RowingCanadaAvironHighPerformanceAthleteDevelopmentPathway:

NextGenerationAthleteStrategyUpdate2017To2024

September2017

OverviewFollowing the 2016 Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games, Rowing Canada Aviron (RCA)underwent a significant shift in its organizational and high performance leadership. ThisorganizationalshiftcreatedtheopportunitytoreviewmanycomponentsundertheumbrellaofHighPerformance.Inthecategoryof‘Development’,keystakeholderconsultationstookplacetocriticallyevaluateRowing’s High Performance Athlete Development Pathway, including the Row To Podium –TalentIdentificationProgram.TheconsultationprocessaffirmedtheneedtodirectmorefocustowardstheNextGenrowerstrendingfive(5)toeight(8)yearsfromanOlympic/Paralympicpodiumperformance.Theshiftwillresultinenhancedprogrammingatatargetedstageinthepathway.Thisenhancementwillnotimpedeonprogramminginotherpathways.

ThefundamentalrevisionrequiredwithinRCA’sNextGenprogram,isamovefromsequesteredTalent Identification Programming, to talent identification conducted as an activity within a

systemic approach to re-engaging and supporting Canadian ‘rowing’ universities and highperformingclubprograms.This engagement will come in the form of enhanced technical coaching capacity embeddedwithinNextGentrainingenvironmentslocatedwithinidentifiedCanadianuniversitiesandhighperformingclubs.AttheJuniororU19level,theNextGenstrategy lookstosupportandstrengthentherolesofClubs and Schools in developing athletes on the pathway through engaged programs andinitiatives.As a critical conduit of athletes to the Canadian National Team, it is essential that post-secondaryinstitutions(particularlyCanadianuniversities)andhighperformingrowingclubsareonceagainempoweredashighperformancepartnerswithinrowing’spathway.HistoricallythehighestmultipleOlympicrowingpodiumperformances(1992[5],1996[6],and2008[4])weregeneratedbyathletesandunderpinningcoachesthatwereactivestudent-athletesorgraduatesofuniversityrowingprograms.ThistrendofuniversityaffiliatedOlympicrowerscontinues(Fig.1.0); however, it is imperative the delivery of the pathway shifts back to recognize andempowertheseinstitutionsthathaveplayedandarerequiredtoplayinthegrowthandsuccessofCanada’sOlympicandParalympicRowingTeams.Figure1.0CanadianOlympicRowingAthletesAffiliatedwithPost-SecondaryInstitution.

NextGeneration(NextGen)StrategyTo positively impact and enhance up to five (5) strategically selected NextGen performanceenvironments.TheseenvironmentswillbeselectedinSeptember2017basedonaRequestforProposal - NextGen Hub Criteria, encompassing identified/targeted NextGen Olympic andParalympic athletes supportedwith a criticalmassof athletes (training groups) underpinningthe daily performance environment. Working in close alignment, these partnerships willgeneratethecriticalelementsrequiredtoconverttheseDailyTrainingEnvironments (DTE)toNextGen Performance Hubs with the capability of stimulating the growth and progress oftargetedrowersfivetoeightyearsfromanOlympic/Paralympicpodiumperformance.

CAN USA Unaffiliated

(Attended UniversityOutsideOfN.America)

2008 57% 40% 3%

2012 46% 50% 4%

2016 46% 46% 8%

2017-2024ShiftinNextGenStrategy

• AlignmentofvalidatedPodiumPathway.• Row To Podium testing methodology utilized as a basis for athlete identification

initiatives aswell asongoingHPathletedevelopmentmonitoring rather than isolatedall-encompassingprogram.

• Support and promote sustainable and accountable regional partnerships (institution,club & school) and programs, where vibrant and competitive atmospheres arerecognized

• Integration of additional high performance coaches into RCA’s High PerformanceAthlete Pathway, focused on progressing rowers five (5) to eight (8) years from anOlympic/Paralympicpodiumperformance.

