2 0 0 8 / 2 0 0 9 yearbook and annual report The Western Australian Institute of Sport 2008/2009 Yearbook and Annual Report Challenge Stadium, Stephenson Avenue, Mt Claremont, Western Australia, 6010. PO Box 139, Claremont, 6910, Western Australia. Telephone 08 9387 8166 Facsimile 08 9383 7344 Email: [email protected] Web: www.wais.org.au 2008/2009 yearbook and annual report 2 3 Contents Premier’s Foreword 2 Contents The highlight of the Paralympics was the Gold Medal from the men’s wheelchair basketball team, which included Brad Ness (Captain) and 3 Premier’s Foreword fellow WAIS athletes, Shaun Norris, Justin Eveson and Michael Hartnett. 4 Chairman’s Report Outstanding swimmer, Katrina Porter, also captured a Gold Medal in the 100 metres backstroke after breaking her own World record in a 5 Executive Director’s Report blistering final at the Water Cube. 6 WAIS Board The vision of WAIS is ‘to produce champions’. For the next generation of 7 WAIS Structure Olympians and Paralympians, these champions and their performances are the inspiration that allows them to dream of greatness, work hard 8 WAIS Staff and make the sacrifices required to excel in their sport. For the broader 10 Hall of Champions community, they are the inspiration to dream of great things in their everyday life. The role of WAIS is fostering these attitudes, and bringing 11 Athlete of the Year these hopes and dreams to reality is paramount in today’s society. 12 Champions Breakfast I highly commend the WAIS Board of Directors, Chairman, Grant Boyce, 14 Scorecard Executive Director, Steve Lawrence, and the Institute staff on their efforts in supporting and preparing Western Australian athletes selected 16 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in the Australian Olympic and Paralympic Teams for Beijing. It would also be remiss of me not to acknowledge WAIS’ strategic partners, the 18 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games Department of Sport and Recreation, LotteryWest, Australian Sports 19 Coaching Commission and Venues West (formerly State Sports Centre Trust) for their significant contribution to both the Institute and broader State 20 WAIS Coaches sports agenda. 22 Individual Athlete Support Program The Government recognises the importance and value in providing the 24 Athletics opportunity for our most talented athletes to fulfill their potential with support from their home environment. Ensuring that there is a 26 Baseball strong talent pool and quality programs both in and outside of WAIS is 28 Canoeing critical to sustained success. Therefore, it is extremely pleasing to see the high level of cooperation between the WAIS, the Department of 30 Cycling Sport and Recreation and our State and regional sporting associations. 32 Diving Finally, I acknowledge that the great success of our WAIS programs is 33 Football Women's not possible without the continued dedication and commitment of our elite athletes and the many volunteers who underpin their development 34 Gymnastics from grass roots level. Their achievements, along with the international COLIN BARNETT MLA: PREMIER acclaim afforded to our State and country, would not occur without the 36 Hockey Men’s enormous sacrifices that come from each individual athlete and the 38 Hockey Women’s FROM THE PREMIER OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA and WAIS PATRON, numerous people who contribute to their development along the way. The Hon Colin Barnett MLA 40 Netball 42 Rowing The State Government highly values the significant role of the Western 44 Sailing Australian Institute of Sport (WAIS) in the support and development of our elite sportsmen and sportswomen. The Australian Olympic 46 Softball Committee’s continued endorsement of WAIS as an Olympic Training Centre, and the outstanding achievements of our Olympic and Paralympic 48 Swimming athletes at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, is testament to the critical 50 Water Polo Men’s role that WAIS plays within the Australian sporting system. Colin Barnett MLA PREMIER 52 Water Polo Women’s In another memorable chapter in the history of Western Australian sport, WAIS athletes contributed to 18 medals in the 2008 Australian 55 Athlete and Coach Services Olympic and Paralympics Team Medal Count (4 Gold, 7 Silver and 7 56 Sport Science Bronze Medals) and overall 28 WAIS athletes brought home medals from Beijing. It should also be acknowledged that a number of WAIS staff 57 Strength and Conditioning played integral roles in the preparation and support of our elite 58 Clinical Services athletes, both prior to and during the Games. 