Sports body plans to lift standards

By TERRY MADDAFORD

A determined bid to give New Zealand sportspeople access to the best facilities and high performance programmes is gaining momentum.

New Zealand Sports Foundation chief executive Chris Ineson yesterday announced plans, after considering six tenders, for High Performance Sports Centres in Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin.

Foundation chairman Sir John Anderson said that it had been difficult to decide their three preferred bids from the tenders.

The new network follows a review of the old academy structure. It is based on the best models in Australia, Britain, Norway, the US and Canada.

Unlike the Australian Institute of Sport, the foundation is not investing in bricks and mortar, preferring instead to use existing facilities and pour their money into the programmes.

The Auckland centre, to be overseen by Steve Bramley, will be based at Unisports in Glen Innes with some involvement from the planned Millennium Centre on the North Shore.

"The foundation was putting $3-4 million into the old academy programmes," said Ineson. "But we envisage, with support from the centres themselves, sponsors and the local community trusts, that up to $8-10 million will come into the programme over the next three to four years.

"The new structure was never seen as being part of the lead-up to the Sydney Olympics, but beyond that. It will be a vital part of preparing our best sporting talent from young kids to the very best - like world rowing champion Rob Waddell."

When the network is in full swing - within 18 months - Ineson says up to 1500 sportsmen and women will be part of the programme.

"This is a long term investment in New Zealand sport. The Australians, who have been over to look at what we are doing, are very impressed."

The first inductees, who should be starting by July, will receive training camp facilities; personal development, sports science and sports medicine services and management and administrative support.