NextGenHubsNextGenHubenvironmentswillprovideNextGenathletesaccesstoanuncompromisingcultureofexcellence,supportedwithoptimalcoachtoathleteratioandperformanceplanningderivedfrom individualandsystemicgapanalysisaligned fromRCA’sGoldMedalProfile (Figure2.0).NextGenprogrammingrepresentstheconceptofdeliveringtheappropriateresourcesfortheappropriatespotinthepathwaythroughamonitoringandassessmentstrategy.NextGenHubenvironments,programmingandcoachingactivitieswillbecloselymonitoredandheldaccountable through theengagementand integrationof targetedperformancepartners(i.e.Universities, Clubs, Provincial SportOrganizations,Own The PodiumandCanadian SportInstitutes) asmembersof theNextGenHubManagementCommittee. These committeeswillprovideleadershipanddirectiontoeachNextGenHuboperatingwithinaspecificprovince.On a functional level NextGen Hub’s will be the Daily Training Environment (DTE) of theNextGen Coach, where they will work with identified athletes to elevate the quality andquantity of athletes progressing on the podium pathway. Thiswill capture athleteswho arebased within the Hub host program, athletes within the region in an existing program andavailable todoadditional training,orathleteswhoareoutside theofficialhostprogram,buttheoptimaltrainingenvironmentforthemistobealignedwiththeHubhostforsomeoralloftheirtraining.TheNextGenHubwill furtherhost themonitoring andoutreachactivitieswithin aparticularregion. Using a periodized strategy, monitoring camps will look to elevate the abilities ofidentifiedNextGenathletesona regionalbasisagainst the learningandperformancemetricswithintheGoldMedalProfile.Monitoringcampswilloccuronamonthlybasis.NextGenHubswillutilizetheirselectionasaNextGenHubtoelevatetheSportScienceSportMedicine (SSSM) support that currently existswithin the hostDTE. Sport specific leadership,strategies and targeted Gap strategies will come from the Canadian Sport Institutes’ (CSI)expertise that exists within the sport. It is expected that within the NextGen Hub DTE, RCA

strategies for athletemonitoring, strength& conditioning, nutrition, health andwellness aredelivered.NextGenHubCriteria:

• TargetedNextGenathletes;• Embeddedfull-timeNextGenCoach;• Primeaccesstoprimaryandauxiliarytrainingfacilities/equipment/traininggroup;and• AccesstoappropriateSSSMthroughleveragingCSIleadershipandUniversity

opportunity.

ManagementCommitteeRolesandResponsibilities

• Meetingmonthly, as coordinatedbyRowingCanada. Thesebi-monthlymeetingswillideallytakeplaceinface-to-facewithintheNextGenHubenvironment.Othermeetingsmaybeorganizedasrequired.

• EstablishmentofannualKeyPerformanceIndicators(KPIs)fortheNextGenHub.• OveralldevelopmentandstrategicmanagementoftheNextGenHubprogram.• DevelopmentandapprovalofannualmultipartyNextGenHubprogrambudgetbyJuly

1stofeachyear.• Support thecoordinationofall contractualand leaseobligationsasdirectly related to

theNextGenHubprogram.• ConductinganannualreviewoftheNextGenHubprogram.

NextGenprogramKeyPerformanceIndicators

• NextGenHubathletesachievepredictedperformancebenchmarksannually.• The number of opportunities for NextGenHub athletes to compete and train in high

performanceenvironmentscontinuestogrowannually.• ThenumberofNextGenathletesmeetingorexceedingGoldMedalProfileelementsfor

theirstageofdevelopment.• The number of NextGen athletes named to National Team Programs continues to

progressandincreaseinnumbers.• NextGenHubCoachesand/orCoacheswithinthe‘Host’NextGenHubenvironmentare

expressingtheirinterestandnominatedtoNationaland/orProvincialTeams.• 2-3 Olympic/Paralympic/World Championships Medals are sustainable annually

throughoutthequadrennials.

KeyHubActivities

EnhancedDailyTrainingEnvironment(DTE)Theprimary roleof theNextGenHubCoach is supportingandenhancing theDTEwithin theHub location, specifically fordevelopingathleteswhohavebeen identifiedwithin theathlete

pool. The NextGen Hub coach is positioned to complement the host’s existing coachingstructure during the competitive season. They will provide leadership and direction todevelopingathletesandleverageRCAandCSIresourcesintothehostprogramthroughouttheyear.

