The Department of Tourism and Culture’s Northern Territory Institute of Sport (NTIS) has announced the scholarship coaches for the 2017/18 Coach Development Program (CDP).

The 39-strong group covers 16 different sports. These coaches will receive ongoing education and support from NTIS staff and other identified sport coaches helping ensure they have the necessary knowledge and skills to design and deliver high quality, developmentally appropriate coaching to young athletes. This framework will, in turn, encourage their lifelong participation in sport and enhance their chances of competing at the highest levels.

NTIS Director, Dr Ian Ford, congratulated the scholarship recipients and said the program is a very important part of improving the quality of coaching provided to young athletes across the Territory.

“Sport is a way of life in the NT and while we have seen a number of home-grown athletes go on to bigger and better things over the years, there is more that can be done to ensure current and future generations of young Territorians get the same opportunities to pursue their goals and succeed on the national and international stage.

“This starts with good coaching, and the CDP offers support in this area not only to scholarship coaches but to anyone currently involved or interested in coaching juniors, whether paid or volunteers, including parents and teachers, who want to learn more and improve their coaching abilities.

“The CDP and the coaching scholarships are a significant investment from the NT Government and is aimed at improving coaches’ knowledge, understanding and application of key concepts relating to physical competency, skill mastery, confidence and resilience, holistic development and guiding the journey of young athletes, regardless of their ability” said Dr Ford.

Now in its third year, the 2017/18 program welcomes for the first time coaches from Gove and Groote Eylandt, as well as coaches from the sports of Australian football, touch football, volleyball, surf-lifesaving, judo, and golf.

The 24 new scholarship coaches join 15 existing (second or third year) scholarship coaches from the sports of athletics, baseball, basketball, cricket, hockey, netball, rugby league, triathlon and swimming. The program delivers a number of workshops throughout the year, as well as on-going one-on-one education, mentorship and support tailored to each coach’s individual needs.

The scholarship coaches for 2017/18 are:

• AFL: Paul Markou (Katherine)
• Athletics: Suzanne Mullen (Darwin)
• Baseball: Callum Hooley (Darwin)
• Basketball: Chad Keightley (Darwin) and Dan Sivan (Darwin)
• Cricket: Adam Trunks (Darwin), Bronte Stray (Alice Springs) and Murali Varatharajan (Darwin)
• Football: Andrew Savvas (Darwin), Angelo Theodorkopolous (Darwin), Conan Robertson (Alice Springs), Shaun Hodor (Darwin), Urz Marzohl (Alice Springs), Verena Mac (Darwin) and Yiannis Stefanidakis (Darwin)
• Golf: Ester and Jonny Rikka (Nhulunbuy), Mitchell Thomason (Darwin) and Susie Cullen (Alyangula)
• Hockey: Carol Mackrow (Darwin), Chantrelle Carey (Darwin), Craig White (Darwin) and Stephen Shields (Alice Springs)
• Judo: Brad Fong (Darwin)
• Netball: Cheryl Talbot (Alice Springs), Kerry Thompson (Alice Springs), Lauren Wapling (Katherine), Leanne Bugg (Katherine), Peta Trahair (Darwin) and Sharon Freeman (Darwin)
• Rugby League: Jason Stoddard (Darwin) and Simon Stothers (Katherine)
• Surf Lifesaving: Skip Hall (Darwin)
• Touch Football: Chantelle Shaw (Darwin)
• Triathlon: Leslee Reif (Darwin) and Megan Pickering (Katherine)
• Triathlon/Swimming: Tori and Trevor Krikke (Alice Springs)
• Volleyball: Carolyn Knutsen (Darwin)

The Northern Territory Government is providing $150,000 in financial support to the 39 scholarships coaches.

Media interview
NTIS Director Ian Ford 0401 115 644

Media contact: Media Manager 0476 844 832