Massive industry collaboration at National Sports Convention 2016

The upcoming National Sports Convention has witnessed a massive coming together of local government, international sporting bodies and organisations, non profit organisations, national and state sporting and peak bodies, educational institutions, commercial providers and state and territory government - all committed to developing and creating opportunities to play, recreate, keep fit and participate in sport at all levels.

Being held at Sydney’s Rosehill Racecourse on 23rd and 24th June, the National Sports Convention is playing host to multiple conference streams, symposiums, masterclasses and a dedicated Expo to encourage the broadest network of delegates from play, recreation, sport, government, education, consultancy, architectural and planning sectors.

Currently more than a dozen collaborators, over 125 global and Australian organisations and close to 500 delegates will be attending the event.

In addition, the National Sports Convention Expo is free for industry professionals and interested parties to attend, with Expo attendees able to view the last products and services from more than 40 exhibitors.

In addition to the main National Sports Convention, the event will be playing host to a World Rugby Symposium.

National Sports Convention 2016 Program

Sports Turf Conference 
For the first time the focus will be on the technology and solutions of natural, hybrid and synthetic turf so that more children and adults can have the facilities to play sports and recreate. The key themes will include:

• Natural sports turf management and latest solutions;
• Synthetic sports surfaces – latest trends and practical applications;
• Sports grounds management best practice;
• New natural turf species and applications;
• Natural v hybrid v synthetics;
• Development of multi-use activity zones – what surfaces?    
• Lighting, pavilions and sporting infrastructure; and
• Standards for synthetic sports surfaces.

The NSC 2016 will be collaborating with key partners to bring a quality program that will bring together government, sport and the education sector that are passionate about providing the best quality surface for their communities. 

Playgrounds and Equipment
To encourage children to play and be active from the earliest stages of life they should be supported by providing playgrounds and play spaces for them. The conference will be focussed on innovation of spaces, programmes and activities as well as the standards for playgrounds.

The key themes will include:

• Playground design to encourage more children to play and be active
• Developing play strategies
• Playground standards
• Growing Participation

Growing Participation through Programs & Activities
To appreciate the changing dynamics of the population; government, sport and service providers need to understand the changing demographics and trends in participation. Once understood what the barriers are, motivators can be developed through innovation and with proven solutions can activate and retain people. This section of the program will focus on: 

• Global trends and research that identifies what the industry needs to embrace to encourage greater participation;
• Programs, activities and interventions that work;
• Targeting specific community audiences to encourage them to play, recreate, train and compete;
• Products and solutions to assist with the encouragement to get people to be more active;
• International and national best practice case studies on what succeeds; and
• Sports pathways and policies to build the transition from recreation through to elite sport.

The NSC 2016 will be collaborating with Community Sport Australia to bring a comprehensive program to the Conference.

Sports, Recreation and Leisure Facilities
Developing, designing and managing sport, recreation and leisure spaces and fields to encourage more people to be active is critical if the industry is to be able to provide the programs activities needed to activate the community. Thus there will include a focus on: 

• Places or facilities;
• Latest designs in sport, recreation and aquatic facilities;
• Indoor surfaces for recreation and competitive sport;
• Technology, apps and IT solutions
• Retail, merchandising, catering and secondary spend.

Masterclasses and site visits
1. Sports Surfaces Tour and Maintenance Masterclass
A comprehensive tour of natural and synthetic sports fields around Sydney with unique performance and design elements. Followed by an in depth maintenance workshop with Sports Clean will complete the tour.
Wednesday 22nd June 
Organiser: National Sports Convention, register online at www.nationalsportsconvention.com.au

2. Football NSW Masterclass
Join Football NSW and Northern NSW Football to explore the number one issue facing the most popular sport in the state - the lack of quality grassroots facilities. How can clubs and councils work collaboratively to fund, design and build facilities to meet the future needs of our sport?
Thursday 23rd June
Football NSW, contact Ricardo Piccioni on email: ricardop@footballnsw.com.au

3. AFL (NSW/ACT) Masterclass
The AFL will be sharing with delegates the key strategies to expand the code in NSW/ACT. This will provide local government and sport the opportunity for collaboration and to explore key issues and solutions.
Thursday 23rd June
Organiser: AFL (NSW/ACT), contact David Lawson on email: David.Lawson@aflnswact.com.au 

4. Australian Sporting Goods Association Conference

A conference for key sporting and active lifestyle manufacturers and suppliers, through Australian Sporting Goods Association Conference (ASGA).
Thursday 23rd June 
Organiser: ASGA, contact Shannon Walker on email: shannon@asga.com.au

5. Playgrounds Innovations Tour
Visiting four innovative playgrounds around Sydney, made possible by our Gold Sponsors; Surfaces Designs/Rosehill Polymers. 
Thursday 23rd June
Organiser: National Sports Convention, register online at www.nationalsportsconvention.com.au

6. Australian Sports Foundation Workshop

Join the Australian Sports Foundation (ASF) to appreciate how they can work with government and sport to generate income for specific programs, events and projects through philanthropy. The ASF will take delegates through the process and provide case study examples that show why over 30 years they have assisted in raising and supporting over $300m of funding.
Thursday 23rd June 
Organiser: ASF, register online at www.nationalsportsconvention.com.au

7. Hockey Workshop
Hockey NSW will host the Hockey workshop with FIH and explore in detail the new performance standards and what it means to the hockey clubs and associations in Australia. In addition Paul Kamphuis will share details about the Rio Olympic Hockey pitch and what to expect in Rio.
Friday 24th June 
Organiser: Hockey NSW, contact Lauren Woods on email Lauren.w@hockeynsw.com.au

Click here for event details in the Australasian Leisure Management industry Calendar.

14th June 2016 - SPORT, RECREATION AND PLAY INDUSTRY INNOVATION AWARD FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

19th April 2016 - NEW SPORT, RECREATION AND PLAY INDUSTRY INNOVATION AWARDS GETS INDUSTRY LAUNCH

10th April 2016 - GLOBAL AND LOCAL SPEAKERS TO CHART THE CHANGING FACE OF SPORT AND RECREATION

16th February 2016 - NEW AWARDS TO RECOGNISE INNOVATION IN SPORT, RECREATION AND PLAY

5th January 2016 - EXPANDED NATIONAL SPORTS CONVENTION TO EXPLORE SOLUTIONS AND INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED FOR PARTICIPATION

5th December 2015 - AUSTRALIAN SPORTS COMMISSION SURVEY AIMS TO DRIVE FUTURE SPORT AND RECREATION POLICY