University/ClubDTEWithintheuniversity/clubcontext,theNextGenHubCoach’sobjectiveistoelevatethequalityandquantityofathletesprogressing to thevarsityprogramandwould represent itselfas fullprogram immersion during the competitive season. During the summer racing season, theNextGenHubCoachandtheVarsityCoachwouldbeexpectedtodevelopastrategicapproachtoinvolvementintakingonresponsibilitywithNationalorProvincial levelprogrammingwhilemaintainingasummerdevelopmentsquadoutoftheHub.Thiscouldincludehostingatraininggroupforaspecificcompetitionproject.

TalentIdentification(TID)&RecruitmentInconjunctionwithlocalclubsandschools,theNextGenHubCoachwillsupportthedeliveryofTID and recruitment within the region. After being directed to a club or school, identifiedathletes are monitored and directed using RCA’s existing TID and development protocols(playbook).

RegionalAthletePoolProvideacentral location in themonitoringof identifiedathleteswithin the region.TheHubcoach plays a key role in monitoring identified athletes and new talent within the region.Leadership and Engagement will be provided to the clubs and schools appropriate for theirstage within the high performance athlete pathway. The athlete pool and list of targetedathletes will be a key driver of resources and planning to support Provincial and Nationalexcellenceprogrammingandprovideenhancedprogrammingataregionallevel.

MonitoringCampsA plannedNextGen strategy is to deliver programming that enhances the technical, tactical,physical,emotionalandlifestyleskillsofregionallytargetedathletes.MonitoringcampswillbehostedoutoftheHub,utilizingtheHubresourcesandexpertisetofacilitatethegatheringandtrainingoftargetedathletesandcoacheswithinaregiononaregularbasisaroundanalignedstrategy.CampswillbehostedatHubsusinghostequipmentandidentifiedathletesfromtheathlete pool. Some campsmay be alignedwith a strategy (i.e. selection preparation) and/oralignedwithaspecificdemographic(i.e.U21orU19).NextGencoachThe NextGen Coach position will have two core objectives. The first being to provide therequired resourcesandon-watercoachingsupportwithinaNextGenHUB location toelevatethequalityandquantityofathleteswithintheHUB,appropriatefortheirstageofdevelopment.Critical elements to these required resources will be athlete monitoring practices, theidentificationofindividualperformancegapsandperformanceplanstoaddressthegaps.

Thesecondobjectiveistoplayaregionaltechnicalmanagementrolecentredaroundatargetedhigh performance athlete and coach listwithin a given regional catchment. This can includefacilitating Talent Identification (both Para and Able-bodied) activities with partner clubs,contributing to a regional athlete recruitment strategy with schools, clubs and institutions,hosting performance monitoring camps, liaising with Rowing Canada Aviron (RCA) andProvincial SportOrganization (PSO) staff for coachingdevelopment strategies and, driving anenthusiasmaroundengaginginperformanceoutcomesregionally.NextGenPara-RowingThethreemainobjectivesofRCA’sNextGenPara-RowingProgramare:(1)Recruit;(2)IdentifyTalent; and (3) Integration. These key elements must remain consistent year over year toensureahealthyandsustainablefuture.AlthoughtherecruitmentofPara-Rowersmayoccurinspecificenvironmentsoutsideofthetraditionalrowingpathway,alargeproportionofthePara-Rowing NextGen practices and processes have significant similarities and therefore initiallystand-alone positions ofNextGen Athlete Pathway Lead andNextGen Para-Rowing Lead arerequired with the intent of having these positions gradually falling under the same title ofNextGen Athlete Pathway Leads, responsible for all NextGen athletes within rowing’s highperformanceathletepathway(i.e.U19,U23,SeniorandPara).CoachandTechnicalLeadership

• DirectorAthleteandCoachPathways–AdamParfitto Programoversightandleadership

• NextGenAthletePathwayLead–TBDo Planning and process for Monitoring Camps, RBC Training Ground and

TalentIdentificationActivities.

