There is no doubt about it. The rowers representing this country at the London Olympics performed out of their skins and bought huge pride on all who watched and on themselves. Already, the thoughts are on the prospects for Rio and the next Olympiad. And NZ Rowing is advancing the idea that it wishes to be represented in all classes of the code. There is also no doubt that watching elite sport - particularly at Olympic level is compelling. There is a big dose of nationalism mixed right into the personal stuff as well.
Sport New Zealand has a defining role in determining how much money is spent in encouraging grass-roots participation in sport, and how much of its budget is spent on developing elite sport. Its vision is "Everyone. Every day. Enjoying and excelling through sport and recreation". It states it will realise this vision by having "more kids in sport and recreation, more adults in sport and recreation and more New Zealand winners on the world stage".
Over recent years, the emphasis of Sport NZ and its allied arm of High Performance Sport New Zealand has changed dramatically. Specific targeted sports now have "investment" funding, with aims of achieving at specific international events, including the Olympic Games.
As many will be aware, some codes have had dramatic changes in funding. Sports such as rowing have increased funding and others have funding reduced. Noticeable, but not particularly well publicised, is a decision to fund rugby sevens to the tune of $1.75 million, presumably to assist already professional rugby players and their business to compete at Rio.
There is no doubt that these policies resulted in some excellent achievements, more people watching sport, and the flow-on effect labelled by Sports Minister Murray McCully and Prime Minister John Key as a "feel good" factor. What is noticeably missing is any evidence that these policies are, indeed, achieving what is generally accepted as worthwhile goals of a more active population.
It is interesting to examine two relatively high-profile sports, rowing and swimming. One, by any measurement, was successful and one disappointing, but both sports demand very high levels of athlete dedication to training and don't rely on major differences through technology. It is a pretty level playing field, and to succeed in either sport relies on latent talent, personal drive and appropriate coaching.
Those who come to elite swimming do so mainly through swim clubs scattered through the country. Double gold medal winner Danyon Loader was a member of the Zenith Swimming Club in Dunedin, but then joined Duncan Laing's swim squad based at Moana Pool at an early age and it was from here that he became a world-beater. Duncan Laing believed that, in order to find two swimmers who could medal at a national championships, he needed about 100 swimmers in his squad.
Essentially, this is the "cream rises to the top" philosophy, whereby a large number of participants will inevitably result in a few being able to be recognised, fostered and advanced. Swim clubs are cheap to run; swimming is not, by comparison, an expensive sport in which to compete.
Swimming governance, however, is in disarray. The well-publicised meltdowns at national level, resignations and dismissals tell us of a strong disconnect between what regional and club swimming believes is important and how elite swimming is to be addressed. But clubs are relatively strong, with a high number of kids being coached by amateurs in pools up and down the country. The potential for cream to rise is still there, and a lot of kids are learning to swim, to compete and to aspire for greater things.
Swim NZ has concentrated its elite programme at the Millennium Institute in Auckland. But, judging by the London results, the swimmer who chose to base herself at a United States University was the one who achieved noticeable results. So why should there be a New Zealand High Performance Swim Centre?
If medals are the required result, why not choose the most effective way of achieving that and send all our swimmers to US universities?
Rowing has chosen a different path with entirely different results. Elite rowing is well funded and is almost entirely based at Karapiro, near Hamilton. Indeed, the high-performance director of NZ Rowing, when interviewed recently, said he believed the key to the success of the New Zealand rowing team was that all high-level training was concentrated at one location. However, the grass-roots infrastructure that has produced the likes of Hamish Bond is now under pressure because of these strategic decisions, and clubs are under immediate and serious threat.
Rowing is expensive, with even school crews demanding and expecting world-class boats so they can achieve at the Maadi Cup school competition. As an indication, a subscription for a girl to row at Rangi Ruru High School is $4500, with day-pupil school fees of $16,750 on top of that. So not only do you have to have commitment, drive and talent, but you also have to have buckets of cash.
Traditional rowing clubs such as Otago, North End and Port Chalmers United now largely comprise some secondary school members and masters rowers. It would be fair to say that there are no significant "club" rowers left in this region or virtually any other part of the country. It is also fair to say the New Zealand Rowing Club Championships are now largely made up of elite crews rowing for high-performance centres or school crews.
So where have the club rowers vanished to?
The short answer is that the way NZ Rowing operates, potential champions are identified from school crews and rapidly moved to elite programmes. The also-rans are forgotten, and of course schools have no real interest in anyone no longer representing their school. The clubs have had their high performers removed and there is no tangible support for ongoing recreational or club rowing or competition from the national body.
In fact, there is little difference between this type of athlete selection and the criticised Chinese method of identifying, removing from the masses, and training at very high levels.
I suggest it is time to examine Sport New Zealand's policies to assess whether they are achieving their vision and aims. This is a discussion and debate that needs to take place in a much wider forum than the high-level boardrooms of Sport NZ, HPSNZ and their government ministers.
The first question we should all ask is whether we want to be a nation of participants in sport and recreation, or whether we would just prefer to watch others achieving - albeit at a wonderful level.
