Skate Australia appoints new General Manager High Performance and looks to fill additional key roles

Mindful of Brisbane 2032 being seven years away and with less than three years until LA2028, Skate Australia is entering a pivotal new phase, marked by the appointment of Daniel Mangano as the new General Manager – Skateboarding High Performance while also opening applications for several roles within the high-performance program.

Mangano was a standout candidate during an extensive global recruitment campaign and officially steps into the role in a permanent capacity after contributing to the Skate Australia Skateboarding Program in a consultancy capacity since March this year.

The General Manager – Skateboarding High Performance is a pivotal role in delivering on the Skate Australia 2028–2032 High Performance Strategy. Mangano will lead the strategic and operational direction of Street and Park skateboarding as the sport builds momentum toward the LA 2028 and Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games following gold medal success at both the Tokyo Olympic Games and Paris 24.

Mangano advised “I feel privileged to have been given the opportunity to lead this great team as we continue to build a world-class high-performance system that honours the technical nature and authenticity of skateboarding and supports athletes to perform on the world stage.

“With Olympic qualifications commencing in 2026 and a long-term view to Brisbane 2032, I look forward to working side by side with the Skateboarding Technical Lead and key members of the Skate Aus Team to collaborate with our community, stakeholders, and performance partners to take Australian skateboarding to even greater heights.”

Mangano brings with him more than a decade of experience in participation and high-performance sport, having held key leadership roles at National and State Sporting Organisations across Olympic, Paralympic, and Commonwealth Games campaigns. His resume includes strategic and operational contributions to two Olympic Games (Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024), two Paralympic Games (Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024), and two Commonwealth Games (Gold Coast 2018 and Birmingham 2022).

Skate Australia Chief Executive Alex Anasson welcomed Mangano’s appointment adding “Daniel has a deep understanding of high-performance sport and I’m sure his skills and attributes will lend themselves to expertly supporting the unique culture and community of skateboarding. His experience, leadership, and passion make him an ideal fit as we build a professional, sustainable, inclusive, and athlete-centred program.”

As General Manager, Mangano will lead Skate Australia’s high-performance team in the design and delivery of the elite skateboarding pathway, ensuring the program achieves its strategic objectives and fulfils key partnership commitments.

Mangano’s role will be supported by a dual high-performance leadership model, alongside a new Skateboarding National Technical Lead (currently in recruitment), combining deep skateboarding expertise and experience with strategic sport leadership.

“The strength of this dual-leadership model is its ability to unite the best of sport system structures and authentic skateboarding values,” Anasson added. “We’re committed to ensuring our high-performance program reflects and respects the community it represents while aiming for global success.”

In addition to the National Technical Lead role, further positions to be advertised within the Skateboarding High Performance Department include:

• Performance Support Manager

• Operations Manager

These roles will be integral to ensuring Australian skateboarders are well-supported on their journey to international competition and Olympic representation.

Skate Australia also announced that Sam Waters has been appointed to the role of Wellbeing & Engagement Manager in a three day / week role in partnership with the Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS).

In recent months, Waters has been acting as Interim Wellbeing & Engagement Manager and brings direct experience of supporting skateboarders and World Skate events through his role as Performance Lifestyle Adviser at the VIS. Over his time at the VIS, Waters has worked across a wide range of sports, working with athletes of all ages and abilities. Waters also currently works as a Wellbeing Coordinator with the Calder Cannons who are part of the AFL's Pathways Competition.

Waters brings diverse and highly relevant experience to his role with Skate Australia as prior to stepping into sport, Waters worked in the education industry for over 10 years. During this time, he held roles as a High School Teacher, Year Level Coordinator, Head of Sport and coached multiple sporting teams.    

For more information about Skate Australia’s Skateboarding High-Performance Program please head to the High Performance section. 

Image. Daniel Mangano. Credit: Skate Australia