• NextGenPara-RowingLead–TBD–RecruitmentUnderwayo Planning and process for Athlete Recruitment and Talent Identification

Activities.•

• NextGen(East&West)&U23ProgramLead–TBC(upto2)o Recruitment and connectionwith Next Gen athletes at US schools and

performanceplanningforU23Teams.LinkagewithNextGenProgramingandSeniorNationalTeamCoaches.

• •

• NextGenCoach–TBC(upto5)o EstablishingandmonitoringtheDTEforNextGenHubathletes,planand

lead monitoring camps, outreach/recruitment initiatives (i.e. club,schoolsandotherinstitutions)andTalentIdentificationactivities.

ProvincialSportOrganizationsProvincial Sport Organizations (PSOs) feed into the NextGen strategy through programmingalignment opportunities and coordinated efforts in providing support to identified athletesprogressingalongtheHighPerformanceAthleteDevelopmentPathway.PSOsplayaleadershiprolewithRCAinmaintaininganalignedtargetedathletelistsacrossthecountryandensuringappropriate resources are supporting athletes and coaches to performance outcomesnationally or internationally. Programming alignment presents opportunities in utilizing thesame processes, camps and initiatives in order to identify athletes to where provincialrepresentationisakeyobjectivesuchasNRCorCanadaGames.Clubs,SchoolsandNon-HubUniversitiesAkeyobjectiveoftheNextGenstrategyistoenhanceandsupportcoachesandathletesontheHighPerformancePathwaywithin a region. Theoutreachandengagementopportunities areclosely linkedtomonitoringof the:GoldMedalProfilemetrics;development/implementationofperformanceplans;andperformanceoutcomes.Eventsasoutcomes

It is important that as athletes and coaches progress along the pathway, there are regularassessments and competition opportunities appropriate for the stage of development. In asuccessful NextGen strategy, the depth and quality of athlete monitoring will presentopportunityforcompetitionregionally,nationallyand/orinternationally.Aspartofanathletes’individualperformanceplan, it is important thatappropriateeventsare includedearly in theseason and a strategy is coordinated to realize a successful outcome.While initial evidenceindicatesanincreasingcorrelationonperformanceatWorldU23ChampionshipstosuccessatOlympicGames, JuniorWorlds,CanAmMex,CanadianHenley,USNationals,DualMeets, andBritishHenleyarecompetitiveoptions.ImplementationTimelines

- September2017 Criteriafinalized- September,2017 RequestforProposalscirculated- September,2017 Selectionofinstitutions/clubs- September/October,2017 HiringofCoaches- November,2017 Programfullyoperational

ThoselookingtosubmitanexpressionofinterestinbeingconsideredforaHubcancontactAdamParfitt(parfitt@rowingcanada.org)formoredetails.CoachingProfessionalDevelopmentRecently Rowing Canada initiated a program called the RCA High Performance CoachMentorship Program. It is a program to support up-and-coming Canadian coaches withopportunitiestoimprovetheirskills,knowledgeandexperiencebothonandoffthewater.Theprogramisrunannuallyandincludesface-to-facesessionswithcoachmentorsandreal-worldexperiencesinhighperformancerowing.Theprogramisbeingcoordinatedbyformernationalteam coach Al Morrow,working in conjunction with Colleen Miller, Manager of CoachEducationandDevelopmentandAdamParfitt,DirectorofCoachandAthletePathways.NextGenPerformanceCoacheswillbeautomaticallypartofthecoachmentorshipprogramasamandatorilyelementoftheirprofessionaldevelopmentstrategy.Asecondaryelementoftheirprofessional development will be the integration of the NextGen Hub with National Teamprogramming.WithintheHubagreement,onayearlybasis,theNextGenPerformanceCoachortheleadcoachoftheHub’shostenvironmentwillbeactivelycoachingacrewandapartofthecoaching team at a provincial, national, or international event. This will elevate theirperformanceawarenessandcoachingcompetencies.GoldMedalProfileIn 2015 Rowing Canada completed it’s Athlete Development Pathway document withcontributions from internal sport and system experts. The pathway outlines the Technical,Tactical,Physical,MentalandLifestyleskillsfromLearntoTraintoTraintoWin2stagesoftheLTADmodel.Inpracticalsenses,Rowing’sGoldMedalProfilereportingtodatehashadasolidfoundation of Talent Identification metrics based around physicality markers and will beenhanced with the implementation of resources compiled within the Athlete Development

