Squash Australia Limited High Performance Re view Progress Report National Workshop, Brisbane, 21 st March 2015

Review Committee Ken Watson Barbara Slotemaker de Bruine James Rogers Ray Dorsett (AIS)

Purpose of the Review The main purpose of the Review is to develop strategic and action plans which when implemented will result in the performances of Australian players in international team and individual competitions attaining world class; that is, they will be at a level that challenges that of the best players in the world.

Analysis The Committee will consider the existing nature of the high performance sector in Australia and identify, analyse and comment upon the significant factors that have resulted in its current state. In this regard it will investigate the content and implementation of high performance policies, procedures and programmes over the last 5 years.

Recommendations The Committee will make recommendations as to how Squash Australia can improve its player development programmes, with specific reference to the attainment of overall higher playing standards and the development of a strong high performance competitive environment and culture.

Methodology The Committee will undertake its task by consulting widely and seeking the opinions and suggestions of all relevant stakeholders, including all Squash Australia Members....; public submissions from any interested organization or individual will be invited. The Committee will seek the advice, guidance and assistance of the Australian Sports Commission/Australian Institute of Sport. The Committee will investigate to the extent possible high performance player development programmes being conducted elsewhere.

Report The Committee will submit a Report of its findings to the Squash Australia Board by the 31 st May 2015.

Practical Steps to Date Interviews of Australian players and coaches at the 2014 US Open Interviews of delegates and others attending the 2014 WSF Conference and AGM Short survey of participants in the 2014 Australian National Championships Informal discussions with players, coaches and administrators Committee meetings in Canberra (1 day) and Brisbane (2 days) respectively Participation (KJW) in meetings, discussions and a seminar conducted by the Swedish Squash Federation on the design and planning of high performance programmes, including revision of the Swedish squash coach education programme Collation of relevant information and data held in the Squash Australia office (eg the 2013 Squash Australia Performance Case for the AIS/ASC and the application for funding from the Australian Commonwealth Games Association for team preparations for the 2018 Commonwealth Games)

Still to Come Public call for submissions addressing the Terms of Reference Invitations for interview or to make written submissions to identified key organizations and people (including all Squash Australia Members) Consideration of the high performance programmes for 2015 and 2016 and the preparations for the 2018 Commonwealth Games Preparation of an interim Report Formulation of 10-year strategic and action plans for the high performance sector

Preliminary Observations Squash in Australia is faced with a situation which it has never confronted before; there is accordingly a strong case for considering the task a priori, from first principles The player development model that we have relied upon for the last 30 years may no longer be appropriate The effectiveness of the high performance sector is sensitive to many factors that have their genesis outside of the sector

The Need for a Whole-of-Squash Response Increase participation Modernise facilities Develop cooperative relationships with centre owner/operators Review coaching Mobilise latent expertise in the squash community Increase volunteer base Reform organizational structures Develop promotion, marketing and sponsorship Identify alternative sources of funding

Some (Provisional) Conclusions - Championships Unless genuinely exceptional circumstances prevail Australia should enter teams in all WSF World Championships and conduct annual Australian Open and National Championships Preparations for each World Team Championships should run on a two-year cycle; that is, at the conclusion of an event planning for the next should begin Appointment of team officials should be by application and selection according to adopted and accepted criteria Consideration should be given to appointing a Manager/Coach and an Assistant Coach for each team, rather than a Manager and a Coach There is an urgent need to revise Squash Australia’s regulations relating to the appointment of national selectors and their duties and to player selection procedures

(Provisional) Conclusions – 10-Year High Performance Player Development Programme There is an urgent need for widespread squash “cultural” change; planning and implementation of proposals must be based upon a realistic acknowledgement of the current position in which squash finds itself There is an overwhelming need for alignment ; that is, all stakeholders must accept and adopt the common goal and work towards it, even at the expense of self-interest The programme must be player-centred, not coach-centred (ego-centred) or system-centred Within clearly-established guidelines, especially those relating to the use of Squash Australia funds, players should be encouraged to be responsible for the design, management and conduct of their own development programmes

(Provisional) Conclusions (cont.) The high performance programme should be conducted under the direction of a High Performance Committee. The Board will report to the Squash Australia Board A High Performance Manager should be appointed. The Manager will report to the High Performance committee and will be responsible for implementing the Committee’s policies and programmes. Funding constraints are likely to prevent the establishment of a full-time national training facility (like the former AIS Squash Unit); it should however bee seen as a long-term goal of the strategy. In the immediate future a more cost-effective option might be the conduct of a programme of short-term national camps for selected player groups