The rationalisation of Sport and Recreation NZ took another step yesterday when the Government-funded organisation formalised a service agreement with two dedicated sports academies.
Sparc has signed contracts with the North and South Island New Zealand Academies of Sport as suppliers of high-performance athlete and coach support services.
The agreements effectively spell the end of the Central academy in Wellington. The reduction to two academies, one in each island, was announced 10 months ago.
The Wellington academy's board meets for the last time today. Two of the 10 staff have already gone to the North Island academy in Auckland and others are weighing their options.
Closing the Wellington academy was a central facet of Sparc's high-performance strategy leading up to 2012.
Sparc general manager of sector development Peter Miskimmin said: "A two-region system of dedicated service providers will help Sparc toachieve its objective of nationally driven, regionally delivered high-performance services throughout New Zealand."
The chief executive of the North Island academy, Pete Pfitzinger, said the needs of athletes and coaches in the Wellington area would continue to be met under the new structure.
"Our top priorities are to make sure we have the people and resources in place to support athletes and coaches throughout the North Island, with a particular emphasis on Wellington and the other major centres that were formerly serviced by NZAS Central."
Miskimmin said the talent identification and talent development work initiated by the central academy in the past 12 months would continue and former Wellington rugby assistant coach Chris Boyd had been appointed as a coaching services consultant.
