinic based and weekly on the water coaching programmes. 

Each year an annual programme of clinics for the targeted classes will be delivered. The clinics will involve input from the regional coaching team and in some case coaches from the Yachting New Zealand High Performance coaching team. In addition to the clinics a programme of weekly on the water coaching will be delivered for the targeted classes for each year. 


Coach research and development
Talent development programme coaches will be supported to undertake a research project focusing on an element of their practice as a key component of their professional development and appraisal processes each year. Completion of these research projects will be a key prerequisite to maintenance and advancement of coaching qualifications on the Yachting New Zealand coaching framework. 

The Coach Research process


Each year the talent development programme will involve a seminar series for programme coaches and other coaches in the Wellington region. The coaching seminars will be an opportunity for regional coaches to up skill in aspects of their coaching. Topics covered are likely to include areas such as sports psychology, weather analysis, hydrodynamics, aerodynamics, rules, etc.