In 2023, the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) embarked on modernising its Sporting Schools program. The main change has been the introduction of a new online booking and administration management portal, OfficialsHQ. 

By migrating to the new platform, significant upgrades have been made to enhance usability for schools, clubs, coaches, and National Sporting Organisations (NSOs) including Australian Taekwondo – who runs its schools program, Taekwondo Kickstarters, as part of Sporting Schools.

“The new platform has allowed for far greater provision of information compared to the old platform, but crucially more functionality as well,” explains Robbie Wallace, Head of Participation at Australian Taekwondo.

“Schools will now be able to select their preferred provider directly on the system which will streamline the organisation and booking process immensely. With the grant funding being directly linked to the booking status on the new platform, this ensures that all bookings, and therefore program deliveries, will be visible to both the ASC and NSOs. This is a huge step forward in ensuring safety and quality within the program and it is a credit to the ASC that they have undertaken and delivered on such a mammoth task.”

Overcoming challenges

The Taekwondo Kickstarters Sporting Schools program has traditionally struggled alongside some of the major sports. In the past, challenges have been faced due to the Sporting Schools program only having a single staff member to run the program and a limited number of clubs and coaches to deliver to schools.

But Australian Taekwondo affiliated clubs have been working hard to switch over to the new system as efficiently as possible. In fact, Taekwondo is seeing strong booking numbers compared to other sports that also offer a Sporting Schools product. 

“Change is never easy, but our clubs have embraced what we have asked them to do and continue to work with us to get themselves registered,” Wallace says. 

“The booking numbers have been very encouraging, and with a strategic focus on targeted advertising, along with the additional digital infrastructure implemented from our side, the program should go from strength to strength,” he adds.

“We have already seen our online pilot have its first booking success, and with the plans for a more practical and easier-to-facilitate teacher-led program combined with teacher mentoring, the future is very promising.”

Why it matters

One of the key goals of the Sporting Schools program is to promote continued participation back in the community environment after the school delivery has finished. 

“Many sports have struggled to deliver on this, but the processes and structures that Australian Taekwondo has been building in the background, combined with the new Sporting Schools platform, will enable us as the NSO to support our member clubs like never before and demonstrate the inherent value in aligning with the governing body,” Wallace says. 

For Australian Taekwondo, the introduction of the new system has already opened up some tremendous opportunities to grow the delivery of the sport.

“The new functionality means that targeted campaigns can be run that link schools directly into their designated provider such that the minimal workforce at the national level is less of a limiting factor,” he says.

“The greater transparency in school deliveries and the numbers of children benefitting will factor heavily in our measurements of success in participation and will be key to obtaining continued funding in the new ‘Play Well’ investment model being rolled out by the ASC next year. The ability to measure the impacts of targeted activities within the Sporting Schools program will be a huge help to all sports involved.”

Looking ahead

A lot has been achieved so far, but Australian Taekwondo is keen to continue evolving the available offerings – and that starts with overhauling the current instructor education and teacher-led delivery. 

“The knowledge and experience in the Taekwondo community is formidable, and we'd love to utilise that to build some education and content that will delight students and teachers in equal measure,” Wallace concludes.

Huge strides have been made and Australian Taekwondo will shortly be providing guidance on how to get all coaches registered. In the meantime, thank you to all those who attended the webinars and training sessions.

For those who are yet to register but would like to be provided with the support to promote their club to local schools, please reach out to Robbie Wallace, Head of Participation, by email: rob.wallace@austkd.com.au

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