Get Relay in your email

See our sign up page.

In this Relay

• Sport New Zealand
• Young People
• Community Sport and Recreation
• Outdoor Recreation
• High Performance
• Organisational Capability
• Sports Science and Technology
• Off the Bench: Coaching
• Useful Weblinks

Sport New Zealand

New Sport NZ strategy aims to preserve New Zealand's sporting heritage - 20 Mar 2015 Sport NZ has launched a new Sport NZ Group Strategic Plan 2015 - 2020 (PDF) aimed at ensuring New Zealand remains one of the world's most successful sporting nations. The strategy focuses on four key areas: young people, local sports delivery, competitive sport and high performance (see the Community Sport section for the complimentary Community Sport Strategy). (Sport New Zealand)

Young People

Influences of training on individual outcomes for high school sports officials - 29 Apr 2014 (PDF) This US study explores the influences of training on specific quality of work outcomes among high school sports officials: job satisfaction, pay satisfaction, and intention to leave. (Sage Journals) Character-building important in Japanese rugby - 17 Feb 2015 A University of Canterbury research project has found that character-building is more important in Japanese schoolboy rugby than in New Zealand. Interviews with coaches and players revealed the intended and perceived learning outcomes of participating in teenage rugby. (University of Canterbury) Developing youth leaders in team sports - 13 Aug 2014 (AUDIO 38 minutes) Brad Jubin, US coach and founder of Always Play IV Each Other (APIVEO), an organisation that helps sports coaches teach children about leadership, discusses picking leaders and his free lessons for developing youth leaders. (TeamSnap) Steroids issue in South African schools tackled - 6 Nov 2014 Sports medicine experts, school heads and sports administrators are hailing a breakthrough in their battle against school pupils using steroids and illegal performance-enhancing drugs after the South African Parliament discussed amendments that will pave the way for improved testing and sanctions. (24.com)

Community Sport and Recreation

Sport New Zealand's Community Sport Strategy 2015-2020 (PDF) The culmination of five years of learning from evidence and research both here and overseas, this new strategy seeks high numbers of adults and kids continuing to participate and a wide pipeline of talent through to high performance. (Sport New Zealand) Sport and recreation still a big part of Kiwi lives - 16 Mar 2015 Sport and recreation continue to play a big part in the lives of Kiwis, according to the latest Active New Zealand Survey (PDF). It provides a nationwide snapshot on how, when and where adults are engaging in sport and recreation, both as participants and volunteers. More information about the survey is available. (Sport New Zealand) Participation in sport and physical recreation declines in Australia - 18 Feb 2015 There has been a decrease in the number of Australians participating in sport and physical recreation, according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Enthusiasm expected; experience not essential: New Zealand sporting event organisers and the volunteer workforce - 2014 (PDF) This study examines the impact of volunteers on the delivery of New Zealand sporting events. Implications for event organisers include scope to professionalise their approach to volunteer management, particularly in relation to risk management, training and communication. (Sport and Recreation Knowledge Library) Umpires and referees - 4 Jan 2015 (AUDIO 24 minutes) Who are sports officials, why do they do it, what makes a good one and how can they stand all that flak? Netball New Zealand's umpire development manager, Dianne McTigue, and other sports officials are interviewed about their roles. (Radio NZ National) Toolkit for community netball umpires - 24 Feb 2015 Netball Australia has released a new community umpire toolkit (PDF) designed to assist umpire educators to deliver fun, interactive umpire education sessions that teach the rules of netball to new umpires. (Netball Australia) Volunteering best practice toolkit update - February 2015 New Zealand's volunteer-involving organisations can now access the new and revised version of Best Practice Guidelines (PDF) to enable better volunteering planning. (Volunteering New Zealand) Key components of a successful, sustainable volunteer-based club - 11 Oct 2014 (PDF) This presentation includes a focus on recruitment, training, management and retention of club volunteers. (Rowing Ireland)

