Embracing the future at Our Sporting Future forum

Embracing ‘Generation Y’, the importance of volunteering and the role of sport in the community, developing infrastructure, embracing new and emerging sports and activities, and the place of ethics in sport were key presentations at this week’s Our Sporting Future forum.

Australia’s leading sports forum attracted over 500 delegates to the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Among many noteable sessions, Peter Holmes à Court, co-owner of the South Sydney Rabbitohs, explained the redevelopment of the Redfern Oval.

Speaking of the importance of the Rabbitohs within their community, Holmes à Court stated “if you structure your activities to be open and to help the community then people will help you achieve your goals.”

With the redeveloped Oval open to the public every morning and every night, while also acting as the Rabbitohs training venue, Holmes à Court highlighted how transparency “invites rich participation” adding “there is a fence around Redfern Oval, and we close the gates for paid matches, but even when we do, you can see through for free.”

Bernard Petiot, Vice President of Cirque du Soleil, explained how the Cirque du Soleil had reinvented the circus genre embracing many performers with a background in high-level sports.

As Petiot explained, “part of Cirque’s fame and unique style can be attributed to the highly developed athletic and sport skills featured in our shows … drawing on acrobatic skills acquired through sports, we can explore various performances faster and in greater depth and take calculated risks that are a cut above the traditional circus approach.”

Management consultant Avril Henry’s presentation on the ‘ Who, What, When, and Y of Generation whY’ explained why Generation (those born after the mid 1980s) do things differently: how they asks questions; how they need a sense of belonging; and how they network.

Howard Whitton of the Ethicos Group explained why ethics in sport matter, and asked whether ethical standards be codified and if our elite sportspeople be role models on and off the field? As Whitton stated “the problem with ethics is that you have negotiatable standards and optional application” highlighting that many sports require their players to be aggressive risk takers on the field but to show a calmer more controlled character off the field.

The Our Sporting Future forum was held from Monday to Friday this week.

Australasian Leisure Management was an exhibitor at the event.

23rd June 2010 - OUR SPORTING FUTURE 2010 SET TO CHALLENGE AND INSPIRE