Archery Australia has received the 2023 Win Well at the 2023 AIS Sport Performance Awards (ASPAs) in Melbourne.

High Performance Wellbeing Manager Rhian Bird accepted the award from Victorian Institute of Sport CEO Anne Marie Harrison, who collected the inagural Win Well Award in 2022.

Paddle Australia, NSW Institute of Sport, Golf Australia, and the Commonwealth Games Australia Youth Team also received a round of applause from the almost 400 people who attended the ceremony, for all the work they did to brink the Australia’s High Performance 2032+ Sport Strategy vision "we win well to inspire Australians" to life.

Archery Australia made the move to elevate the National Athlete Wellbeing and Engagement role to a High Performance Wellbeing Manager. Reporting directly to the CEO and sitting on the senior management team, this was a strategic move by the organisation to ensure that a wellbeing lense was applied to all areas of their operation, but in particular the High Performance Program.

The unique set up promotes collaborative working in the decision-making process for the High Performance Program and the supports the notion of ‘how you win is just as important as when you win’. This shift in organisational structure has received positive feedback via loops within the athlete experience.

Archery’s High Performance Program has implemented several changes in the last year in recognition of the crucial role of wellbeing in sustainable success. Some of the actions taken include providing Mental Health in Sport training, establishing a HP Alumni Program, the launch of an LMS, and implementation of a para support and carer.

The program also prioritises integrity and a culture of challenge and care. This is achieved through the employment of a National Integrity Manager who reviews existing policies. Creating a new and improved athlete committee charter has also ensured strong feedback loops between senior management, the board and the high performance program.

All selection policies and process in the high performance Program have a wellbeing input and the national para team travel with a contracted doctor to ensure the confidentiality, safety, and performance requirements of athletes with complex medical needs are met.

Staff have also had additional professional development opportunities and career growth through the organisation’s supporting multiple staffs to travel internationally and receive team management experience at the international level.

Learn more about the other ASPAs winners here