Outward Bound Teams Up With Rowing New Zealand

MEDIA RELEASE 26 June 2008

Outward Bound Teams Up With Rowing New Zealand

Rowing New Zealand today [26 June] announced a partnership with the Outward Bound Trust of New Zealand which its hopes will help see more athletes up on the dais post the Beijing Olympics.

Rowing New Zealand High Performance Manager, Andrew Matheson, said Rowing New Zealand has a clear aim of being the best rowing nation in the world.

“To do this we must look for opportunities for our athletes to be the best that they can be and we hope that the Outward Bound partnership will help facilitate this,” he said.

“For an athlete to be at the top of their game they need to be performing in all aspects of their life. It’s only when physical and mental focus, along with emotional commitment, come into line that an athlete is able to truly achieve their full potential.”

Over the past four years Outward Bound has been helping Rowing New Zealand’s athletes to achieve this objective by providing custom designed courses.

“We are, therefore, pleased to be able to roll out further courses to those people in this year’s Under 23 Squad and to members of our current elite team.”

Outward Bound Chief Executive Officer, Trevor Taylor, said he was delighted to be working with Rowing New Zealand.

“We view the partnership as endorsement of the important role Outward Bound can play in building robust relationships and understanding between team members, as well as increasing their drive and motivation to be the best that they can be.

“The courses cover a wide range of areas from increasing athletes’ self awareness through to helping them to develop a mental edge which is a critical part for competing at an international level.”

To date, two custom designed courses have been held at Outward Bound. The most recent one which involved the Under 23 Squad, was used to kick start the team’s 2006/07 training programme and preparations for the 2008 Beijing Olympic squad selection trials.

Beijing Olympics competitors Nathan Cohen (Double Scull) plus Storm Uru and Peter Taylor (Lightweight Double Sculls) all took part in the 2006 Under 23 Outward Bound course. “Thanks to Outward Bound, the Squad got to know each other a whole lot better, and became much closer as a team,” Nathan said.

“Personally, Outward Bound has also made me more aware of my values in life, and of the goals I want to achieve both in sport and in general.”

Andrew Matheson said the change in the 2006 under-23 Squad was immediately apparent at the conclusion of the 10 day Outward Bound course, and the benefits have continued to be felt ever since.

“We’ll be looking for a repeat of those results across all our athletes who get the opportunity to take part in one of the Outward Bound courses.”

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BACKGROUND

About Outward Bound

 Outward Bound is an organisation that is focused on showing people their full potential through challenge and adventure in the outdoors.  It was established in 1962 and still operates from the original location, Anakiwa, in the Marlborough Sounds.  The Outward Bound Trust of New Zealand is a member of Outward Bound International – there are 42 member countries.  Outward Bound offers:

o Youth courses - Classic, Mind Body and Soul, School leaders, Leaps and Bounds and Catalyst. o Adult courses -Masters, Discovery, Leaps and Bounds and Navigator. o Disability courses - Starlight, No Limits, Horizon, Brain Injury Association, Deaf Association and Insight

 Outward Bound courses provide life changing personal development experiences to attendees –both young and old.  In 2005 and 2007 Outward Bound won the Overall JRA Best Places to Work in New Zealand Award.

The courses being offered to Rowing New Zealand athletes have as their key objectives: Development of a mental edge required to participate at the highest level. Exposing athletes to situations where teamwork is essential in overcoming team challenges. Development of attitudes, character, and qualities required for success both personally and in elite sports. Increasing athletes’ self-awareness of their strengths, areas for development, aspirations and values. Expanding athletes’ comfort zones and enhancing motivation. Providing opportunities for athletes to develop leadership. Building robust relationships between team members.

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