High Performance Strategy 2021-2032
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High Performance Strategy 2021-2032 SUMMARY DOCUMENT Overview Sport Ireland is responsible for supporting Irish athletes and their National Governing Bodies (NGBs) in delivering systemic and sustained success within high performance sport. The Government’s National Sports Policy (2018-2027) committed to the development of a new high performance strategy for Ireland in line with parameters set out in the policy. Key outcomes for this strategy include: • Defining the direction of high performance sport for at least 12 years • Setting out clear and ambitious medal targets over three Olympic/Paralympic cycles • Developing a multi-annual approach to high performance funding based on the commitment of increased Government investment in high performance sport • Development of a tiered sport system and mechanisms to support Olympic/Paralympic medal potential outside the tiered system • Defining the strategic alignment between Sport Ireland, Sport Northern Ireland, Sport Ireland Institute and Sport Institute of Northern Ireland • Adherence to the highest standards of corporate governance for all high performance programmes • Initiatives to ensure athlete welfare and support transition out of athletic career • Focused monitoring and evaluation of high performance sport. • Advance the landscape of high performance coaching in Ireland through increased professionalization and talent identification & development. Following a comprehensive and engaging process, the Sport Ireland High Performance Strategy 2021-2032; was developed. This ambitious strategy has been developed in consultation with Irelands high performance sport sector, supported by independent industry experts to summarise the focused objectives, actions and targets that Sport Ireland will aspire to achieve between now and 2032. The High Performance Unit with oversight from the High Performance Committee and the Sport Ireland Board will lead the implementation of the strategic priorities. Targets Ambitious medal targets have been set for future Olympic and Paralympic Games. These are based on providing increasing financial and non-financial resources through Sport Ireland. These resources will focus on High Performance Programme Funding to NGBs; direct athlete support through the International Carding Scheme; expertise and services through the Sport Ireland Institute; and capital infrastructure at the Sport Ireland Campus. - Ireland will be an 8-10 medal winning country within the next two Olympic cycles (Paris 2024, L.A 2028). - Ireland will be a 12-16 medal winning country consistently over the next two Paralympic cycles (Paris 2024, L.A 2028). - Ireland will win medals across at least four sports in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games Sport Ireland will set individual processes and outcome targets across each sport that are challenging, meaningful and grounded in realism. 2 HIGH PERFORMANCE STRATEGY 2021–2032 SUMMARY DOCUMENT Strategic Pillars Through an extensive consultation process with stakeholders across the system, Sport Ireland has identified a series of seven strategic pillars that will help Ireland achieve ambitious targets over the next twelve years. Each strategic pillar contributes to a sustained and systemic success within the Irish high performance system. Immediate activation of the strategic pillars relating to the development of high performance coaching and athlete support are identified as priority. Strategic Pillar 1: Focused Performance Investment Sustained investment over many years has brought increased level of success across the system. The time is right to provide further investment to move to the next level. Sport Ireland will work with high performance sports to ensure investment in high performance programmes is targeted through evidence based decisions to effect maximum performance success. This investment policy will underpin the high performance structures within NGB’s and will assist in the development of cohesive and successful programmes. Strategic Pillar 2: Athlete Performance & Holistic Support One of the fundamental philosophies of the Sport Ireland High Performance Strategy 2021-2032 is that athletes and the people who support them are at the heart of everything Sport Ireland does. A full evaluation and analysis of the current Carding scheme has been advanced. Sport Ireland will develop a Paris 2024 Direct Athlete Support Policy which will focus on advancements to the International Carding Scheme and commence in 2022. Globally the lesson from high performance sport is that culture matters. The welfare of athletes and of everyone involved in HP Sport will be central to the strategy and no short cuts will be taken in order to achieve ambitious goals. From 2021, the Culture Evolution Programme, which will include Culture Reviews, will become a feature of Ireland’s high performance system. The objective of this Programme is to protect and improve the performance environment and experience for all programme members. Strategic Pillar 3: World Class Coaching & Support Services Sport Ireland has identified investment in coaching as the key to delivering its new High Performance Strategy. It has appointed renowned athletics coach Stephen Maguire to lead a transformation of Irish coaching over the next twelve years. Sport Ireland will work with NGBs to develop high-quality coaching structures within each programme that will benefit the overall sporting environments and the achievement of our targets on the international stage. The Sport Ireland Institute will continue to deliver a world-class model of performance support services. NGBs are supported through the expertise of an integrated multi-disciplinary professional team which will increase in capacity over the lifetime of the Strategy ensuring athletes and coaches are comprehensively supported in their journey towards delivering on a global stage. SUMMARY DOCUMENT 3 Strategic Pillar 4: Business Structures & Planning The lesson from Rio for Ireland was that Governance matters and has a direct impact on performance. There will be a big emphasis on the governance of High Performance Programmes over the next period. Sport Ireland is committed to ensuring that all funded high performance programmes have a defined, suitable and effective governance structure in place. Substantial work is ongoing with NGB’s in relation to the compliance of the Governance Code of Sport for 2021. Over the course of the strategy, Sport Ireland will focus on maintaining this standard of governance practice and providing investment framework that will support the principle of good governance for High performance sports programmes. Strategic Pillar 5: Partnerships Sport Ireland is committed to strengthening its partnerships and relationships across the system involving Government, Sport Ireland, Sport Northern Ireland, National Governing Bodies, Olympic Federation of Ireland, Paralympics Ireland, higher education institutions, primary and secondary education. Through the High Performance Strategy 2021-2032, Sport Ireland will enhance the way it works with stakeholders across the sporting environment. This includes creating synergies with higher education institutions and developing partnerships between Sport Ireland, Sport Northern Ireland NGBs, the Olympic Federation of Ireland and Paralympics Ireland. This collaboration will improve opportunities to further develop the performance pathway and allow greater cohesion while considering the athlete’s welfare. Strategic Pillar 6: World Class Facilities and Equipment The Sport Ireland Campus is a significant asset to Ireland. As such the Sport Ireland master-plan for the Campus will play an important role to maximize this facility and the changing needs of high performance athletes. In addition, Sport Ireland recognizes the potential for regional facilities to play a larger part across the High performance training environment, Through the High Performance Strategy 2021-2032, it will collaborate with the higher education sector to access these facilities and develop regional hubs that already exist and explore how they can be used across multiple high performance sports. Sport Ireland recognises the importance of capital infrastructure to the high performance programmes and daily training environments. Sport Ireland will continue to work with Government to implement plans which maximise these capital infrastructure opportunities. Strategic Pillar 7: Research and Innovation Sport Ireland must lead the way in a rapidly changing environment where science and innovation are driving sustainable success on the world stage. Opportunities exist for research and innovation projects to add value to all pillars of this strategy including Athlete Performance, Coaching and Support Services, Business Structures and Planning, Partnerships, and Facilities. Through the strategy, Sport Ireland will continue to work with NGBs to develop innovation plans, programmes and strategies that will add benefit and create further opportunities for athletes to progress and achieve success. By exploiting these opportunities, Ireland can become a world leader in performance sport innovation. A long-term strategic view of a sport’s innovation needs will ensure alignment of resources along the pathway. 4 HIGH PERFORMANCE STRATEGY 2021–2032 Overview of Sport Ireland Investment in High Performance Sport Sport Ireland funding to high performance sports is channelled through high performance programme investment, International Carding Scheme, Sport Ireland Institute support services and the Sport Ireland