Oceania Coaching and Sports Science Conference 2024 inspires with groundbreaking insights

The 2024 Oceania Coaching and Sports Science Conference wrapped up this past weekend at Griffith University on the Gold Coast, marking another successful gathering of top minds in sports coaching and science.

With hundreds of coaches, sports scientists and professionals in attendance, the three-day event – themed The Power of Teamwork – showcased the latest in high performance strategies and athlete development insights.

Headlining the conference was legendary NRL coach Wayne Bennett AM, who captivated the audience with his keynote Achieving the Extraordinary: Insights into High-Performance Team Creation.  

Bennett, who has coached teams to seven NRL premierships and 10 grand finals, shared invaluable lessons on resilience, leadership and creating winning cultures.  

The conference also featured Ironwoman Bonnie Hancock, who shared her journey of grit and endurance after paddling 12,700 km around Australia.

Her session was one of many highlights, joining talks from other leading experts, including Scott Fairweather on The Soft Skills of Coaching and Rowing Australia’s Dr. Bronwen Lundy on Creating a Positive Sporting Nutrition Environment. 

“The City is proud to have supported a successful 2024 Oceania Coaching and Sports Science Conference at Griffith University’s Gold Coast campus, welcoming elite coaches, athletes and professionals from across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region,” Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate said.  

“The Power of Teamwork was the theme for the event, something which is consistently embodied by Rowing Australia, and that is synonymous with the Gold Coast’s ambition to be a high performing, collaborative and inclusive city, driven by opportunity.  

“We look forward to continuing our strong relationship with Rowing Australia as we progress towards a fantastic Olympic and Paralympic Games for our region in 2032.” 

Rowing Australia CEO Sarah Cook OLY also emphasised the event’s collaborative spirit, saying the theme truly resonated across the conference. 

“The shared insights and connections made here will drive performance and growth across all levels of sport in our region. Thank you to Mayor Tate and the City of Gold Coast for supporting our events this week. We look forward to building our partnership together,” Cook said.  

Proudly supported by the City of Gold Coast, the conference offered hands-on breakout sessions in Coastal Rowing, Pathways, and Indoor Rowing, as well as networking opportunities that included a well-attended welcome function on Thursday evening.  

The Oceania Coaching and Sports Science Conference once again proved to be a pivotal event for the sport, leaving attendees equipped with innovative tools, fresh perspectives and strengthened ties within the sports community.