OUR HISTORY

In 2002 former president of the IAAF Lamine Diack requested the establishment of Independent Coaches’ Associations in all Areas worldwide. These Area Associations were represented on the IAAF Coaches’ Commission and received an annual grant to support their work.

The Oceania Athletics Coaches Association [OACA] was established in February 2002 at a special general meeting held at the Area Championships in Christchurch New Zealand. The meeting was convened by Steve Hollings [NZL] with Tony Rice [AUS] being elected as President and Fletcher McEwen [AUS] Secretary. Bill Bailey, the then Secretary of OAA, was in attendance and assured the coaches of OAA support. OACA was then incorporated as an association.

In the next few years, both OAA and OACA worked closely and collaboratively in the interests of coach development within the Oceania region but OACA’s operational capability was compromised when the IAAF adopted a new funding model. In the ensuing difficult period OAA took over OACA and appointed Peter Barrett as Secretary/Treasurer. Over time OACA simply became dormant. 

In 2020 the Global Athletics Coaching Academy [GACA] was formed at the request of World Athletics President, Lord Coe. One of GACA’s priorities was the re-establishment of independent Area Coaches’ Associations in Asia, Africa and Oceania. A Working Group to re-establish (or reawaken) OACA as an independent coaches’ body met first on 5 February 2021 with OACA, trading as OTFCA, becoming incorporated on 15 July 2022 and affiliated to GACA.

OTFCA is also known as OACA, is an association “For Coaches by Coaches” and is run by a group of elected member coaches from the Oceania region. See further below for OTFCA leaders.

OUR ROLE

OTFCA is an independent coaching network ‘For Coaches by Coaches’.  OTFCA understands coaching in Oceania and is committed to supporting ALL members in their aspirations and development as a coach. OTFCA offers coaches the following benefits.

A VOICE

Through membership of OTFCA coaches will have a voice in how the sport will be run at regional level, and through its affiliation with the Global Athletics Coaches Academy [GACA], at World Athletics level. The association has provided feedback from Oceania coaches to World Athletics on issues surrounding transgender athletes, the Safeguarding of Coaches, and Athletes Representatives, and has offered strategies to further develop more female coaches not only in the Oceania region but also worldwide.

MENTORING

OTFCA provides ‘world class’ mentoring and support for coaches. Mentoring offers the opportunity for coaches to work together in a caring relationship that involves both professional (competence, confidence) and personal (connection, character) aspects. A mentor is a trusted person with more experience who guides, is a confidante, supporter, enabler, and counsellor who works with a developing coach to help strengthen and grow their coaching knowledge.

DEVELOPMENT

OTFCA collaborates with other Area Coaches Associations and the Global Athletics Coaching Academy [GACA] in affording reciprocal access to educational resources and other initiatives and activities to provide development opportunities for member coaches.  Coaches will feel they belong to a worldwide community of coaches by networking with other Area coaches’ associations, World Athletics and the worldwide community of coaches through OTFCA’s affiliation to GACA.

SUPPORT

A supportive and sharing environment within the Oceania coaching community is fostered by OTFCA as it has an INSIGHT into the needs of its member coaches. OTFCA works to facilitate an effective communication network between all coaching communities both within the Oceania Region and globally.

ADVOCACY

OTFCA has an INSIGHT into the concerns of its member coaches and can serve as an independent advocate for their members in various athletics forums, including to the Boards of OAA and those of its Member Federations, especially in cases of disputes with their club or federation. OTFCA adheres to and supports the ‘Coaches Charter’.