With an eye to the future Sport Bay of Plenty is launching its Pathway to Podium programme aimed at athletes one to three years from entering the high performance system.

Launched yesterday the programme, in conjunction with Sport New Zealand, High Performance Sport New Zealand and the National Sporting Organisations, will allow selected Bay athletes to develop their own individualised performance plans plus have access to athlete services.

Olivia Hay, Sport Bay of Plenty coaching and talent development team leader Dave Clarke-, Stacey Waaka, Sport Bay of Plenty chief executive Heidi Lichtwark, Amy Robinson, BayTrust CoachForce basketball and guest speaker Byron Vaetoe, Abby Goldie, Bay of Plenty Polytechnic sport and recreation group leader Pete Sommers, Georgia Dufty.

They will receive strength and conditioning, performance nutrition consultations, athlete life advice, and mental skills training which will help those selected take the next step towards high performance sport.

These services will be delivered through workshops and individual sessions with the athletes. The athletes' coaches and parents will also be engaged in the programme.

The seven inaugural athletes selected for the programme include footballer Paige Satchell, canoeist Taris Harker and the athletics pairing of Abby Goldie and Amy Robinson.

Sport Bay of Plenty coach and talent development team leader Dave Clarke is excited by the prospect of developing a network of providers in the Bay to assist athletes to get the most out of their performances when they enter the high performance arena.

Sport Bay of Plenty is one of 14 regional hubs that have been empowered to develop a local approach to the programme.

Sport New Zealand chief executive Peter Miskimmon believes the beauty of the programme is its regional focus and brings high performance support to local kids in their communities.

'There's no one place in New Zealand where talent springs from,” says Peter.

'Talent is everywhere and so no matter where an athlete is from, they'll be given support at a stage in their development that can really help them gain their entry ticket to one day competing for New Zealand on the world stage.”

High Performance Sport New Zealand chief executive Alex Baumann says the programme fills what has been a gap in the system, helping build sustainability in the high performance system by supporting those athletes going on to compete for New Zealand in 2024 and 2028.

Up until now, High Performance Sport New Zealand have only been able to support these athletes competing within a four to eight year cycle, says Alex.

Sport New Zealand and High Performance Sport New Zealand are together investing $1 million into the national programme and the Bay of Plenty regional talent hub is also generating resource, both as cash and in-kind support, from commercial partners to ensure the success of the programme.

Entry to the programme takes place in April/May each year and is expressly through the National Sporting Organisation Performance Directors and then endorsed by Sport New Zealand.

Bay of Plenty athletes that have been selected to participate in the inaugural Pathway to Podium intake are:

• Taris Harker - Canoe
• Paige Satchell – Football
• Olivia Hay - Para Swimming
• Georgia Dufty - Equestrian
• Stacey Waaka – Rugby
• Abby Goldie – Athletics
• Amy Robinson – Athletics