Background

The SSA/OWIA/NSWIS Park & Pipe High Performance Program was launched in June 2018 with the ultimate aim of identifying talent and producing performance outcomes at the 2022 and 2026 Olympic Winter Games.

The program operation and funding allocation is a joint initiative between Ski & Snowboard Australia (SSA), Olympic Winter Institute of Australia (OWIA) and NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS). The program is overseen by a joint management committee made up of representatives from each of the partners, and managed day to day by NSWIS Winterport program coordinators.

The aim of the program in the first 12 months of operation was to identify, verify and classify talent. This was done by opening the program and associated activities up to the maximum number of young Australian Park & Pipe athletes in both Snowboard & Freeski with the intention of providing them with opportunities to participate in targeted performance camps, daily training environments and key international competitions i.e. Junior World Championships.

2018/19 Program Operations

In the first year, the program used a number of coaching staff in various roles, including guest coaches during the domestic season and the employment of full time coaches to lead the program activity internationally.

Program activities during the 2018/19 program year included:

Domestic Season Activity:

• Domestic Season On-Snow Training Camps and Acrobatic Training
• Falls Creek Performance Camp & SSA Futures
• Junior World Championships – Cardrona (NZ)
• FIS World Cup Big Air – Cardrona (NZ)
• Air Bag Camp – Cardrona (NZ)
• Stomping Grounds – Saas Fee (Session 1 & 2)
• Physical Preparation & Acrobatic Training (Jindabyne & Thredbo)
• HPC Surfing Australia Camp

International Season Activity:

• Emerging Talent Training Camp – Summit County
• Freeski Training Camp – Park City, Utah
• Europe Training Camp – Laax & Absolute Park
• Europa Cup & World Cup - Livignio
• Airbag Training – Livigno
• World Rookie Tour - Kitzsteinhorn
• World Championships Support – Park City Utah
• Junior World Championships – Klappen (SWE)
• Mammoth Training Camp – Airbag & On snow

In all, 31 athletes were provided the opportunity to participate in the AUS Park & Pipe program activity throughout the past 12 months. 

Program Review and Developments for 2019/20

The program was reviewed in detail post the Northern Winter as is the normal process for all high-performance programs operated by OWIA/NSWIS/SSA.  Given the overarching aims of the program some important adjustments have been made going forward.

Some developments to the program include:

•    A shift to the full-time employment of expert coaches to deliver technical coaching required to provide athletes with opportunity to meet high performance outcomes in 2022
•    Realignment of the coaching structure to better reflect athlete and institute program lead (OWIA, NSWIS, SSA).  [What does this mean?]
•    A focus on developing an individualised high-performance culture within the cohort of athletes embracing a centralised training and competition program
•    Separation of park & pipe activities as required in order to achieve performance objectives. [Expand]
•    To provide opportunity to build skill for the Park & Pipe program athletes through programming, targeted events, airbag access and training camp opportunities.
•    An ongoing commitment to provide emerging talent and next generation athletes with exposure to AUS Park & Pipe program activity and expert coaching on a targeted basis.

Athlete Categorisation

Following the initial 12 months of talent verification, in year two (2019 - 2020) the athlete cohort has been identified into 4 primary categorisations:

• Podium - 2022 Podium ready athletes
• Podium Potential - 2022 Podium potential athletes
• Developing - Likely 2022 Olympic Selection (based on known Olympic field sizes and qualification systems set by FIS)
• Emerging Talent - 2026 Podium potential and likely Olympic Selection potential athletes

These categorisations/groupings are in no way fixed; however, they do help to inform scholarship/program status in order to facilitate effective program planning and prioritisation of service delivery. 

This is standard practice across other Snowsport performance pathways. In a practical sense 2022 Podium & Podium Potential athletes are likely to be offered OWIA personal funding contracts, Likely 2022 Olympic Selection athletes are likely to be offered NSWIS scholarships, and 2026 Podium Potential athletes are offered a mix of NSWIS Scholarships and SSA Emerging Talent Program (ETP) support depending on current skill/performance level, age and potential to progress.

Scholarship selections are reviewed annually along with program operations and activity. For example, athletes who have come off NSWIS scholarship due to re-categorisation remain eligible for reselection to NSWIS should the athlete’s circumstances change, prospects or performances warrant it, or potential to progress into the 2022 identified athlete cohort.

Regardless of scholarship status, the majority of program funding is directed towards coaching and performance camp operations. There is very little direct athlete funding/subsidy other than those few athletes proven to be podium ready & podium athletes for 2022.

SSA is set to release the new athlete pathway framework (FTEM) which will better inform athletes and their families about the stages of progression from grassroots through to the highest levels of the sport. 

Coaching Structure

Updated Program Management/Coaching Staff 

• David Parr (AUS Park & Pipe Program Coordinator, Acrobatic & 2026 Emerging Talent coach)
• Leon Tarbotton (Ski Park & Pipe Technical coach primary 2022 focus)
• Stan Wu (Snowboard Park & Pipe Technical coach primary 2022 focus)

Program/Coaching Staff reporting to and mentored by

• Peter Topalovic (NSWIS Wintersport Coordinator)

As always, program coordination staff remain available to discuss and clarify any questions as required.