Former NBA Coach of the Year Mike Dunlap will be in Singapore for the 14th International Council for Coaching Excellence Global Coach Conference (ICCE GCC) 2023 which will take place from 29 November to 3 December.
Dunlap, who has 40 years of coaching experience in the NBA and collegiate ranks, is currently with the Milwaukee Bucks having joined them in 2020 after spending six seasons as head coach of Loyola Marymount University, his alma mater.
On 10 October, Sport Singapore (SportSG) announced its line-up of keynote speakers at the ICCE GCC 2023.
In 2021, Singapore won the bid to host the 14th ICCE GCC 2023, the biennial conference that brings together coaches, coach educators, researchers, sport scientists, technical directors, and sport administrators from the world to address current and emerging issues in coaching.
The theme for this year’s conference is “Coaching for a Better Tomorrow”, where it seeks to focus on effective coaching practices, coach learning and development, coaching policy and systems, and inclusivity, with a view to prepare coaches better for a future that is volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous, and technologically advanced.
Singapore will be the first city in Southeast Asia and the third in Asia, after Beijing and Tokyo, to host the ICCE GCC.
The keynote speakers who will be present at the conference include:
● Etienne and Beverly Wenger-Trayner, Social Learning Theorists and Consultants, who will share about the importance of cross-boundary learning for coaches.
● Michelle de Highden, Senior Coach Development Lead, Australian Institute of Sport, and Claire Lamb, Coach Development Lead at the Victorian Institute of Sport, Australian Institute of Sport, who will highlight some strategies, interventions and potential within the international landscape that are impacting upon the representation and experiences of women high performance coaches.
The keynote will also be joined by local women coaches in Singapore, which include:
● Dr Ross Pinder, Paralympic Innovation Lead, Paralympic Australia, who will highlight how solution-focused mindsets and innovations can enhance the coaching practice in high performance paralympic sports.
● Dr Natalie Barker-Ruchti, Associate Professor in Sport Management and Sport Coaching, Orebro University, who will present on coach education for ethical sport.
● Mike Dunlap, American Professional Basketball Coach, who will discuss the importance of leading with an inclusive mindset and the value of cooperative learning.
● Lorraine Lafrenière, CEO, Coaching Association of Canada, who will chair a panel with Ju’Riese Colon, USA, Chief Executive, US Centre for Safe Sport, Jun Kubota, Project Manager, Japan Sport Council, and Pedro Sequeira, President, Coaching Portugal.
Mr Mohammed Azhar Yusof, Head of CoachSG, Singapore Sport Institute, SportSG, said, “We are honoured that Singapore was selected to be the first city in Southeast Asia to host the world’s most prestigious coach conference.
“In the short time since its founding in 2017, CoachSG has made huge strides in coaching education and development, and has been invited to present at various international seminars and conferences, including those by ICCE and the International Olympic Council (IOC).
“Through this Global Coach Conference, we hope to underscore the important role that coaches play in developing better people and athletes through sport, and inspire them to continuously learn and upskill themselves.
“Eventually, we hope to elevate the coaching profession and let people realise the true value proposition of coaching in Singapore.”
In addition to learning from top coaching experts from around the world, delegates can look forward to uniquely Singapore elements during the conference, such as guided tours of the Singapore Sports Hub and sport facilities housed in the vicinity such as Decathlon, Active Health Lab and the Global Sport Innovation Centre (GSIC), as well as attend the Women’s World Floorball Championships held at the OCBC Arena on 2 December 2023.
RETURN OF SINGAPORE COACH MEDALLION
The Singapore Coach Medallion will make its comeback during the conference.
Launched in 2019, the award is presented to outstanding and inspiring coaches in Singapore who have made a significant impact to the athletes, coaching community, the sport and its stakeholders.
It was suspended for three years due to Covid-19.
2019 winners include Ms Jing Jun Hong, National Women’s Table Tennis Head Coach, Mr Bill Lee Wei Liang, National Sprint Kayak Head Coach, Mr Mohamad Hosni Bin Mohamad, National Para Athletics Coach, and Ms Lim Chea Rong, Shooting Head Coach at Singapore Sports School.
As part of the selection process for this year, shortlisted nominees underwent interviews, and the finalists were observed during their coaching sessions.
Winners will be announced on the first day of the main conference on 30 November 2023.
For more information on the ICCE GCC 2023 and its full programme, visit https://www.gcc2023-sg.com/.
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