PERSONAL
EXCELLENCE
OUTLINE
What is Personal Excellence?
Formerly known as the National Athlete Career and Education (NACE) Program, the newly titled
Personal Excellence Program is an initiative of the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) and is an
important element within Australia’s High Performance Sport Plan – Australia’s Winning Edge.
For further information about Australia’s Winning Edge 2012 – 2022 please refer to the following link
http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/australias_winning_edge
Personal Excellence is designed to assist athletes to make informed decisions that impact performance
in sport and life.
Through a multifaceted approach, athletes will be provided with guidance, access to resources and
educational opportunities to achieve personal and professional empowerment. The Personal
Excellence Program places attention on the Personal Excellence Principles of professionalism,
accountability, responsibility, integrity and resilience through the 3 key learning areas.
The 3 Personal Excellence key learning areas are:
1. Sport / Life
2. Dual Career
3. Progression
The issues and increased media scrutiny faced by today’s athlete’s places significant pressure on all
areas of their life and their ability to manage their actions.
Therefore, if an athlete can:
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Embrace and understand the need for lifelong learning
Adopt appropriate life skills, and
Be prepared for all stages of the high performance pathway
They will be better equipped to make decisions which impact performance in sport and life, successfully
progress through athletic journey and achieve the principles of Personal Excellence.
For further information about the Australian Institute of Sport Personal Excellence Program please refer
to the following link http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/personal_excellence
For information about Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Program please click on the
following link or contact Troy Baverstock (Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Consultant) on
0468 922 184 or [email protected] . Troy is available Tuesday, Wednesday
and Thursday
Water Polo Australia’s Goal
In line with Australia’s Winning Edge 2012 – 2022 game plan for moving from world class to world best
Water Polo Australia’s goal is to provide the right support at the right time in the athlete’s pathway, by
empowering athletes through world best programs and services.
Water Polo Australia’s Commitment to Personal Excellence
In line with the AIS Personal Excellence Program and a holistic approach towards supporting and
developing athletes with world best programs and services, which cater for the needs of the sport and
individual, Water Polo Australia will work collaboratively with the AIS, NSWIS, VIS, SASI and WAIS
Personal Excellence Advisors and Personal Development Advisors at the QAS to deliver Water Polo
Australia’s Personal Excellence Program to Australia’s Winning Edge categorised athletes.
Water Polo Australia’s Winning Edge categorisations consist of:
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Podium
Podium Potential
Emerging, and
Developing athletes
Water Polo Australia’s Key Learning Areas for Personal Excellence
Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Program consists of the following 3 key learning areas:
1. Sport / Life
2. Dual Career
3. Progression
Water Polo Australia’s 3 key learning areas are consistent with the AIS Personal Excellence key
learning areas and will be explained in the following outline. The purpose of providing an outline is to
explain and clarify Water Polo Australia’s commitment to Personal Excellence, and as a means to
provide internal and external parties with some context for Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence
Program.
Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Program Delivery Strategy
Water Polo Australia have employed a part time Personal Excellence Consultant to coordinate their
Personal Excellence Program and work in collaboration with the state and territory institute and
academy of sport network, and respective professionals.
Water Polo Australia’s Peak Athlete Performance Model
It is Water Polo Australia’s belief that the following Peak Athlete Performance Model plays an integral
role in assisting elite water polo athletes create balance and perspective in their lives, and in their
approach to their professional water polo careers. In turn this balance and perspective contributes to
consistent high performance and prepares athletes for the next phase of life.
Physical
Fitness
Personal &
Professional
Development
Peak Athlete
Performance
Technical &
Tactical Skill
Development
Emotional
Health and
Wellbeing
Physical Fitness and Technical and Tactical Skill Development
Water Polo Australia will work in conjunction with the state and territory institute and academy of sport
network to provide a peak athlete performance model, which will empower athletes through world best
programs and services. Services may include but are not limited to:
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High Performance Coaching
Skill Acquisition
Strength and Conditioning
Physiology
Biomechanics
Nutrition
Performance Analysis
Personal Excellence
Performance Psychology
Physiotherapy
Sports Medicine
Massage Therapy
NB: while the areas of physical fitness and technical and tactical skill development do not sit within
Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Program – they sit within the broader context of Water Polo
Australia’s Peak Athletic Performance Model and coexist with personal and professional development,
and emotional health and wellbeing.
Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Program 3 Key Learning Areas
1. SPORT / LIFE
This area focuses on opportunities for athletes to identify transferable skills and competencies
developed within the high performance environment, and how these skills can be further enhanced to
positively deal with the demands and challenges of contemporary issues across sport and life.
Personal and Professional Development
Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Consultant will work in collaboration with the AIS, NSWIS,
VIS, SASI and WAIS Personal Excellence Advisors, Personal Development Advisors at the QAS, and
respective professionals to deliver personal development workshops that can assist athletes adopt
valuable life skills and thrive in contemporary society. Themes may include but are not limited to:
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Decision Making
Public Speaking
Time Management
Media Training / Social Media
Financial Awareness
Integrated Planning
Emotional Health and Wellbeing
Water Polo Australia will work in conjunction with internal and external health professionals, (i.e.,
Psychologists, Nutritionists, etc.) aligned with the AIS, NSWIS, VIS, SASI and WAIS to assist athletes
maintain balanced emotional health and wellbeing. Themes may include but are not limited to:
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Goal Setting
Managing Anxiety
Resilience and Coping Strategies
Rest and Recovery
Relaxation Techniques
Dietary Advice
For further information about accessing internal and external health professionals aligned with the state
and territory institute and academy of sport network – please contact Water Polo Australia’s Personal
Excellence Consultant or your state and territory institute and academy of sport Personal Excellence
Advisor or Personal Development Advisor at the QAS.
