Wanganui coaches learn from the best

RUBBING SHOULDERS: Wanganui Rugby Union development Justin Lock will be sharing the knowledge with some of the world's best coaching minds during the "Connecting Coaches" convention in Auckland next week.PHOTO/FILE

A small team of Wanganui trainers are off to Auckland to soak up the knowledge of some of the best in the business.

Fresh from winning the Rugby World Cup, All Blacks coach Steve Hansen will address 600 diverse coaches from around the country at Sport New Zealand's "Connecting Coaches" convention on December 4-6.

"As one of the most successful elite coaches in the world, Steve Hansen will provide a unique insight into coaching that will benefit all of our attending coaches," says Sport NZ chief Peter Miskimmin.

Along with Hansen, the convention is also headlined by former chair of UK Sport Baroness Sue Campbell and Black Caps coach Mike Hesson, and includes many other high-calibre coaches.

One of those going is Wanganui Rugby Union community development officer Justin Lock.

"One of our biggest briefs in this job is to help upskill coaches - we facilitate that," Lock said yesterday.

Lock is also a coach and has just recently completed Level 2 coaching and will embark on Level 3 in January.

Lock is the manager of the Wanganui representative cricket team, but has coached the winning Wanganui U20 rugby side and the development team with Border coach Ross Williams.

"I'm going to be pretty much immersed in coaching in the coming weeks. I'm off to Palmerston North for an IRB coaching course on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and then to the Auckland convention the following week.

"A big part of coaching is sharing knowledge, so I'm looking forward to rubbing shoulders with some of the best in the world," Lock said.

Miskimmin said from grassroots right through to high performance sport, coaches play a crucial role in New Zealand's world-leading sport system.

"Connecting Coaches will give Kiwi coaches the tools, connections and inspiration they need to take their coaching to the next level," Miskimmin said.

"Through the theme of 'coaching the New Zealand way' we will ask some honest questions about Kiwi coaching and identify the areas we do well and the places we can improve."

Lock said attending the Auckland convention came about some time ago after talking to Nicole Dryden from Sport Whanganui who was keen to put a small team together from this neck of the woods.

Dryden said there were others from the region going, but she had no definitive list of names.