59 Athlete Career and Education Highlights of the Olympics were pole vaulter, Steve Hooker, and sailors, Tessa Parkinson and Elise Rechichi, winning Gold Medals. Steve became 60 Corporate Services the first Australian male athlete to win a track and field Gold Medal in 61 Finance & Administration 40 years as he cleared 5.96 metres to claim Gold and the Olympic record in the pole vault. Western Australia’s dynamic duo, Tessa and Elise, 62 Public Relations continued this State’s proud history in the 470 yachting event by following in the footsteps of WAIS coach, Belinda Stowell, who won 64 Sponsors Page Gold in the same event at the 2000 Olympic Games. 2008/2009 yearbook and annual report 4 5 Chairman’s Report Executive Director’s Report There are many people who deserve acknowledgement for the success in Staffing the past year. The most significant organisational change made during the past year was the restructure of the previously named Programs Department into State Government and Sponsors the Coaching Department. The focus of this change was to provide WAIS continues to receives generous support from the State Government greater organisational capacity to support the role of our coaches as regardless of which party is elected. In the early part of the year the the leaders of our sport programs. An unfortunate impact of this change Minister for Sport and Recreation was the Hon John Kobelke and we was the redundancy of the Programs Department manager and program sincerely thank him for his enthusiastic support. There was a change in co-ordinator positions. It has therefore been pleasing to observe that the State Government in September 2008 and the current Minister, the the new structure is already generating some of the benefits sought. Hon Terry Waldron, has also been very supportive. The State Government through LotteryWest contributed in excess of $4 million to WAIS in The internal restructure, the uncertainty in the national sports system 2009. and the general economic environment has provided a challenge for all staff. Their focus and commitment to achieving their goals and in I also thank Mr Ron Alexander, the Director of the Department of Sport supporting each other in this difficult environment has been all you and Recreation, and his staff for their valuable assistance and guidance. would expect from a high performance team. WAIS is accommodated at Challenge Stadium and our relationship with Graham Partridge, Chairman of Venues West, and David Etherton, the Internal Processes Chief Executive Officer, has always been very beneficial. The WAIS scholarship programs were significantly changed, after nearly 24 years of operation, during the past year. The decision to restructure The Board and people the scholarship programs was made to create efficiency and increase The Board members have again been generous with their time and effectiveness by simplifying and streamlining the resource allocation and commitment to WAIS. The outstanding performances and results could management process. The creation of a reduced number of scholarship not have been achieved this year without the tireless work of the Board categories with standardised terminology and moving the responsibility and the staff. STEVEN LAWRENCE: EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR and accountability for planning all aspects of scholarship benefits to sport program athletes being the key changes made. The outcome of The Board has a very good balance of skills and expertise which provides The past year has again seen WAIS celebrate athlete gold medal success these changes has been increased focus on the athletes needs and a for robust debate on many of the strategic issues that we face. I would at the Olympic, World Championship and Paralympic level. Steve reduction in the level of management required to administer scholarships. like to thank all members but in particular our Deputy Chairman, Mr. Hooker’s win (and Olympic record) in the men’s pole vault along with This change complemented the restructure of the Programs Department. Mike O’Neill. His experience and wise counsel are greatly appreciated. Elise Rechichi and Tessa Parkinson’s win the women’s 470 sailing event In addition I would like to thank two Board members who retired during at the Beijing Olympics were the highlight. The senior World Cycling The Athlete and Coach Services Department also undertook a review of the year and they are Meredith Eddington and Amanda Wheeler. Both Championship wins of young cyclists Cameron Myer and Josie Tomic, the the criteria and process used to determine allocation of its resources. GRANT BOYCE: CHAIRMAN have been significant contributors to the success at WAIS and I Paralympic golds of swimmer Katrina Porter and men’s wheelchair The outcome of this review has seen a change in the process to allocate sincerely thank them for their efforts. basketball quartet Justin Eveson, Brad Ness, Shaun Norris and Michael resources which should assist in improving staff workload management. This year has been a milestone year for WAIS as it celebrates