Australian Institute of Sport recruiting Army mentors

Australia’s elite athletes will again look to Army for an edge in their preparation for competition.

CAPTION: An Australian Defence Force School of Special Operations instructor takes aspiring Australian Olympic Games team athletes and coaches through a training session as part of the Gold Medal Ready program. Story by Corporal Jacob Joseph . Photo by Corporal Tristan Kennedy.

Organisers are calling for soldiers and officers of any rank to become mentors to elite athletes preparing for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The program builds on an existing initiative between the Australian Institute of Sport and Special Operations Command, called the Gold Medal Ready Program, that helped athletes in the lead-up to the Tokyo games.

AIS staff hope to leverage Army personnel’s experiences and knowledge about mindset, mental preparation and performing under pressure in combat.

Lieutenant Colonel Suzanne Albury, of Chief of Army’s Initiative Group, said the ideal candidate was someone who was passionate about mentorship and sharing the lessons they had learnt from challenging situations.

Candidates should demonstrate experience leading a team through dangerous environments, preparing their mindset to perform with pressure and showing resilience when faced with adversity.

“We have some amazing people who have done some amazing things,” Lieutenant Colonel Albury said.

“It’s about having a story to share and a passion to share that story.”

Candidates are expected to work with program alumni, facilitate mental-training activities, attend training camps, participate in forums, give presentations at workshops, and provide one-on-one sessions with athletes and coaches.

The AIS will provide specific training for the role.

Lieutenant Colonel Albury said there could be opportunities to share experiences with sports based all over the country and mentors should be comfortable with speaking in front of a crowd.

Expressions of interests must be submitted before April 15 to: cainitiatives.group@defence.gov.au

Candidates will be announced on May 4.

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