Mark Watson – Senior Advisor Performance Sport

Address: 16 Duval Grove, Tawa, Wellington Ph: (04) 232 0456 (home) 021 1053311(mobile)

Email address: candm.watties@xtra.co.nz

Introduction

As Senior Advisor of Performance Sport I am well versed in the elements associated to nurturing people to be the best versions of themselves in sport and in life. Leadership is based on the principle of communicating to people their worth and potential so clearly that they come to see it for themselves. I have an ongoing learning approach to life that has led to the establishment of effective programs and systems associated to the many aspects of Sport Development. By using reflection, feedback and the application of a creative mindset ensures that intentions associated to programmes make an impact. My belief structure is built around the concept that experiences nurture values and beliefs; values and beliefs drive behaviours and behaviours produce results. I have a love of working with people and seeing people grow, emotionally, mentally and spiritually which leads to people who feel empowered to break down barriers and strive to be the best they can be. Key Skills:

• The use of system thinking tools. i.e. Levels of perspective, structural tension, ladders of inference, questioning techniques i.e. facilitative questioning

• Design of programmes, systems, workshops. • Creative mindset • Self awareness • Character development • Facilitation • Mentoring/observation

• Building Relationships • Influencing change • Leveraging • Application of action learning principles i.e. Experiential learning • Strategic Planning • Budgeting • Team management • Project management • Coach education and coaching (kayaking) • Talent development • Presenting at forums and seminars • Leading International Campaigns for NZ Canoe Sprint • International Travel • Logistics associated to international sporting teams

Employer: Sport Wellington April 2011 – present Senior Advisor Sport Wellington Performance 2014 - present Experience:

• Established the performance hub as a business unit within the community sport team at Sport Wellington.

• Performance hub was set up to grow the capability and capacity of people and systems associated to the performance environment of the New Zealand sporting system.

• Key programmes associated to the performance hub o Performance Coach advance – national coach development

programme for performance level coaches. Focusing on their self awareness and coaching pedagogy.

o Pathway to Podium – National Talent development programme aimed at athletes 1-3years away from the High Performance (HP)environment. Key outcome is that athletes are better prepared for the reality of HP sport.

o Reaching for the Podium – Systems, tools and processes developed for the development of performance programmes for regional sporting organisations and clubs.

o Wellington City Council Sport Talent Development Programme – managing the investment from the council in developing talent development programmes at a regional sporting organization level with the aim of nurturing Wellington based athletes into the HP environment of their sport.

• I have led the development of these programmes in collaboration with Sport NZ personal for the Wellington region.

• All of these programmes involve the development of resources associated to workshops, collaboration with specialists associated to athlete development and coach development, facilitation of workshops, forums and consultation sessions with coaches, athletes’ parents, educationalists and subject matter experts.

• Sport NZ Sport Leaders group o Selected along with 7 other peers to form a leadership group for

the development of programmes and resources associated to coaching and influencing change within the NZ sporting system. The programme was called the ‘Edwards Exploration’. It was led by Dr John Edwards (Edwards Explorations Australia) in partnership with Brendan Spillane (Spillane Consultancy Australia.)

o The programme focused on 'thinking systems’ and their use in creating innovative solutions to coach education and in creating effective learning environments. From this programme the NZ Coach Developer programme has evolved and the NZ Performance Coach Advance programme that supports NZ pre- elite coaches.

o I am involved in Sport NZ ‘think tanks’ associated to talent development, skill acquisition, coaching for character, secondary school sport.

Community Coach Advisor 2011 - 2014 This role has involved:

• Development of CoachForce programme and strategic plan. • Lead of the Generic Entry Level Coach Course programme • Development of the Communities of Practice concept and the

associated “coaching for performance” programme • Advise on coach development programmes and alignment with

National Sporting Organisations coach development frameworks. o Pathways o Athlete development curriculum o NZ Coach Approach

• Advise on sport development systems and their integration into community sport plans and high performance plans

o Whole of sport planning o Sporting system principles and philosophies

• Facilitating meetings and workshops • Funding proposal writing

• Report writing • Developing relationships with key stakeholders i.e. Sport NZ, High

Performance Sport NZ, Regional Sports Organisations (RSO’s), National Sports Organisations (NSO’s), Councils, Schools, media,

• Representation on advisory committees o Capital Hockey High Performance council o Sport NZ Performance Coaching advisory o Cricket Wellington Girls and Women’s Review