Pathwayproject.Workhasbegun inanalyzing theAthleteDevelopmentPathwayskills list toidentifymetricsfortheGoldMedalProfile,thecurrentdraftbeing:Figure2.0RowingCanada’sGoldMedalProfile.PHYSIOLOGICAL TECHNICAL TACTICAL LIFESTYLE PSYCHOLOGICAL2kmErg* Grip Pacing Nutrition Coachability6kmErg* Bladework Race

Plan/StrategySleep/Recovery Motivation/

Drive1minTest Posture Compatibility Injury

prevention/Management

Communication

PeakPower Efficiency Smallboatspeedvs World BestTime*

Lifebalance GoalSetting

TrainingLoad Length Fight ResilienceBodycomposition

Ratio/Rhythm/Sequence

Monitoring NextSteps:ScoringandScaling August2017ReportingTool September2017Educationandsystemroleout Fall2017UpdatedNextGenAthletePoolList December2017NationalMonitoringANationallevelmonitoringstrategyexistsandincludes2nationallevelonwaterassessments(SpeedOrdersNationalSelectionRegattaandNationalRowingChampionships)and2nationallevel physical assessments (RADAR). The on-water assessments and RADAR are the eventswhere athletes can complete the GoldMedal Profile metrics for their personal profile, anddeterminewheretheyrankonanational level.TheSpeedOrdersNationalSelectionRegatta,National Rowing Championships and RADAR assessments will be the formal process forNational TrainingCentre invites, SportCanadaAthleteAssistancePlan (carding) intake, campinvitations(includingselection)andotherNationalTeamProgrammingstrategies.SpeedOrdersNationalSelectionRegattaandNationalRowingChampionships–Thesearetheprimary on watermonitoring and assessment events for the athlete pool. These events aresmall boat focused where all entrants will receive a final ranking of their performancenationally.ParticipantsattheseeventswillincludeNationalTeamhopefulsRADAR-RowingAthleteDevelopmentandRankingisaprogramdesignedtoidentify,trackandmonitor athletes physical output through the rowing ergometer. Quite simply, RADAR is a

batteryofteststhatprovidesasimplestrengthandweaknessassessmentofthespecificfitnesstraits required by rowers. This battery of tests is achieved without the need to undertakelaboratory tests or time out from the routine training environment. Within the nationalmonitoring strategyadditionaldistance specific assessmentswill bepublished formonitoringpurposesthroughthetrainingcycles.NextSteps:ConfirmationofRADARanddistancespecificassessmentdates September2017ConfirmationofSpeedOrdersNSR2018dateandlocation October2017ConfirmationofselectionprocessforNationalRowingTeams(all) October2017

• Note Junior integration with Speed Orders NSR is under review with theobjectiveofconfirminginOctober2017.

PodiumPathwayAnextensiveamountofworkwasdoneinconjunctionwithCanadianTireSportAnalyticsUnitandOwnThePodiumtoscrapeexistingperformancehistoryof theRowing’s2004,2008and2012 Olympic Medalists. Within the NextGen framework, the question of importance ofperformanceatU23WorldChampionshipswithinthePodiumPathwayasabenchmarkwasputtothetest.ThefollowingpointswerecontainedwithintheMarch2nd,2015update:Sinceitsinceptionin2005,theU23ChampionshipshavebecomecrucialtofutureOlympians:

• 38% of men and 20% of women that won their first medal at the 2012 Olympicsparticipated in the U23 World Championships three years before the 2012 OlympicGames

• Every first time 2012Olympicmedalistwho competed in theU23 Championships twoyearsbeforetheOlympicGamesplacedinthetop6

NextSteps:Engage Canadian Tire Sport Analytics Unit to review and update data of 2016 OlympicMedalists, to validate the trends that presented after the 2012 Quadrenial includingdetermining the importance ofWorld Juniors andWorldU23 Championships as benchmarksandconversionratesfrombenchmarkevents.