What is the AIS Sports Draft? The AIS Sports Draft provides athletes with a fast-tracked development opportunity to transfer into an Olympic or Commonwealth Games sport. Now in its second year, the draft will offer opportunities in the following sports in 2014: Athletics — throwing, pole vault and sprinting Rugby 7s (women only) Hockey — goalkeeping (women only) Combat — judo, boxing and taekwondo Cycling — sprint track, lead riders Paddling — kayak, canoe (sprint and slalom). The draft is a key part of the Australias Winning Edge game plan. What is the AIS Sports Draft process? Athletes express their interest online. Selected athletes attend a state-based selection trial, with identified athletes then be invited to a comprehensive selection camp. The selection camp will include: testing in a range of physical, skill-based and psychological challenges free training and evaluation by world-class coaches and sport scientists. Successful athletes will then be provided with a 12-month opportunity to train with a nationally identified coach in their home city. This will involve: commitment to a daily training program regular monitoring and evaluation from head coaches or AIS specialists attendance at a number of training camps. Athletes that meet the development benchmarks following completion of the training period will then be required to cover their own training costs. Progression to national selection will be via the national sporting organisation. How long is the AIS Sports Draft program? Successful candidates will be part of the AIS Sports Draft for a 12-month period. Following completion of the program, all athletes must pay for their own ongoing equipment costs, coaching fees and gym membership. Their progress towards national selection will be via the national selection policies of the national sporting organisation. Will successful athletes become part of the Australian team? No. Athletes who are successful will join a group of athletes receiving a fast-tracked introduction to their sport. Selection for the Australian team, or any other program, will require the athlete to meet the criteria outlined in the national selection policies. Will successful athletes become AIS scholarship holders? The AIS no longer delivers scholarship-based programs. Athletes that are successful will be linked with a nationally accredited coach and train in an AIS-approved daily training environment in their home city. No athletes will be financially supported to relocate. Can an athlete pick the coach and location where they would like to train? The AIS, in consultation with each national sporting organisation, have hand-picked some of the best coaches to work with selected athletes. Coaching and training opportunities only exist in the cities listed on the application form. Athletes may choose to relocate to a city or area closer to an AIS Sports Draft-identified coach at their own expense. Athletes should carefully consider the amount of travel involved before committing. Would participating in the AIS Sports Draft stop athletes from continuing in their current sport? Not initially. However, successful athletes must commit to training in their home state under the supervision of an AIS Sports Draft coach. As the level of training (and volume) progresses, this may prevent an athletes involvement in other sports. What happens if an athlete is not progressing at an expected rate or meeting the required developmental benchmarks? Progress will be monitored and evaluated regularly. If athletes do not meet the required benchmarks they will be exited from the AIS Sports Draft. However, athletes may be able to continue their own training and development at their own expense. As with any other athlete, they may be eligible for further national sporting organisation support if and when they achieve necessary benchmark performances (as outlined in the respective sports selection policies). Will participating in the AIS Sports Draft cost money? Travel and accommodation expenses during the sport-specific AIS Sports Draft selection camps will be met by the AIS. An agreed level of development funding for personal plans of successful athletes will also be covered by AIS while they remain in the draft. On completion of the 12-month training program, all remaining athletes will be transitioned into the standard national sporting organisation development pathway. At this point athletes will be required to pay for their own ongoing equipment costs, coaching fees and gym membership. What happens if an athlete becomes injured? Athletes are strongly encouraged to have private health insurance. The AIS will not be liable for medical costs associated with participating in the AIS Sports Draft. Does an athlete have to sign a contract? There is no legally binding agreement between the athlete, the AIS and the national sporting organisation. However, there is an Athlete Agreement that outlines the responsibilities of the athlete, AIS and national sporting organisations in the AIS Sports Draft. How often will an athlete need to train? Athletes should expect to train a minimum of five sessions per week. Individual training programs will be developed by local coaches that are appropriate for each athlete’s experience, current fitness and skill level. How often will an athlete compete? This will depend on the athlete’s readiness and what competition opportunities are available. Competition will be part of the AIS Sports Drafts ongoing evaluation and assessment criteria. Will an athlete be drug tested? It is possible the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) may conduct random testing on athletes participating in the AIS Sports Draft. Athletes will need to comply with the Australian Sports Commissions (ASC) Anti-doping Policy and the relevant national sporting organisations anti-doping policy. Athletes participating in AIS Sports Draft must also make a written declaration to the ASC as to whether they have: at any time been found to have breached any anti-doping rule or policy applicable to them at the time; or to the best of their knowledge, otherwise engaged at any time in any conduct that constituted a breach of any anti-doping rule or policy applicable to them at the time. Why do some states and regional areas miss out on having selection events? The areas selected for the AIS Sports Draft are based on locations of specific coaches identified by participating sports. If you live in a location where the selection screenings are being held, you are still able to attend a selection event in one of the other locations. However, if selected you will need to relocate at your own expense to one of the designated locations to be part of the 12-month training program. How long after the state-based testing session until I hear if I am invited to the next stage of selection? You will be notified once all of the state-based testing is complete via email. Once the national sporting organisations and coaches have agreed on the athletes and dates of the sport-specific screenings, all successful athletes will be notified. This is likely to be no later than three weeks after initial screening. Can I withdraw my participation at any stage during the program? Yes, athletes can withdraw from the AIS Sports Draft program at any time. What will be involved in the AIS Canberra-based training camp (February 2015) should I be selected? The training camp in Canberra will consist of various sessions, including: strength and conditioning physical testing physical training sports psychology recovery and injury prevention sessions competition opportunities. Can I get a copy of my test results from the initial state-based testing sessions? When you attend the testing session you will be given verbal feedback about your performance. Unfortunately we are not able to provide written feedback. I won’t be able to attend regular training sessions at the locations specified. Can I still apply? Attendance at sport-specific training camps and the AIS training camp (February 2015) is essential. Athletes who cannot commit to this should not apply for the program.
Posted on: Mon, 25 Aug 2014 03:37:07 +0000
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