Editorial

The final article in this month's issue is called 'Casting into the Unknown'. It's a little different to most articles you might find in NZ Coach Mag.  

Actually, on the surface it's quite different. But two things about that: (1) we don't want to spend too much time on the surface, it's down deep where the interesting stuff is; and (2) NZ is quite different. In fact, our coaching context is unique (as is every country's).  You will, of course, make your own meaning from the article but there were a few words or ideas that jumped out at me: (1) 'Interconnectedness' - I am hearing about more and more connectedness between coaches and coaching leaders, within and across sports, leading in many instances to greater collaboration; (2) 'Our best ideas may come during an exchange with a colleague' - that sounds like 'social constructivism' (talking with others to help us make meaning); (3) 'Tools of exploration' - the concept of exploring ways to get better is a good one in the complex area of coaching and coach development, and having a few 'thinking tools' (e.g. The Dreyfus Model of Skill Acquisition) can be helpful; and finally (4) 'You make yourself cast again and again' - there are many ways to interpret this one! But for me: if we want to be continuous learners we need to keep casting for learning opportunities.  Casting into the Unknown may not be your cup of tea but you will only know if you take a sip.Brett Reid, Community Coaching Consultant, Sport NZThe Wrong TrackA Canadian medallist on why our Olympic strategy betrays the spirit of the GamesHe first stood out to me in a row of shirtless boys in a black-and-white photograph taken in the early 1980s in what was then East Germany. (The Walrus)Me and My Coach with Angie BallardAustralia's double world champion Angie Ballard and her coach, former Paralympic athlete Louise Sauvage feature in August's 'Me and My Coach'. (www.paraolympic.org)It's a Human ThingCanadian Sport Institute Calgary - Despite the often accepted notion that athletes are tough as nails and can weather any storm that comes their way, the reality is that athletes can struggle with mental illness too. (SIRC)Coach Development Breaking New GroundThe national teams of New Zealand have been taking the limelight in recent weeks but the process of producing players good enough to represent their country is also worthy of being highlighted after a ground-breaking 18 months. (nzfootball.co.nz)This Great-Grandmother Coaches an Olympic Champion. Now Let Her By.RIO DE JANEIRO  €” The great-grandmother who could pass as Barbara Bush's kid sister waded through the stands at Olympic Stadium on Sunday night, trying to get close enough to congratulate the South African runner Wayde van Niekerk, who had just captured the gold medal in the 400 meters and broken one of the oldest world records in men's track and field. (The New York Times)Teaching Athletes About Winning It AllThe amazing gold medal winning performances in the recent Olympic Games at Rio brought to mind a topic that coaches and athletes think and dream a lot about but rarely really understand: Winning it all. (Human Kinetics Education Center)Casting Into the UnknownYes, as everyone knows, meditation and water are wedded forever.  €” Herman Melville, Moby-Dick (The Chronicle of Higher Education)