The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) is nurturing the next generation of coaches in the sports industry. Recently, the Diving Australia Pathway Program received a grant from the AIS Coach Development Program, which aims to bolster Australia’s high performance sport system. By supporting the identification, development, attraction, and retention of world-class coaches, this grant helps enhance the experiences and success of Australian athletes. In the last financial year, 13 sports, including Diving Australia, received funding totalling $425,000.

Diving Australia utilized a portion of its grant to connect 18 diving coaches, including AIS National Generation 32 Coaches Ashleigh Meneses and Rebecca Stafford. These coaches, along with CEO Alex Newton and Performance Director Steve Foley, were provided with an exclusive opportunity to participate in a face-to-face session with trailblazing basketball coach Fleur McIntyre at the Chandler Aquatic Centre in Brisbane.

McIntyre shared her remarkable journey of becoming one of the first woman coaches in the National Basketball League as the Assistant Coach for the Sydney Kings. During the session, she emphasized the importance of building an elite training environment that is also built with compassion and care for the athletes. McIntyre was impressed by the authentic connection and mutual respect the coaches demonstrated for each other and their athletes.

Dual Olympian and current QAS Diving Coach Vyninka Arlow commented on McIntyre’s openness in sharing her journey and how she uses the support structure around her and the team. Arlow was thrilled to hear McIntyre discuss the similarities of working with different personalities, which is a challenge that all coaches face. The coaches enjoyed spending the day with someone so passionate about their job and sport, and are eagerly anticipating watching the Sydney Kings in action.

Through the AIS Coach Development Program, the Australian Institute of Sport is making a significant contribution to the sports industry by supporting the development of world-class coaches. The grant awarded to Diving Australia has enabled their coaches to benefit from valuable opportunities like the session with Fleur McIntyre. These kinds of initiatives will continue to foster a culture of excellence within the Australian sports industry and contribute to the development of elite athletes.