Discover Sailing
TITLE
Club Implementation Plan 2013
Part 8.
The Sailing Pathway
August 2013
DATE
Implementation Plan 2013
• You should now be hearing sound – if not check your
audio and ensure you are in slideshow (full-screen) mode
• This is Ross Kilborn, Sport Development Director at
Yachting Australia
• This presentation is the eighth of 11 in the
Discover Sailing Club Implementation Plan
The Monthly Topics
Feb
Mar
April
May
June
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
(1) Program Introduction & Purpose
(2) Planning & Prioritising
The gemba Report
Tackers
Sailability
Discover Sailing Days
Discover Sailing Hosts
Discover Sailing Experiences & Courses
Safety, Risk Management &
Membership Protection
The Sailing Pathway
Crewing
Club Promotion
Measuring Results
Summary & Future Plan
Pathways in Sport
 Most sport structure the entry, progression, & retention of
participants on a pathway
 Evidence & research based approach
 Recognition that participant’s skills, confidence, &
commitment develop over time
 Needs & wants of participants are different at each stage
 Especially important for children who have additional
age-related needs
 Misperception it’s about producing elite athletes
 Its about retention of everyone
Why does sailing need a Pathway?
 Retention
 To map out the diversity of options our sport offers
 Important to understand how to successfully
transition participants from introductory programs to
membership
 Assist in directing limited resources at the needs of
participants – the things that will make a difference
 Help us understand & avoid attrition
 Brings all clubs and Centres together in achieving
shared aims – recognising each club and Centre may
cater for people on different stages of the Pathway
Three main Sailing Pathways
1) Recreational – primarily based around progression
of beginners through to active ongoing club-based
participation (usually as club members)
2) Development – a whole of sport Pathway that
outlines progression from beginners through to
pinnacle international success
3) Officiating Pathway – showing how club officials are
developed to support the delivery of the sport
Participation & Development Pathways
 Majority of participants are found in levels 0-5
 Important for clubs to recognise that most new
participants want social/non-competitive participation
 Development Pathway (level 6 and above) is
important for people who have the talent, ability, and
commitment to excel in our sport - it maps their
progression over a long period of time
Level 0.
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People’s first introduction to sailing
Applicable to people of all ages and abilities
Discover Sailing Day (delivered at any club)
Discover Sailing Experience (at Discover Sailing Centres)
Crewing
What is important at Level 0. ?
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Welcoming
Able to participate with other beginners
No requirement for club membership
Boats supplied
Simple information
Great practical, hands-on, short duration activity
Providing information about the next step
Levels 1-3: Discover Sailing Courses
 Discover Sailing Courses in dinghies, keelboats,
powerboats, windsurfers
 Accredited Centres with qualified Instructors
 No requirement for club membership
 Boats provided
 Different levels of courses to build skills
 Introduction (Start)
 Intermediate (Better)
 Complete (Racing)
What’s important at Levels 1-3?
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Great quality instructors
Instructor communicates The Sailing Pathway
Safety & confidence
Offering courses at every level & sequencing them to
retain groups of participants
 Recognising the different needs of participants
(adults, children, people of all-abilities)
 Making learning fun with the aim of retaining to the
next level
 Social interaction
Level 4. Introductory racing / Green Fleet
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Very important to offer modified/simplified racing
ISAF Simplified Rules
Entirely separate from club racing
Option to use club owned boats
Social emphasis
Can be a step to club racing but also an important
ongoing level to offer to participants who don’t want
to progress to club racing
 Critically important for junior & youth to prevent and
manage burnout and drop out
What is important at Level 4. ?
 Participants benefit from ongoing support from
instructors
 Participants enjoy socialising and developing their
skills outside of a competitive environment
 Participants understand the next steps
 Ongoing social sailing and/or club racing are both
progressions after Level 4
 Children and adults participate separately
Level 5. Club racing
 Most clubs are effective at delivering club racing
 Involves a range of volunteers
 The Officiating Pathway is an option
Level 6. Club coaching
 Misperception club coaching is only for people who
want to progress to elite performance
 Helps people who want to be more competitive in
their club racing, State & National events, and
international regattas
 Currently limited offering by clubs
 Delivered by qualified coach
 Great way to engage participants in giving sense of
achievement and skill development
 Different from a course – coaching is NOT based on
a syllabus
What is important at Level 6.?
 Qualified coach
 The golf or tennis pro!
 Program – which is structured to individual needs and
develops performance for key regattas
 Offered in any type of boat but for those wanting to
move to Level 7 and above in the recognised classes
 Considers the broader training needs of sailing such
as strength and conditioning
Level 7 and above
 From Level 7 and above sailors are competing and
training to be the best in the World
 Recognised classes
 High level of the sailor’s individual time and resources
commitment
 Performance measured and monitored
 Involvement of State Institute and State Academies of
Sport
 Success of the World stage to raise the public profile of
the sport at all levels
Resources and further information
 Yachting Australia website – under Participation
 Diagrams
 Explanations
 Green Fleet
 Introductory Rules
 www.yachting.org.au/pathway
Summary and Thanks
 Understanding and implementing the Sailing Pathway
is one of the most important steps to retention
 Next month – Crewing