The aim of the conference is to support coaches build their capacity to be adaptable. If 2020 has taught us anything it is that we need to be flexible in our thinking, work together and adapt to what is in front of us.

During the two-day conference, 20 speakers will make links to the theme of adapting, connecting, creating and communicating as they cover topics ranging from athlete wellbeing, the elite coaching space, athlete voice, youth sport, and Māori and Pacific sporting experiences. The breadth of topics discussed will appeal to those who recognise coaching to be a complex enterprise that requires more than just technical and tactical knowledge. In the spirit of creativity, and to overcome zoom fatigue, I am using Graham Norton (if you don’t know who he is Google him) as my ‘muse’ and I will be having conversations with the speakers from the couch (see attached pic of my couch). I have promised the speakers there will be no ‘red chair’.

The conference is open to anyone, from anywhere, at a cost of NZD$99, with recordings available for a year.

The value of the presentations being recorded is that you don’t have to worry about the time differences with New Zealand – just watch them at your leisure. It could be your Xmas viewing when the trout aren’t biting.

The registration for the conference went live last Friday. The conference page link is: https://conference.oas.org.nz/