AIS, SIA, and WAIS develop world-first coach course to safeguard young athletes

In a significant move to enhance the safeguarding of young athletes, the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), Sport Integrity Australia (SIA), and the Western Australian Institute of Sport (WAIS) have collaborated to launch a new course aimed at coaches.

This initiative comes in response to the findings of the 2022 WAIS Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Program review, which highlighted a pressing need for effective safeguarding education within the coaching realm for high-performance athletes, not just in Australia, but on a global scale.

Commenting on the new course, executive general manager of AIS Performance at the Australian Sports Commission, Matti Clements, emphasised the course’s alignment with the goals outlined in Australia’s High Performance 2032+ Sport Win Well Strategy.

“Former and current athletes have shown remarkable courage in sharing their personal experiences from WAIS and other programs, revealing a critical need for improved safeguards for young athletes,” Clements said.

“As a high-performance system, we not only listened but took decisive action.

“Our vision is clear: all Olympic, Paralympic, and Commonwealth Games sports and organizations are committed to winning well.

“It is essential that our coaches and athletes receive the necessary support and resources to thrive in both their sports careers and personal lives, as this is key to achieving our collective objectives,” she said.

Targeted at coaches who guide young athletes through the complexities of their physical, emotional, and psychological development, the “Safe and Effective Coaching of Young Athletes in High Performance Sport” course equips them with practical tools grounded in the latest research and trends in sport integrity.

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