General Manager - Queensland Monthly Update June 2024
The latest updates from Australian Sailing's General Manager – Queensland – Annie Watson
Please click this link to find a copy of all past Queensland General Managers Updates.
General Update
It's not long until the Townsville Sailing Club's new youth regatta in the June/July school holidays. HP Coach Danny Fuller and his team will put all participants through their paces and provide professional development for the coaching team. This coaching clinic and new Youth event is an excellent opportunity for our juniors and youth in North Queensland, and we hope that all clubs will support this new event and coaching clinic.
Youth Sail 2024 planning is well underway. Thank you to all the Queensland Clubs for your support of this event, and I'm sure you can't wait to see the new Keppel Bay Sailing Club building! From the pictures that have been shared with me, it is going to be spectacular! Entries will go live at the end of June, so please encourage all your juniors and youth to attend this event regardless of their experience. Can your club consider how it can support their families/members in attending? Youth Sail Queensland is THE youth event on the calendar and not to be missed.
I went to the launch of the Club IQ website and resources for the Queensland Government. It's a fantastic resource for clubs – you can check it out here: https://www.qld.gov.au/recreation/sports/club-support
Grant and I went to the annual QSport Conference, which focused on 'Leading for Legacy'. A couple of takeaways for us were that we are on the right track with focusing on welcoming all people into our sport and how crucial it is to continue to work on sound data and then use that data to help make decisions. We both loved hearing from Skate Australia on how a new young sport is looking at building its legacy and how different organisations make the most of their volunteers. As always, spending time with people from across the industry to connect, learn and share is great. There are always lessons you can learn.
The sneak preview of the Training in Focus Live workshop is looking fantastic. The morning workshop is all about learning what a good experience looks like. Don't forget that all attendees will get an additional 12 months on their qualification expiry. That means if you come every year, you will never have to revalidate your qualification!
Alison will take annual leave for four weeks to visit family in the UK. We hope she has a great trip.
Qld Sailing Summit – Saturday 13th July Southport Yacht Club Main Beach.
What are you doing on Saturday 13th July? We hope you will all be at Southport Yacht Club for the 2024 Sailing Summit. 2023 Instructor of the Year Sophie Baynton from Keppel Bay will be talking about how partnerships and collaboration with other clubs has had an impact on the club. And Emily Vivian from 2023 Club of the Year Category B Humpybong Yacht Club will be talking about coaching, participation and retention. It will be fantastic to hear from these professional young women in our sport. Ross Manning from Southport Yacht Club will be talking about how inclusion in club racing has made such a difference in Para Sailing and how it has led to the club hosting significant events.
There will be Q&A sessions, workshops and plenty of time for networking. Refreshments are provided and we very much encourage all clubs and class associations to have a representative attend and in particular, if you are new to your club committee to also attend. Register now!
Action Item/s for Club: Register to attend today: https://www.sailing.org.au/events/172509/
Training in Focus – Live – A must do for Instructors and Discover Sailing Centre Principals
Sunday 28th July at Southport Yacht Club Oxenford.
Instructors, Discover Sailing Centre Principals and Training administrators should be attending this event. You receive hands-on learning via workshops, practical on water activities, the opportunity to try a new discipline such as windsurfing, SUPs or Foiling and of course, plenty of time to share ideas and best practice amongst peers.
Accredited Instructors who attend the Training in Focus – Live events will automatically have their qualifications extended for a further 12 months, assisting to further remove the barriers to reaccreditation.
Action Item/s for Club: Make a day of this professional development opportunity for your full instructor team – Ask everyone to register today! https://www.sailingresources.org.au/training/traininginfocus-live/
Queensland Sailing Awards – Who are you going to nominate in 2024?
Who are you going to nominate this year? We hope to see more clubs represented by nominating the incredible people in our Queensland Sailing Community. And to all our clubs, we think you are fantastic, so consider nominating your club this year. Keppel Bay Sailing Club and Humpybong Yacht Club showed that Queensland Clubs are the best in the Nation! If you aren't in it, you can't win it!
Action Item/s for Club: Have the conversation at your next committee meeting to start identifying the people in your community that you would like to nominate.
Queensland Government FairPlay vouchers
Sport and Recreation’s popular FairPlay program will open to all Queensland children aged from 5 to 17 years from 1 July 2024, with the voucher value increasing per child to $200 to offset the rising cost of junior sport for families. This initiative has the potential to see a big increase of numbers through your junior and youth programs. Now is a good time to start planning to increase your learn to sail offerings.
Action Item/s for Club: If you are not an Activity Provider to receive FairPlay vouchers, register today https://www.qld.gov.au/recreation/sports/funding/fairplay
If you haven’t done the Participation Workshop with Grant or Alison, book in a time.
Foiling
Has your club considered taking the plunge into the most exciting, fastest-growing discipline we've seen in years?
With increasing interest in foiling, equipment has progressed enormously in the last few years. The cost of entry-level equipment makes foiling more accessible and attractive for recreational and performance sailors alike, who want to get involved and get out on the water in various foiling craft.
Foiling is also having a positive impact on participation and retention. Foiling disciplines are attracting new groups to sailing clubs. People who may have participated recreationally are now joining clubs to participate in racing and training programs, and there are now more reasons for younger members to stay at clubs to join in the fast classes.
Action Item/s for Club: Read the following articles to see if foiling is for your club
Australian Sailng on the lookout for nextgen foiling stars
Foiling safety for coaches club support personnel
New foiling curriculums now available
Will you be delivering learn to wing courses or foil-labs or foiling
Discover Sailing Days
The benefits to your club to hold a Discover Sailing Day are many, and the event itself can be as straightforward or as festival-like as you need. There are plenty of resources and case studies that you can utiise for your own event, but please reach out to the team if you need any help. We are here to support you.
Action Item/s for Club: Commit to holding a Discover Sailing Day. Reach out to your Club Support Officer for any assistance you need
Keep in touchGrant, Alison, and I are available to answer your queries by phone, face to face or to meet via Teams online.
You can find a full list of Australian Sailing Contacts – here. |
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