Ten high performance surfing coaches hit the tumbling mats and trampolines last Friday when Surfing Australia’s High Performance Centre hosted a gymnastics professional development workshop, to give Australia’s best surfers the competitive edge on the international stage.
The full-day workshop, which was delivered by Gymnastics Queensland, gave coaches the opportunity to master a range of skills safely at the new $6 million Performance Centre, which they can now bring to life in the surf where aerial skill acquisition and functional movement efficiencies are requirements in the sport.
Gymnastics Queensland Chief Executive Officer Kym Dowdell said that the collaboration with Surfing Australia demonstrates that gymnastics can assist with developing a wide range of skills to pave the way for success in a variety of sports.
“Gymnastics Queensland is excited to partner with Surfing Australia in the delivery of this tailored gymnastic workshop to upskill their surfing coaches, equipping them to train our next generation of surfers in the fundamentals of gymnastics,” Ms Dowdell said.
“Gymnastics helps develop skills such as core strength, balance, coordination and flexibility which can be beneficial in just about any sport. Our mantra at Gymnastics Queensland is ‘Start Here, Go Anywhere’ which is borne out by the many former gymnasts who have gone on to achieve great acclaim in sports such as aerial skiing, diving, swimming, athletics and surfing.
“The workshop with Surfing Australia incorporated fundamental gymnastics movements and trampoline-based skills which coaches will now be able to incorporate into their training programs with surfers of all abilities.”
Surfing Australia National High Performance Centre Director Kim Crane said that the collaboration between Gymnastics Queensland and Surfing Australia aimed to provide a performance advantage in what is a highly competitive international landscape.
“Training like this workshop with Gymnastics Queensland improves the capability of coaches and enables our National High Performance Program to support Australian athletes to become the world’s best surfers and people,” Ms Crane said.
“The Surfing Australia High Performance Centre in Casuarina Beach is dedicated to the development of all high performance surfers and we believe having coaches skilled in gymnastics movements will support our athletes to progress both at the Talent and Elite levels of the pathway.
“We look to collaborate with sports such as gymnastics, skateboarding, diving, and winter sports, as we have a lot we can learn and a facility like ours now allows for a range of initiatives like this.
“We are grateful that we can work with Gymnastics Queensland to enhance the delivery of our high performance surfing program.”
