Coaches

Are you an established coach working in the non-elite club and schools’ space, who would like to become more effective in your coaching practices? Sport Bay of Plenty's Development Coach Advance (DCA) programme is a 9-month learning journey. It can help you develop skills in critical learning areas, benefiting both you and those you coach.

DCA is not an awards-based programme where one passes or fails, but rather a programme that aims to develop your confidence and capabilities. It’s also an opportunity to connect and collaborate with coaches like you. Click below to read the programme details and criteria.

Next intake 2026.

Learn more: Development Coach Advance

Are you looking for a chance to chat with other coaches and those in the industry? Performance Coach Network is a collection of Bay of Plenty performance coaches, physios and umpire coaches who meet every 2-3 months for a korero. Ask our Sport Development Advisors for dates and locations.

Contact: Sport Development and Coaching Team

There are three coaching scholarship opportunities.

• The BayTrust Performance Coach Scholarship is aimed at performance coaches.
• BayTrust Emerging or Rangatahi Coach Scholarship is targeted at those who are new to coaching and/or aged between 12-20.

• BayTrust Coach Development Scholarship recognises the coaching volunteers within our community. It is designed to assist these coaches to further develop their skills.

Visit our Funding page to see what scholarships are currently open and if you are eligible.

Learn more: Funding

Newsletter details coming soon.

Here’s a quick explanation of the initiatives to help keep you in the know.

• Good Sports - a culture change initiative aiming to create positive sporting experiences for children by educating and supporting the key adult influencers in youth sport – in particular, parents.
• Balance is Better - creating quality sport experiences for our children to maintain their love of being active.
• Its My Move – supporting young women to be active their way.
• Push Play – back from the 90s to remind Kiwis to get active.

Learn more: Good Sports, Balance is Better, Its My Move, Push Play

The New Zealand Coaching Strategy commits to creating a world-class coaching environment in New Zealand, with a common purpose and inter-connected parts. This environment will deliver significant coaching benefits to all athletes - regardless of age, race, status or location.

The strategy aims to ensure key people in coaching work more collaboratively for athletes' benefit. This will complement the efforts of New Zealand’s many committed coaches and successful coaching programmes.

The New Zealand Coaching Strategy

Learn more: Coaching Strategy

Understanding the Sport Pathways Framework is crucial for coaches.

Developed by Sport New Zealand and High Performance Sport NZ, this framework ensures the sport system works together to create safe, supportive, and inspiring environments that reflect each person’s motivations and aspirations.

Benefits of understanding the framework

• Tailored coaching approaches – adapt your coaching to suit different participant needs and stages.
• Alignment with participant motivations – deliver experiences that truly resonate with why people play sport.
• Support for holistic development – foster wellbeing across physical, mental, emotional, and social dimensions.
• System-wide consistency – align with common language and goals across the sport sector.
• Guidance for long-term development – help participants move up and down pathways.

In summary, the Sport Pathways Framework equips coaches with the insight and tools to provide quality, participant-centred experiences that foster lifelong involvement in sport.

Learn more: Sport Pathways Framework