Kia ora koutou,
We’re happy to announce the confirmed dates for NZSDC regionals this year! They are:
Northland – Sun 20 March
Auckland – 2 & 3 April
Counties Manukau – Sat 19 March
Waikato – Sun 13 March
Bay of Plenty – Sat 26 March
Hawke’s Bay – Sat 26 March
CNI – Sat 19 March
Wellington – 2 & 3 April
KM – Sat 12 March
Canterbury – 19 & 20 March
Otago – 2 & 3 April
Southland – 5 & 6 March
Due to the likelihood of a large omicron outbreak by the time regionals comes around in March we decided it wasn’t feasible to expect in person events to be happening. I know this will be incredibly disappointing for everyone but we will make sure that online regionals are still really fun and exciting for the students, teachers and judges.
Convenors will be sending out more details for their region over the next week, if they haven’t done so already so keep an eye out for that email!
We are also opening coaching applications for regionals teams!
The general requirements of coaching the teams are as follows:
- Attend the relevant regional competition (see dates above)
- Train your team: Generally, you should aim to train the team for a few weekends between Regionals in March and Nationals in May, but it is at your discretion as to how you arrange this.
- Attend Nationals from Friday 27 May to Monday 30 May
Application Process
Applicants may apply by completing the following google form:
https://forms.gle/DBofzFXKQtT8hqZRA
Applications close on Wednesday 23 February at 7pm.
Following on from its use in the last two years, Council will be instituting a feedback process for coaching applicants. The feedback process will be used as a mechanism for individuals to express concerns about the suitability of an applicant to coach students and is not a general feedback process that you may see at the university level for adjudication cores.
Feedback will open on Wednesday 23 February and close on Saturday 26 February.
Assistant Coaches
An assistant coach is a coach that does not lead training but assists the coaches through tasks such as debating the team and providing feedback to the team. The assistant coaching pathway is aimed at providing meaningful opportunities for the development of younger coaches under more experienced coaches.
Those wishing to be an assistant coach can also apply using the same google form. Regional selection panels will appoint assistant coaches in consultation with the appointed coaches for each region.
Selection of Coaches
Coaching appointments will be made in line with NZSDC’s Coach Selection Policy found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZFz5_Q7P4-l8dABU4IRVIMEBjCJJ1pSyW5qpdZegC0w/
In 2022, Council will appoint 3 regional selection panels which will consider applicants wishing to apply as regional coaches.
- Upper North Island Regional Selection Panel – Northland, Auckland, Counties Manukau, Waikato and the Bay of Plenty
- Central New Zealand Selection Panel – Hawke’s Bay, Central North Island, Wellington, and Kahurangi-Marlborough
- South Island Selection Panel – Canterbury, Otago, and Southland
All regional selection panel processes will be run simultaneously but independently. In regions where there is more than 1 region being contested, candidates will be asked to indicate which regions they wish to be considered for. They will also be given the opportunity to state and explain the ranked preference of regions for which they wish to be considered.
An applicant can apply as an individual coach, or in a combination with one other applicant.
Where a selection panel has multiple regions under consideration they will appoint coaches with the goal of achieving the strongest possible coaches for all regions under consideration in accordance with the regional preferences of candidates.
Please send any questions to Will Miller ([email protected]) who is managing the process.
