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Editorial

Whatever your views on the controversy involving St Bede's College rowers in recent weeks, for me it raised the wider issue of leadership, values and the potential for sport to influence young lives, for better or for worse.

There are a number of articles this month which relate to this important issue. On a related note, the Cricket World Cup, and particularly the Black Caps performances, has shown how sport can truly enrich our lives - how many talkback callers are new cricket fans!

Part of this, of course, relates directly to the Black Caps success in reaching the final, and our superb co-hosting of the event. But I believe the positive way the team and leadership, including coach Mike Hesson, have conducted themselves has played a bigger part in making so many of us connect (or re-connect) with the team.

The eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed that the last issue did not include the AUT University research on why young rowers drop out, despite my editorial highlighting it. Fortunately, I get another turn at bat!

Lastly, Sport NZ recently launched its new Community Sport Strategy. Check out the cool (we think!) video below.

Brett Reid, Sport NZ Community Coaching Consultant

Coaching updates

The adultification of youth sports

Changing the game project"The question is "should we be giving parents what serves them best, or what serves their children the best?"

New study highlights the differences between rugby coaches from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa

Stuff.co.nz

"All Blacks like rituals, Wallabies need to be man-managed and the Springboks demand discipline."

AOC blocks controversial Canadian Kevin Tyler's bid for Athletics Australia head coach job

Sydney Morning Herald

"Athletics Australia was blocked from pursuing a controversial Canadian Olympian as its next head coach, after the Australian Olympic Committee declared it would never allow him to be part of an Australian Olympic team."

Sports Set Our Kids up for Success -- but WE Must Follow Through

Huffington Post

"So often we hear people say that sports teach character, but when we look at the games that kids (and adults) are playing, we do not see examples of great character -- and all too often we see the exact opposite."

The experiences of adolescents rowing in New Zealand: An insight into the influences on attrition in school rowing (PDF)

AUT University

AUT researchers look at the relatively high adolescent drop-out rates in rowing. They find that coaching style is a critical factor - perhaps the most critical - in whether youngsters continue with the sport.

Mateship over medals (PDF)

North Shore Times

North Shore Canoe Club's Gavin Elmiger, the 2015 Canoe NZ coach of the year, says if club culture comes first, the results will follow.

How to Coach, According to 5 Great Sports Coaches

Havard Business Review

"Over the years, HBR has interviewed some of the world's top athletic coaches. We mined our archives for a few of their best insights that apply to employees and players alike."

The internet of things is revolutionising the world of sport

Guardian

"[Previously], sports analysts had no choice but to go through their notes after the game. Even the first-generation video coaching aids required back-room staff to watch hours of footage in order to pick out the key parts of the game to show players. Now, because of digital technology, access to all this information is as good as instant."

Emotional coaching (PDF)

Sports Coach UK

Keeping your emotions under control is a key element of sporting success. This summary looks at a new study undertaken by two university researchers in the UK to examine how coaches control their emotions and how these can be influenced by internal and external pressures.

What are kids really learning? (Video)

Australian Drug Foundation

The Australian Drug Foundation's Good Sports community program recently launched a confronting television commercial, designed to provoke questions about what kids learn around sporting clubs.

Rachael Flatt: Traits of a Great Coach (Video)

Positive Coaching Alliance\

2010 Olympian, 2010 US Ladies Figure Skating Champion, 2008 World Jr Champion and Stanford University student, Rachael Flatt, shares what to look for in a great coach.

How Curiosity Changes the Brain to Enhance Learning

Neuroscience NewsThe more curious we are about a topic, the easier it is to learn information about that topic. A new neurology study explains why.