The programme, which aims to advance the knowledge, thinking, practice and performance of coaches working with talented pre-elite 15- to 21-year-old athletes, will see them networking with other top sports coaches from around the country. They'll also receive individualised professional development and coaching observations to support them to become the best coach of a performance athlete they can be.

"These coaches play a critical role in developing performance athletes and taking them to the next stage of their sporting careers. Essentially, we want to arm coaches with the tools and practices that will help ensure their athletes are effectively prepared for entry into the high performance arena," says Sport NZ's Coaching Lead Andrew Eade. He says one of the main pillars of the PCA programme is the cross-code sharing allowing coaches to interact with each other and draw off their experiences and coaching knowledge.

While most of the athletes supported by PCA coaches will come from the Sport NZ Community and High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ) targeted sports, some coaches may be working with talented pre-elite athletes from other sports. There are also a number of former New Zealand elite athletes and Olympic medallists in the mix this year.

"The advice, knowledge, and expertise that these ex-athletes will be able to pass on to our aspiring champions will be invaluable and provides another vital part in our drive to build and support a world-class sporting system at all levels," Andrew says.

The PCA programme was launched last year by Sport New Zealand in partnership with national and regional sport organisations (NSOs and RSOs), and regional sport trusts (RSTs). The programme is initially being delivered in six regions - Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago.

Former Football Ferns striker Wendy Henderson, who has been part of the first intake of Sport Wellington's PCA programme, says it has made her realise how important it is for a coach to be constantly learning and changing with the needs of their chosen sport.

"I think the programme has been invaluable for that very reason," she says. "It's definitely raised my awareness of my gaps as a coach and the areas that I can improve on personally." Entry to the PCA programme takes place in April/May each year through National Sporting Organisation Coaching Directors. Each coach is nominated by their NSO and then goes through a selection process endorsed by Sport NZ.

For more information visit Performance Coach Advance Programme