The ASC Board convened on nine occasions throughout 2014–15, three of which were via teleconference.

A key focus of the Board in 2014–15 was the development of Play.Sport.Australia.

Play.Sport.Australia. was launched in March 2015 and has three key aims: to have more Australians, particularly young Australians, participating in sport more often; year-on-year membership and participation growth for all sports; and well-governed, strategic, commercially strong sporting organisations delivering the sports opportunities Australians want. During the year some additional grant funding was made available for NSOs to support participation and capability projects, including Sporting Schools support. This was an excellent outcome for Australian sport.

The Board continued to work closely with ASC management in the development and roll out of a pilot for Sporting Schools, while also transitioning out of the AASC programme, which concluded in December 2014. The Sporting Schools programme will be rolled out throughout 2015–16, with a focus on strengthening the connection between 5,700 schools and sport.

Continued development of the Australia’s Winning Edge high performance investment model, saw the Board monitor targets and assess investment requirements to maintain clear performance outcomes. The Board is also playing an important role in overseeing the ASC’s commercialisation opportunities so that we can continue to invest in sport and support our athletes.

The Board oversaw the update and expansion of the ASC’s Mandatory Sports Governance Principles during the year, increasing the number of NSOs bound by the principles and encouraging best practice within NSOs, to improve sport within Australia.

Under the guidance of the Board, the ASC has also been working closely with NSOs in areas such as capability building, commercialisation, technology, and women in sport.

Continuing its strategic focus, the Board considered significant issues facing Australian sport and the ASC more specifically. These discussions informed the development of the ASC’s 2015-19 Corporate Plan and 2015-16 Annual Operational Plan, and identified a number of key strategic items that will be the focus of Board attention over the year ahead.

Other activities overseen by the Board included a range of ASC governance and compliance related matters such as the endorsement of the ASC’s Financial Statements, and reporting on the 2013-14 compliance requirements in accordance with the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997.