The ability of New Zealand U-20 men’s national team Head Coach Des Buckingham to help shape the careers of the country’s most promising footballers has been further underlined with his inclusion in a highly-acclaimed programme.

Buckingham is one of only 11 inductees into the 2019 edition of the High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ) Coach Accelerator Programme (CAP), rubbing shoulders with some of the brightest coaches across all sports on these shores.

The programme is a three-year professional development initiative that aims to increase New Zealand’s pool of world-class coaches, capable of producing more world, Olympic and Paralympic champions.

Now entering its eleventh year, it offers unique high performance coach development opportunities and previous graduates include current All Blacks coach Steve Hansen (rugby), former Black Caps coach Mike Hesson (cricket) and two-time ISPS Handa Halberg Awards Coach of the Year Gordon Walker (canoe racing).

“I’m really looking forward to this journey and being part of such a well-established programme,” says Buckingham, who also operates as Assistant Coach for the All Whites. 

“The ability to work with other coaches in such a unique and supportive environment will enhance my coaching and delivery to our players.”

Programme Leader Christian Penny is excited to welcome Buckingham and the ten other coaches and is looking forward to overseeing their progress.

“Over the next three years, these coaches will undergo a deep and immersive learning experience designed to test and develop their existing coaching practice,” he says.

“Our aim is to provide a continuous learning experience that is relevant to the challenges and issues coaches currently face in their day-to-day delivery.”

HPSNZ Chief Executive Michael Scott says the development of world-class coaches is a high priority for the organisation over the coming years.

“Through CAP, we aim to support coaches in developing their leadership and coaching styles to accelerate their development,” he says.

“When you have the best coaches in the world and leading programmes which are focused on athletes, then you have the critical ingredients for success.”

The full intake of the 2019 HPSNZ Coach Accelerator Programme is as follows:

Des Buckingham (football)
Jay Carter (golf)
Mitch Brown (snowboarding)
Willie Rickards (rugby)
Reinga Bloxham (netball)
Glen Wilson (squash)
Glenn Pocknall (cricket)
Jarrod Herriot (trampoline)
Tommy Pyatt (freestyle skiing)
Bruce Hunter (triathlon)
John O’Connor (rowing)

Article added: Wednesday 17 April 2019