The Podium Programme

A 'Games Driven' Coach Performance Support - The 'London 2012' Focus

The Podium Programme focuses on those coaches who are supporting athletes at the 2012 Olympic or Paralympic Games. The programme will offer coaches a bespoke performance support designed to assist them in optimizing their Games performance.

The programme will offer the following supports:

1. Self Directed Performance Support

This support will facilitate coaches to spend some financial grant aid on a performance support central to their pre games preparation. This may include a competitor profiling visit, an international conference or a short sport specific training course.

2. Podium Coach Network Events

In order to support coaches preparing for the 2012 Games experience, one 3-day pre-Games support event will be provided to podium coaches. This event will focus on applied games related scenarios that have the potential to negatively impact coaching performance. Critical performance related themes including coach self management, applied performance science support, and post game career management will offer each coach a 'games driven' support outlet designed to optimize their performance at the 2012 Games. In addition those coaches who have not experienced the Olympic or Paralympic Games will be given an opportunity to network with other coaches who have been part of such a unique performance environment. A post-Games rest and recuperation event will be hosted in order to facilitate a Games debrief and assist coaches whilst they activate their post-Games career plan.

3. Situational Mentorship Support

A panel of experts will provide mentorship support to the podium coaching community in order to provide an individualized performance support to each podium coach as they over come key challenges and issues in the run up to and during the 2012 Games experience.

The entry criteria for the Podium Programme includes the following benchmarks:

• The number of athletes that an applicant has coached who have won medals at Olympic/Paralymic, World or European events
• The number of events that a coach has represented Ireland at Olympic/Paralymic, World or European level
• The number of athletes that an applicant currently coaches who have secured a qualification standard for the 2012 Olympic or Paralympic Games
• Each coach must be officially appointed in a coaching role working with senior carded athletes in the high performance programme of their national sports body
• The number of carded athletes currently being coached by you

A maximum of 12 places will be made available for the 2012 PEP Podium Programme.

"The PEP programme excelled my expectations. It has been exciting and inspiring to meet the coaches and athletes from the different sports. The funding has also had a huge impact on my coaching skills and hopefully will help Irish Cricket to continue to make progress"

Peter Johnston, Cricket, 2011 Programme Participant