Employer: Canoe Racing New Zealand (CRNZ) December 2008 – Sept 2010 Director of Coaching and Sport Development Manager for the National Sporting Organisation CRNZ. The role involved:

• Development of a whole of sport plan. • Development of a coach development programme. • Development of an officials development programme. • Development of a competition strategy. • Development of athlete development pathway curriculum. • Development of concept plan for Schools Paddling Programme • Implementation of SPARC (national) strategies associated to sport

development • Developing relationships with key stakeholders i.e. SPARC, RST’s,

NSO’s, CRNZ key personal, • Development of coaching strategic plan • Preparation of operational plan • Presentation of strategies to all communities within CRNZ. • Formation and chairing of advisory committees • Facilitating meetings. • Event organising e.g. National Canoe Sprint Championships. • Writing of event policy, rules and safety plans.

Employer: Chilton Saint James School 2007 - 2008 Employer: Mitsubishi Electric UK Ltd London 1993 – 1996 Employer: NEI Reyrole Pacific 1991 – 1993 Employer: Radio New Zealand Limited 1998 – 1991 Employer: Broadcasting Corporation of NZ Employer: Ministry of Transport

Athlete Development within Canoe Racing NZ 2012 - 2016 In the last 6 years I have been involved in the development of the Canoe Racing NZ High Performance (HP) Athlete Pathway and the design of the athlete development programmes associated to the pathway. I play a significant role in developing our youth athletes in preparing them to be able to successfully transition into the HP environment by developing programmes associated to the holistic development of the person that are utilized in the development camps. I am currently the head coach for our local kayak club in Wellington (Mana Kayak Racing) of which we have developed 3 athletes into the NZ HP Elite programme and 6 athletes into the HP Athlete Development programme. The club has also won the national senior competition at the NZ Championships for the last two years and the club consistently places in the top 3 clubs in NZ. Director of Coaching CRNZ (2009 – September 2010) Coaching Positions Held

• National Coach of the New Zealand Junior Kayak Team to the Junior World Championships in Portugal, Belarus, Romania and Bulgaria (2015 – present)

• National Coach of the New Zealand Junior Kayak Squad pathway development programme (2015 – present)

• Tawa College 1st 11 Hockey Coach (2013) • Wellington Hockey Assn U13 representative coach (2011) • National Coach of New Zealand Kayak Team to the Australian Youth

Olympic Festival (2009) • National Coach of New Zealand Junior Men Kayak Team to the

Australian Youth Olympic Festival (2007) • National Coach of the New Zealand Junior Kayak Squad (2006) • National Coach of the New Zealand Junior Kayak Team to the

Australian Youth Olympic Festival (2005) • Assistant National Coach of the New Zealand Senior Kayak Squad Pre-

Olympic Games European Tour (2004) • National Coach of the New Zealand Junior Kayak Team to the Junior

World Championships in Japan (2003) New Zealand Kayaking Development Coach (2003

Event Management The following are sports events and sports seminars that I have been to the fore front in developing, managing and organising.

• Kayak coaching camps – 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006 • Seminar “The technique of Super Kayakers” 2006 • Seminar “Kayaking the New Zealand Way” 2005 • Presentation “Talent search Programme for NZ Kayaking” 2005 • Event - NZ Canoe Sprint National Championship Regatta’s • Event – NZ Marathon Championships • Event - Crazyman Multisport race • Event – Canoe Triathlons • Event – Wellington Kayak Racing Series

Administration Positions Held

• Chairman Mana Kayak Racing Club (2005 – 2009) • Chairperson Wellington Kayak Racing Committee (1987 – 1992) • NZ Canoeing Association Marathon Executive Committee Member

(1991 – 1992) • Interim NZ Canoeing Association Marathon Racing Commodore

(1991) • Convenor of Selectors for the NZ Canoeing Association Marathon

(1992) • Director of Coaching CRNZ (2009 – September 2010)

SPARC (Sport & Recreation New Zealand) Prime Ministers High Performance Coaching Scholarships (2004 – 2005)

• One week in South Australia observing coaching at South Australian Sports Institute, and receiving mentoring from South Australian and Australian Coach of the year, Peter Petho.

• Three month tour of Europe as assistant coach of the NZ senior kayak squad under the guidance of head coach Ian Ferguson.

Personal Statement I am passionate about seeing people being active in sport and recreation realising the role sport plays in developing people who will contribute to society in a positive way.

Referees available on request