AFL icon Kevin Sheedy and Australian basketball patriarch Lindsay Gaze have vowed their continued support for Australia’s Paralympic Games campaign after the pair featured at the National Coaching Forum at Sydney’s Olympic Park.
 
Sheedy and Gaze joined fellow Australian sporting greats, sailor John Bertrand and swimming coach Tracey Menzies, as guest speakers at the Forum which was a joint initiative of the Australian Paralympic Committee (APC) and Australian Sports Commission (ASC).
 
With 22 Aussie Paralympic coaches across 11 sports in attendance, they were treated to an amazing and rare insight into the realm of elite level competition, just a day after the countdown to the 2008 Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony breached the 150-day barrier.
 
APC Director of Sport Jason Hellwig was delighted with the outcome of the Forum, as Australia prepares to send its biggest ever-team to a Paralympic Games overseas.
 
“It was a great opportunity for coaches to talk about the great challenges they face and share those insights in preparation for success,” Hellwig said.
 
“The Australian Paralympic Committee in partnership with the Australian Sports Commission, have brought these four great coaches together, and for our coaches to listen and learn from their experience and knowledge is just fantastic.”
 
Australian Sports Commission Chief Executive Officer Mark Peters praised the work of both organisations in preparing our Paralympic athletes.
 
“Our Paralympians have given this country a great legacy of inspiration and achievement at the highest sporting levels,’ Mr Peters said.
 
“I’m very happy that the Australian Paralympic Committee and the ASC are working together on the challenges facing coaches as they prepare their athletes and squads for the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games.”
 
“The lessons and experiences offered by coaching icons like Lindsay Gaze and Kevin Sheedy are acutely relevant to our Paralympic coaches and athletes.”

Menzies, the coach behind Ian Thorpe’s amazing swimming career between 2002 and 2006, delivered her views on the pressure surrounding coaches during their maiden Paralympic appearance.
 
America’s Cup winning skipper Bertrand spoke of the challenge of being the underdog while Sheedy and Gaze both imparted some of the knowledge and experience gained during decades at the top level in their respective sports.
 
Sheedy was glowing in his praise of the Forum, and believes the sharing of knowledge between coaches across different sports is an extremely valuable exercise.
 
“This [Forum] really moved in the right direction in terms of sharing knowledge and experience. All coaches from all sports have something to give,” Sheedy said.
 
“The sharing of knowledge and the bridge-building between all sports in this country, nothing should ever stop that from happening. The people who encourage that sharing of knowledge are on the right pathway for success for the future.”
 
Gaze, a man who featured at three Olympic Games as a player and four as coach, knows all too well the pressure that will fall on athletes and coaching staff at the Games in September. He said the Forum was successful in helping coaches gain a much wider understanding of what to expect.
 
“It was excellent, very worthwhile. You always have satisfaction when you are exchanging ideas. Coaching should never just be one-way process,” Gaze said.
 
“The Forum was an excellent opportunity for the coaches to work among themselves, with me being something of a moderator. I was sometimes provocative in regards to the subject matter to get those exchanges of views and ideas, and I was glad to share the benefits of experiencing the preparation for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.”