Outdoor Recreation

Adventure activities update - 23 February 2015 WorkSafe NZ's first update for 2015 has information about registration and surveillance for adventure tourism operators. (WorkSafe NZ) Safety review for adventure tourism operators - 13 Mar 2015 The Tourism Industry Association is offering a series of free, half-day workshops around the country through March and April that will focus on safety systems for adventure and outdoor tourism operators. (The Tourism Industry Association New Zealand) Support Adventure News - 6 Mar 2015 (PDF) This publication provides current news and updates on safety guidance for the adventure and outdoor commercial sector. (Support Adventure) New adventure activity safety guidelines finalised - 17 Dec 2014 Four new sets of safety guidelines for commercial adventure tourism operators will help improve safety in the sector according to Maritime New Zealand. The new guidelines cover vessels involved in swimming operations, vessels offering high-speed / thrill-ride experiences, parasailing operations and shark cage-diving operations. The guidelines are also available. (Maritime New Zealand) Social media star shares epic NZ experiences - 10 Mar 2015 Tourism New Zealand has welcomed one of the world's most influential social media stars to the country to explore the diverse range of adventure experiences on offer and share these with over 2.9 million followers. (Tourism New Zealand) Rivers support health of Waikato tourism - 3 Mar 2015 The importance of the Waikato and Waipa rivers to the region's tourism sector has been emphasised at a workshop for a project designed to protect and restore the waterways. The multi-sector group working with the regional council and iwi on new rules for the rivers heard a range of tourism and recreation perspectives. (Waikato Regional Council) Mahu Whenua covenants opening celebrated - 7 Mar 2015 The Mahu Whenua covenants, subject of New Zealand's largest-ever private land protection agreement, have been formally opened. They cover most of the country between Lake Wanaka and Arrowtown and are bordered by the Shotover River and the Cardrona Valley. (QEII National Trust) Major events fund supports ‘The Pioneer' - 6 Mar 2015 The Major Events Development Fund will invest up to $1.2 million over three years in a new South Island-based mountain bike stage race called The Pioneer. The inaugural Pioneer event will take place in the Southern Alps at the end of January 2016. (Ministry of Economic Development) 2015 Routeburn Classic sells out within 48 hours - 25 Feb 2015 Set to be run on 25th April, the 2015 Routeburn Classic mountain run will follow the 32 kilometre route of New Zealand's world famous Routeburn Track. Rated by Lonely Planet as one of the top ten walks in the world, the event is on the bucket list of trail and adventure runners across the globe. (Australasian Leisure Management)

High Performance

Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games tops UK's world sports feel-good rankings 2014 - 22 Jan 2015 Glasgow 2014 was the UK public's best-perceived sports event in 2014, according to the YouGov sports index 2015 annual report, which measures sports events using the SportsIndex buzz score- the level of public awareness of good and bad news about the sports event during the year. (Commonwealth Games Federation) Scottish sport benefits from Glasgow Games legacy boost - 4 Feb 2015 sportscotland has released figures which demonstrate that last year's Glasgow Commonwealth Games helped provide a significant boost for Scottish sport. There has been an 11 percent increase in memberships of the 17 Commonwealth Games sports' governing bodies over the past four years. (sportscotland) Games delivered successfully and under budget - 12 Mar 2015 (PDF) The 2014 Commonwealth Games cost the public sector £37.2 million less than budgeted according to a new report (PDF). (Audit Scotland) The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games: a prospective assessment of regeneration for a physical activity legacy - December 2014 (PDF) The Scottish Government expressed an intention to use the 2014 Commonwealth Games to inspire more citizens to become physically active. This report looks at the prospect of this being achieved in the East End of Glasgow, which served as the ‘host' community for the Games, and was an area identified as potentially benefitting from legacy. (GoWell) Evaluating the effectiveness of the health impact assessment for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games - 18 July 2014 (PDF) This research assesses the effectiveness of a health impact assessment conducted in 2008 following Glasgow's successful bid to host the 2014 Games. The original assessment made recommendations for partners to consider implementation that would enhance the potential positive impacts and help to mitigate the potential negative impacts of the Games. (Glasgow Centre for Population Health) Sports fans want easier travel across the Tasman - 2 Mar 2015 As the Cricket World Cup heated up, research has revealed that Australians and New Zealanders want faster, cheaper travel across the Ditch to make attending sporting events easier. (Tourism Industry Association) IPC athletics trainer and educator programme kicks off in Dubai - 19 Feb 2015 The IPC Athletics trainer and educator programme for 2015 has taken place in Dubai, UAE - the first of a series of courses developed to increase the number of volunteers essential to the growth and development of para-athletics. (International Paralympic Committee)

Organisational Capability

ASB backing All Blacks and sevens teams - 5 Mar 2015 New Zealand Rugby has announced a multi-year partnership with ASB to sponsor three World Champion teams: The All Blacks, the All Blacks Sevens and New Zealand Women's Sevens. (allblacks.com) New research highlights that brands must harness data to score tech-savvy rugby fans - 12 Feb 2015 Research released by RadiumOne, the advertising technology company, reveals that more than half of rugby fans multi-task on their smartphones when they watch rugby at home on the TV. This ‘second-screening' is not just a sofa habit, with 44 percent of fans also multi-tasking at the stadium. (RadiumOne) Innovative sports and entertainment apps are a challenge for event marketers - 8 Sep 2014 We are in the midst of a transformational shift in how fans consume and attend live events. Innovations that provide better interactive experiences outside of venues are clearly outpacing those that enhance the in-venue watching. (Adweek) Twitter's strategy to capitalise on the Cricket World Cup - 19 Feb 2015 During the 2015 Cricket World Cup, Twitter unveiled some passion for the sport, sharing that passion through 140 character knowledge-bits, and searching for growth in one of their fastest growing markets: India. (sporttechie) Golf goes for millennials with new digital media service - 11 Feb 2015 The first internet video network dedicated to golf has been launched in a joint venture between The PGA Tour and a New York-based digital media agency, Bedrocket. (Sportscaster) Young athletes unaware of risks and realities of using social media - 19 Nov 2014 This British survey, titled Reputation, Communication and Social Media in Sport (PDF), examines the attitude of young professional sportsmen and women indicates that they are naïve to the risks and future repercussions of their activities on social media platforms. (Sport and Recreation Alliance UK) Social media training works best for student-athletes, study shows - 17 Mar 2015 Placing less reliance on monitoring software and modifying new media training to align with student-athletes' habits and input will promote more positive and responsible usage of social networks. (Phys.org)

