Head Coach TSNZ Development Squad

TSNZ is in the process of reintroducing a National Development Squad. With the dissolution of the Junior Development Squad, there has been a demand for a programme to continue to develop our shooters, irrespective of age. This new Squad will fill the space between beginner and high-performance training, and will assist our athletes on to the international stage in the disciplines of 3 Position, Air Rifle and 50m Prone. Our desire is to see more TSNZ athletes competing internationally in these ISSF disciplines, with a strong focus on continuous improvement.

The new Development Squad aims to have two tiers of coaches consisting of one or two main coaches and several secondary level coaches, to share the workload. This ensures that there is a coach and mentor available to athletes most of the time.

The Head Coach will report directly to the TSNZ Executive who will assist the coaches as required. At present travel and accommodation costs associated with the responsibilities in the role are covered for training camps, international events and further agreed upon regional events. These will be discussed on a case-by-case basis for the reimbursement of costs.

As the role progresses, and the Development Squad remains an integral part in developing athletes into the high-performance area, efforts will be made to introduce an annual salary for coaches. Until new funding opportunities arise, this remains a work in progress.

Responsibilities

• Assist athletes in identifying their own areas of improvement and implementing tools to fix these;
• Develop training programmes to facilitate continuous improvement;
• Identify any general weaknesses of the squad and develop improvement strategies;
• Assist TSNZ in the creation of a strategic plan and budget;
• Work closely with TSNZ and second level coaches to ensure all annual targets are met
• Facilitate training camps to integrate training strategies and assess athletes’ individual improvement;
• Assist in identifying which international events will be appropriate for athletes to attend.
• Oversee the squad as a whole; periodically checking athlete’s training plans and evaluating progress;
• Regular contact with second level coaches to assist them with their athletes.
• Remain current on training techniques and guidelines from ISSF and third-party sources.
• Communicate regularly with athletes to discuss individual training needs.
• Remain current on ISSF rules and regulations; and
• Assist athletes and coaches to contact external help as necessary (physios, nutritionists, psychologists);

• Firearms licence;
• Full driver’s licence;
• Experience in coaching;
• bility to motivate and communicate with athletes of all ages;
• Motivation for continuous learning to facilitate athlete development;
• A comprehensive understanding of at least two of the targeted disciplines;
• A coaching course, or equivalent qualification would be beneficial;
• Prior experience competing at an international level in at least one of the three positions (Air rifle, 50m prone, 3P) would also be beneficial.

The hours of work required in this role are dependent on the time of year, as well as athlete and squad needs. However, a large portion of the work can be completed at home at the hours of your choosing.

To facilitate success; there will be a requirement to attend international and large national events that athletes are attending, in a coach and supporting role.

The Head Coach of the Development Squad will be an integral decider in identifying which international events are appropriate for the Squad’s athletes to attend. These decisions will be made in conjunction with the TSNZ Executive and will be a result of current athlete scores and performance during training camps facilitated by the Head Coach.

If you are interested in this position or would like more information, please contact the TSNZ office. We are unable to continue developing our national body without the dedication and work of our volunteers. If we can help in answering any further questions, please reach out to us for assistance.

TSNZ Office
targetshootingnz@xtra.co.nz 
Phone: 022 313 0609