NB: In circumstances where available resources or expertise is insufficient, athletes can be referred to
the AIS Elite Athlete Counselling Support Program. This referral will be supported through funds
administered by the AIS and is accessible to Australia’s Winning Edge categorised athletes. For further
information please contact Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Consultant.
2. DUAL CAREER
Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Consultant will work in collaboration with the AIS, NSWIS,
VIS, SASI and WAIS Personal Excellence Advisors and Personal Development Advisors at the QAS,
to deliver career guidance and education advice to all Australian Winning Edge categorised athletes.
Each Advisor will work alongside athletes to assist them to develop skills and knowledge, to enable
them to make decisions which impact performance in sport and life, successfully progress through their
athletic journey and achieve the principles of the Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Program.
Optimising Career Opportunities
Water Polo Australia recognises the importance of optimising career opportunities and supports
athlete’s endeavours in this area. Career development provides the opportunity for athletes to develop
critical skills in leadership, communication, team work, time management, organising and problem
solving – skills that are transferable between an athlete’s career, sport and life.
Career and Education plays a pivotal role in assisting athletes to create balance and perspective in their
lives and in their approach to their athletic career. This balance in turn contributes to consistent high
performance and prepares athletes for the next phase of life.
Embracing Lifelong Learning
Education offers a significant opportunity to grow and develop in both formal and informal settings, and
if an athlete can embrace and understand the need for lifelong learning they will be better equipped in
their approach towards their career, sport and life.
Water Polo Australia consider Education a key objective of its Personal Excellence Program, and in
collaboration with the state and territory institute and academy of sport network, Australian Winning
Edge categorised athletes are offered the following:
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Access to Educational Scholarships and Grants
Access to Elite Athlete University Network
Access to myAISplaybook e-platform
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Educational Scholarships and Grants
For further information about accessing educational scholarships and grants – please contact Water
Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Consultant or your state and territory institute and academy of
sport Personal Excellence Advisor or Personal Development Advisor at the QAS.
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Elite Athlete University Network
The Elite Athlete Friendly University (EAFU) Network has been established to identify and promote
universities who have responded to the specific needs of elite student athletes by developing new, or
promoting existing policies and practices, which assist elite student athletes to undertake sporting
opportunities whilst pursuing and achieving academic excellence.
Any athlete requiring assistance with their current or future university requirements should contact
Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Consultant or their state or territory institute or academy of
sport Personal Excellence Advisor or Personal Development Advisor at the QAS.
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myAISplaybook e-platform
myAISplaybook is an online platform that was developed as an athlete-only, e-adaptive learning
community. Through myAISplaybook, athletes on their sporting journey can communicate and learn
from other athletes across all sports, while increasing their awareness of the contemporary issues they
face as they navigate the high performance pathway.
For further information about myAISplaybook please refer to the following link
http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/personal_excellence or contact the myAISplaybook team directly on 02
6214 7500 or [email protected] .
3. PROGRESSION
Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Consultant will work in collaboration with the AIS, NSWIS,
VIS, SASI and WAIS Personal Excellence Advisors and Personal Development Advisors at the QAS,
to deliver an athlete roadmap including, inductions to high performance sport and benchmark
representative teams, along with transition guidance and planning for post career, and significant other
activities to all Australian Winning Edge categorised athletes.
Water Polo Australia’s Roadmap
The Roadmap is a planning document identifying Personal Excellence specific and Water Polo Australia
flavoured education or intervention support for Australian Winning Edge categorised athletes within
calendar years and Olympic cycles.
Water Polo Australia’s Roadmap will reflect the AIS Personal Excellence 3 key learning areas of Sport
/ Life, Dual Career and Progression, and will consist of the following:
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Orientation into the High Performance System and Benchmark Events
Transition
Significant Others
Orientation into the High Performance System and Benchmark Events
In collaboration with the state and territory institute and academy of sport network, Water Polo
Australia is committed to assisting athletes successfully progress through their athletic journey. Water
Polo Australia aims to support Australia’s Winning Edge categorised athletes with Athlete Orientation
and Induction Programs to help athletes achieve personal and professional empowerment and
acknowledge and appreciate the requirements and expectations of being an elite water polo athlete.
Transition and Significant Other Program Activities
Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Consultant will work in collaboration with the AIS, NSWIS,
VIS, SASI and WAIS Personal Excellence Advisors and Personal Development Advisors at the QAS,
in a bid to equip athletes and their ‘significant others’ i.e., family members, daily training environment
coaches, training partners, employers etc., to make decisions, which impact performance in sport and
life.
Transition and the subsequent change faced by athletes and their network of ‘significant others’ is a
constant companion of high performance sport. Water Polo Australia will provide the opportunity for
athletes to access Personal Excellence and other identified services for a determined period post
transition, in support of athletes overcoming any challenges that they may experience.
Water Polo Australia recognises that ‘significant others’ play an integral role in assisting athletes to
create balance and perspective in their lives, and contribute to peak athletic performance. Therefore,
Water Polo Australia plans to include ‘significant others’ in identified activities and events, in support of
athletes successfully progressing through their athletic journey and achieving the principles of Water
Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Program.
For further information about Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Program please
contact Troy Baverstock (Water Polo Australia’s Personal Excellence Consultant) on 0468 922
184 or [email protected] .