The ‘Start Line’ Director Education course aims to help directors at all levels govern successful sporting organisations and includes contributions from high profile sporting directors and governance experts including Kieren Perkins OAM, Liz Ellis AO, Margot Foster AM, Rob Scott, Michael Smith and Gabrielle Trainor AO.

The Start Line was developed with input from across the sector including National Sporting Organisations, industry experts and State and Territory Agencies of Sport and Recreation.

Australian Sports Commission (ASC) Chair Josephine Sukkar AM said the course was another way Sport Australia was helping to strengthen the sport sector.

“Sport Australia is committed to supporting sporting organisations and their leaders to continually improve their governance systems and processes. It is extremely important that the sport sector has the right people on boards with the right skills. Even for experienced directors, there is always more to learn and opportunities to grow – it’s this desire to learn and ability to adapt that makes us a leader on a global sporting stage.”

The course will help directors from community level to elite, improve their knowledge of the fundamentals of directorship and support their contribution and impact to their sport.

Minister for Sport Richard Colbeck said the course provides a baseline for a professional and thriving sporting community.

“Our sporting community relies on dedicated leaders who appreciate that best practice means being at the forefront of knowledge and open to continuous learning and development. The Start Line is a valuable and practical resource for sporting directors of all levels and backgrounds.”

With more than 25 years’ experience on boards in the public and private sectors including three years as an ASC Commissioner Gabrielle Trainor AO is urging all sporting directors to complete the course which is available through Sport Australia’s new online learning platform, the Australian Sport Learning Centre.

“Good directors never stop learning so it’s really important that you regard your role as a director as a learning experience as much as a contributing experience,” she said.

Kieren Perkins OAM added, “If you want to be exceptional at what you're doing, you always need to learn, challenge yourself and grow. Directors of sport need to ensure we are absolutely at the forefront of our responsibilities to be high performing and deliver exceptional outcomes for our sport.”

Sport Australia has also updated its National Sports Directorship Register which connects new directors with opportunities to serve on the boards of sporting organisations. National and state sporting organisations are encouraged to use the register when recruiting new directors onto boards while potential new directors can register their interest to be considered for new roles.