Personal) Excellence))
What is Personal Excellence? Formerly known as the National Athlete Career and Education (NACE) Program, the newly titled Personal Excellence Program is an initiative of the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) and is an important element within Australia’s High Performance Sport Plan – Australia’s Winning Edge. For further information about Australia’s Winning Edge 2012 – 2022 please refer to the following link http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/australias_winning_edge Personal Excellence is designed to assist athletes to make informed decisions that impact performance in sport and life. Through a multifaceted approach, athletes will be provided with guidance, access to resources and educational opportunities to achieve personal and professional empowerment. The Personal Excellence Program places attention on the Personal Excellence Principles of professionalism, accountability, responsibility, integrity and resilience through the 3 key learning areas. The 3 Personal Excellence key learning areas are: 1. Sport / Life 2. Dual Career 3. Progression The issues and increased media scrutiny faced by today’s athlete’s places significant pressure on all areas of their life and their ability to manage their actions. Therefore, if an athlete can: ! ! !
Embrace and understand the need for lifelong learning Adopt appropriate life skills, and Be prepared for all stages of the high performance pathway
They will be better equipped to make decisions which impact performance in sport and life, successfully progress through athletic journey and achieve the principles of Personal Excellence. Personal Excellence Program Delivery The AIS will work with National Sporting Organisation’s (NSO’s) and the state and territory institute and academy of sport network (SIS/SAS) to strengthen their capability to deliver: ! ! ! ! ! !
An athlete roadmap including inductions to high performance sport and benchmark representative teams, along with transition guidance and planning for post sport Formal and informal learning, in addition to career guidance and education advice Third party provider referral networks Resource development AIS residential support The myAISplaybook e-platform.
For further information about the Australian Institute of Sport Personal Excellence Program please refer to the following link http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/personal_excellence
Water Polo Australia’s Goal In line with Australia’s Winning Edge 2012 – 2022 game plan for moving from world class to world best Water Polo Australia’s goal is to provide the right support at the right time in the athlete’s pathway, by empowering athletes through world best programs and services. Water Polo Australia’s Commitment to Personal Excellence Water Polo Australia have employed a part time Personal Excellence Consultant to coordinate their Personal Excellence Program and work in collaboration with the state and territory institute and academy of sport network, and respective professionals. In line with the AIS Personal Excellence Program and a holistic approach towards supporting and developing athletes with world best programs and services catering to the needs of the sport and individual, Water Polo Australia will work collaboratively with the AIS, NSWIS, VIS, SASI and WAIS Personal Excellence Advisors and Personal Development Advisors at the QAS to deliver Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Program to Australia’s Winning Edge categorised athletes. Water Polo Australia’s Winning Edge categorisations consist of: ! ! ! !
Podium Podium Potential Emerging, and Developing athletes
NB: The preferred delivery strategy for Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Program is for Podium and Podium Potential athletes to work with Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Consultant and Developing and Emerging athletes to work with state and territory institute and academy of sport Personal Excellence Advisors and Personal Development Advisors at the QAS. Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Program consists of the following 3 key learning areas: 1. Sport / Life 2. Dual Career 3. Progression Water Polo Australia’s 3 key learning areas are consistent with the AIS Personal Excellence Program key learning areas and will be explained in the following outline. The purpose of providing an outline is to explain and clarify Water Polo Australia’s commitment to Personal Excellence. The outline will appear in Water Polo Australia’s High Performance Plan and the Water Polo Australia website. The outline can be used by internal and external parties as a means to provide some context around Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Program. Water Polo Australia’s Peak Athlete Performance Model It is Water Polo Australia’s belief that the following Peak Athlete Performance Model plays an integral role in assisting elite water polo athletes create balance and perspective in their lives, and in their approach to their professional water polo careers. In turn this balance and perspective contributes to consistent high performance and prepares athletes for the next phase of life.
Physical Fitness
Personal & Professional Development
Peak Athlete Performance
Technical & Tactical Skill Development
Emotional Health and Wellbeing
Physical Fitness and Technical and Tactical Skill Development Water Polo Australia will work in conjunction with the state and territory institute and academy of sport network to provide a peak athlete performance model, which will empower athletes through world best programs and services. Services may include but are not limited to: ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
High Performance Coaching Skill Acquisition Personal Excellence Performance Psychology Nutrition Strength and Conditioning Physiology Biomechanics Performance Analysis Physiotherapy Sports Medicine Massage Therapy
NB: while the areas of physical fitness and technical and tactical skill development do not sit within Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Program – they sit within the broader context of Water Polo Australia’s Peak Athletic Performance Model and coexist with personal and professional development, and emotional health and wellbeing.
Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Program 3 Key Learning Areas 1. SPORT / LIFE This area focuses on opportunities for athletes to identify transferable skills and competencies developed within the high performance environment, and how these skills can be further enhanced to positively deal with the demands and challenges of contemporary issues across sport and life. Personal and Professional Development Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Consultant will work in collaboration with the AIS, NSWIS, VIS, SASI and WAIS Personal Excellence Advisors, Personal Development Advisors at the QAS, and respective professionals to deliver personal development workshops that can assist athletes adopt valuable life skills and thrive in contemporary society. Themes may include but are not limited to: ! ! ! ! ! !