Sports Science and Technology

Cycling Independent Reform Commission report published - 9 Mar 2015 The Union Cycliste Internationale has published the report and recommendations (PDF) of the Cycling Independent Reform Commission. Its terms of reference included to investigate “the causes of the pattern of doping that developed within cycling and allegations which implicate the UCI over ineffective investigation of such practicesâ€ù. (Union Cycliste Internationale) Doping in elite sport "likely" to be between 14 and 39 percent, claims new study - 24 Feb 2015 New Dutch analysis has estimated that the prevalence of doping in elite sport is "likely" to be between 14 and 39 percent - far above the level of adverse analytical findings turned up by anti-doping tests. (insidethegames) World Rugby confirms record testing programme in 2014 - 10 Mar 2015 More anti-doping tests were carried out by World Rugby last year than at any other point since testing began, underlining its commitment to maintaining a level playing field in the game. Its awareness and education programme, Keep Rugby Clean, is available. (World Rugby) Play True Magazine - 11 Mar 2015 (PDF) The new edition of WADA's magazine focuses on the themes of the revised World Anti-Doping Code, and its practice by code signatories. (WADA) The athlete's biological passport - 2 Mar 2015 (VIDEO 23 minutes) This video explains a revolutionary approach to fight blood doping. It explains how the biomarker variability is calculated, the limitations of the passport and the future direction and clinical applications for this novel technique. (YouTube) Steroids factsheet - 11 Mar 2015 This factsheet provides information including side-effects and health and safety issues. (Australian Drug Foundation) Four sports innovation topics that matter - 26 Feb 2015 This article looks at interesting trends in sports analytics, including wearables, the ‘next wave' of data usage in elite sport, and athlete data enhancing the fan experience. (Sports Business Insider)

Off the Bench: Coaching

Sport New Zealand - building the best coaching culture in the world - 5 Dec 2014 Senior adviser for coaching at Sport New Zealand, Andrew Eade, shares emerging trends, challenges and opportunities coaches face. (Coachseek) Mentoring in the 21st century - 27 Feb 2015 Coaching has always involved mentoring. Auckland-based coach, Jim Dickin, believes technology can make mentoring more effective and widespread. (Sport New Zealand) Key findings of rugby coach survey revealed - 2 Mar 2015 A University of Canterbury research project has explored the different visions among rugby coaches from South Africa, Australia and New Zealand and investigated how they foster players, succeed in coaching and develop values among their players. (University of Canterbury) The impact of coaching on participants - July 2014 (PDF) sportscoach UK's first participant survey demonstrates the positive impact coaching can have on people who play sport. Key results include the majority of coached adults and young people saying coaching has increased their enjoyment of playing sport, their passion and commitment to it and the time they spend playing. (sportscoach UK) Coaches Plan magazine - 2015 This edition of the Canadian magazine features articles on truth in coaching, sugar as fuel for athletes and coaching masters athletes. (Coaches Plan) Three executive coaches share best practices - January 2015 (PDF) Three seasoned and successful female executive coaches are interviewed about what they've learned as coaching professionals working in the business world in the hope shedding new light on the practice of sport coaching. (Canadian Journal for Women in Coaching) New sportscoach website launched for British primary schools - 11 Mar 2015 The new coaching in schools portal will provide head teachers with advice on how to recruit a coach and also how to develop and use coaches effectively. (Teachers Who Coach) Communication preferences and styles - 2014 This summary looks at new research with coaches and athletes to show how communication can vary by coach, gender of athlete and type of sport. (sportscoach UK) Perceptions of leadership behaviour and the relationship to athletes among Scandinavian coaches - 25 Nov 2014 (PDF) This study found that the most frequent self-reported behavioural components between the described coach-athlete relationship subscales and preferred leadership behaviour among Scandinavian top-level coaches were training and instructions, positive feedback and democratic behaviour. (Scandinavian Sport Studies Forum)

Useful Weblinks

Careers NZ jobs database - sports coach/official Part of the jobs database, this site provides a description of the role and current market information, including pay scales and entry requirements. Who are New Zealand's biggest cricket fans? Throughout the 2015 Cricket World Cup, Statistics NZ looked at crowd numbers at each of the matches held in New Zealand, and compared them with the populations around the cricket grounds.