MEDIA RELEASE 16 DECEMBER 2008
Republic Polytechnic Puts Singapore on the Global Sports-Coaching Map
World-renowned Olympic coaches train professionals from seven countries at Inaugural International Association of Athletic Federations’ Elite Coaching CourseRepublic Polytechnic (RP), the Singapore tertiary institution that approaches learning with a difference, played host to the International Association of Athletic Federations’ (IAAF) Asia Pacific debut of its Academy Course for Elite Coaches from 11th to 17th December 2008. This collaboration with the IAAF and Singapore Athletic Association (SSA) puts Singapore on the global sports-coaching map. Ten participants from Bangladesh, Brunei, Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Singapore are now attending the clinic.
Managed by RP’s School of Sports, Health and Leisure (SHL) and SSA, the elite coaching course targets Performance/Coaching Directors and Academy Head Coaches that hold responsibility for leading and managing significant performances-oriented programmes within an organisation.
IAAF Academy trainers such as Dr. Frank Dick, OBE, president of the European Athletics Coaches Association; aims to provide the course participants with the relevant knowledge, understanding and practical experience to create an environment capable of delivering high levels of individual and team performance at specific events and over multiple seasons. Dr. Dick, who has trained world-class sports legends such as Daley Thompson, Boris Becker, Denise Lewis and Justin Rose, adopts an athlete-centred approach and recognises the roles of the coaches as leaders and managers of a support network assembled around the athlete.
Fellow trainer Ms. Sharon Hannan, the Australian sprint, track and field coach of Beijing Olympic 100m-hurdle silver medallist Sally McLellan, feels that central to the Academy’s course design is a philosophy that focuses on meeting the practical demands and challenges that face coaching at this senior level. Utilising a problem solving approach, the perspective of multiple disciplines are brought together in order to facilitate innovative and creative solutions.
Academy-trained coaches are encouraged to explore and develop the critical factors that impact this process, namely - their personal coaching, leadership and management skills. The course modules, such as Observation & Analysis, Planning, Preparation and Event Performance, are examined from an interdisciplinary perspective and a “learning by doing” pedagogical approach. Such aims are in broad agreement with RP’s vision and mission as an institution of higher learning.
RP’s SHL faculty, comprising industry professionals and highly qualified and experienced academics, are well positioned to train future elite coaches. Course trainers include former British national athlete Dr. Orla Gilmore, BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science, MSc Sports Studies, PhD Sport Psychology; Ms. Lee Mei Kay, BSc Dip. PE, MSc (ESS); Mr. Grain Baysa-Pee; Ms. Charlene Lau BSc (Hons) Applied Rehab, MMT; Ms. Clarice Lim and Mr. Samuel Yang, BSc Sports Science. In addition, SHL’s world class laboratories, with its state-of-the-art research and development equipment, puts it in the front running to host the IAAF Academy Course for Elite Coaches and to make a meaningful contribution to the development of coaching for both the national and international sporting scene.
Dr. Frank Dick, Ms. Sharon Hannan and Dr. Michael Koh, Republic Polytechnic’s Director of School of Health, Sports and Leisure, will be available on 16 and 17 December from 12 to 2pm for interviews. For further details and media interview opportunities, kindly contact:
Republic Polytechnic
Benjamin Chow
Tel: 31001779
Email: benjamin_chow@rp.sg
Mileage Communications Pte Ltd
Ooi Kelly/ Ronald Wong
Tel: 6222-1678
Email: kelly@mileage.com.sg / ronald@mileage.com.sg
About Republic Polytechnic
The first educational institution in Singapore to adopt the Problem-Based Learning approach for all its diploma programmes, Republic Polytechnic has six schools and one centre offering thirty diploma courses in Information & Communications Technology, Engineering, Applied Science, Technology for the Arts, Sports, Health & Leisure, Events and Hospitality, Innovation and Enterprise, and Culture and Communication. Republic Polytechnic is committed to nurturing innovation and entrepreneurial learning in an environment that develops problem-solving process skills and a life-long learning attitude. Its holistic, broad-based curriculum, covering culture, enterprise development and cognitive processes, prepares students for an active and meaningful role in society. Republic Polytechnic strives for excellence by achieving various national and international accreditations, including People Developer Standards, ISO9001, ISO14001, OHSAS 18001, Singapore Quality Class, Singapore Innovation Class, and the Singapore Health Awards (Gold). For more information, visit http://www.rp.sg.