Decision Making Public Speaking Time Management Media Training / Social Media Financial Awareness Integrated Planning
Emotional Health and Wellbeing Water Polo Australia will work in conjunction with internal and external health professionals, (i.e., Psychologists, Nutritionists, etc.) aligned with to assist athletes maintain balanced emotional health and wellbeing. Themes may include but are not limited to: • • • • • •
Goal Setting Managing Anxiety Resilience and Coping Strategies Rest and Recovery Relaxation Techniques Dietary Advice
For further information about accessing internal and external health professionals aligned with the state and territory institute and academy of sport network – please contact Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Consultant or your state and territory institute and academy of sport Personal Excellence Advisor or Personal Development Advisor at the QAS. NB: In circumstances where available resources or expertise is insufficient, athletes can be referred to the AIS Elite Athlete Counselling Support Program. This referral will be supported through funds administered by the AIS and is accessible to Australia’s Winning Edge catergorised athletes. For further information please contact Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Consultant.
2. DUAL CAREER Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Consultant will work in collaboration with the AIS, NSWIS, VIS, SASI and WAIS Personal Excellence Advisors and Personal Development Advisors at the QAS, to deliver career guidance and education advice to all Australian Winning Edge catergorised athletes.
Each Advisor will work alongside athletes to assist them to develop skills and knowledge to enable them to make decisions which impact performance in sport and life, successfully progress through their athletic journey and achieve the principles of the Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Program. Optimising Career Opportunities Water Polo Australia recognises the importance of optimising career opportunities and supports athlete’s endeavors in this area. Career development provides the opportunity for athletes to develop critical skills in leadership, communication, team work, time management, organising and problem solving – skills that are transferable between an athlete’s career, sport and life. Career and Education plays a pivotal role in assisting athletes to create balance and perspective in their lives and in their approach to their athletic career. This balance in turn contributes to consistent high performance and prepares athletes for the next phase of life. Embracing Lifelong Learning Education offers a significant opportunity to grow and develop in both formal and informal settings, and if an athlete can embrace and understand the need for lifelong learning they will be better equipped in their approach towards sport and life. Water Polo Australia consider Education a key objective of its Personal Excellence Program, and in collaboration with the state and territory institute and academy of sport network, Australian Winning Edge catergorised athletes are offered the following: ! ! !
Access to Educational Scholarships and Grants Access to Elite Athlete University Network Access to myAISplaybook e-platform
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Educational Scholarships and Grants
For further information about accessing educational scholarships and grants – please contact Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Consultant or your state and territory institute and academy of sport Personal Excellence Advisor or Personal Development Advisor at the QAS. !
Elite Athlete University Network
The Elite Athlete Friendly University (EAFU) Network has been established to identify and promote universities who have responded to the specific needs of elite student athletes by developing new, or promoting existing policies and practices, which assist elite student athletes to undertake sporting opportunities whilst pursuing and achieving academic excellence. Any athlete requiring assistance with their current or future university requirements should contact Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Consultant or their state or territory institute or academy of sport Personal Excellence Advisor or Personal Development Advisor at the QAS. !
myAISplaybook e-platform
myAISplaybook is an online platform that was developed as an athlete-only, e-adaptive learning community. Through myAISplaybook, athletes on their sporting journey can communicate and learn from other athletes across all sports, while increasing their awareness of the contemporary issues they face as they navigate the high performance pathway.
For further information about myAISplaybook please refer to the following link http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/personal_excellence or contact the myAISplaybook team directly on 02 6214 7500 or myaisplaybook@ausport.gov.au .
3. PROGRESSION Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Consultant will work in collaboration with the AIS, NSWIS, VIS, SASI and WAIS Personal Excellence Advisors and Personal Development Advisors at the QAS, to deliver an athlete roadmap including, inductions to high performance sport and benchmark representative teams, along with transition guidance and planning for post career, and significant other activities to all Australian Winning Edge catergorised athletes. Water Polo Australia’s Roadmap The Roadmap is a planning document identifying Personal Excellence specific and Water Polo Australia flavored education or intervention support for Australian Winning Edge categorised athletes within calendar years and Olympic cycles. Water Polo Australia’s Roadmap will reflect the AIS Personal Excellence Program 3 key learning areas of Sport / Life, Dual Career and Progression, and will consist of the following: ! ! !
Orientation into the High Performance System and Benchmark Events Transition Significant Others
Orientation into the High Performance System and Benchmark Events In collaboration with the state and territory institute and academy of sport network, Water Polo Australia is committed to assisting athletes successfully progress through their athletic journey. Water Polo Australia aims to support Australia’s Winning Edge catergorised athletes with Athlete Orientation and Induction Programs to help athletes achieve personal and professional empowerment and acknowledge and understand the requirements and expectations of being an elite water polo athlete. Transition and Significant Other Program Activities Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Consultant will work in collaboration with the AIS, NSWIS, VIS, SASI and WAIS Personal Excellence Advisors and Personal Development Advisors at the QAS, in a bid to equip athletes and their ‘significant others’ i.e., family members, daily training environment coaches, training partners, employers etc., to make decisions, which impact performance in sport and life. Transition and the subsequent change faced by athletes and their network of ‘significant others’ is a constant companion of high performance sport. Water Polo Australia will provide the opportunity for athletes to access Personal Excellence and other identified services for a determined period post transition, in support of athletes overcoming any challenges that they may experience. Water Polo Australia recognises that ‘significant others’ play an integral role in assisting athletes to create balance and perspective in their lives, and contribute to peak athletic performance. Therefore, Water Polo Australia plans to include ‘significant others’ in identified activities and events, in support
of athletes successfully progressing through their athletic journey and achieving the principles of Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Program.
NB: For further information about Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Program please contact Troy Baverstock (Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Consultant) on 0468 922 184 or troy.baverstock@waterpoloaustralia.com.au . Troy is available Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
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