Ben Bond appointed to new Emerging Talent Program (ETP) Role

Snow Australia is pleased to announce that Ben Bond has been appointed to the role of Talent, Health and Performance Coordinator within Snow Australia's Emerging Talent Program (ETP).

He steps into a newly created role, designed to implement an evidence-based strategic approach to talent identification and athlete profiling. The role has been made available by the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) through a Performance Pathway Solutions Grant.

Bond will be responsible for driving and delivering annual talent initiatives and contribute to the progression of athletes through the pathway into the institute (NSWIS & OWIA) winter sport programs. 

"Ben will develop a deep understanding of the athlete pathway and support the implementation of the Emerging Talent identification and athlete profiling process," Snow Australia's Performance Pathway & Program Manager Ben Wordsworth said.

“Ben’s contribution will be crucial to identify talent early through the Emerging Talent Program. He will case-manage athletes and identify key areas for performance gains in preparing athletes to be ‘institute ready’.

"He will also link into the Winter Sports Performance Services network and continue contributing as a team physio where needed. As a key member of the physio team, he will assist both Olympic and Paralympic programs with their international training and competitions in the lead up to Beijing 2022.”

Identification processes conducted within the ETP framework allow Snow Australia to better understand athletes' performance pathway potential and develop athletes' profiles. Coaches are able to nominate potential athletes for consideration via an Expression of Interest online application. Athletes are then assessed according to a mix of tangible and intangible dimensions, which include technical skills, attitude, mental preparation, skill development and other specific discipline requirements. Finally, the ETP Discipline Selection Panel reviews the submissions and admits applicants into the program, developing individual performance plans for the selected athletes.

To assist with the understanding of the athlete identification process, Snow Australia is currently planning educational opportunities for the snow community, which will be delivered in the coming weeks.