2013-2016 Strategic Plan
Preface Vision 2020 Rowing Canada Aviron (RCA) has had a rich history of success and continues to enjoy a reputation as one of the leading sport organizations in Canada. In large measure, the outstanding results at world and Olympic championships have occurred as a The outcome, Vision 2020 - the Rowing Canada Aviron 2013-2016 Strategic Plan, truly reflects the beliefs of the membership, the direction agreed to by the organization as a whole, and a commitment from all the partners to achieve the goals within the plan in To be the LEADING ROWING NATION in the WORLD. The values of Excellence, Integrity and Community have been longstanding values of the members of Rowing Canada Aviron and today these values still resonate strong as result of a focused strategic commitment to a world class standard of excellence. a collaborative, respectful and purposeful manner. Through the process, much was learned from listening Mission the principles by which we choose to guide our actions. Excellence cannot be achieved without planning whether it s an individual, a team, an association or a corporation. RCA s athletes, coaches, umpires, clubs, provincial associations, staff and board have always worked to a plan and have shown how success can be achieved when everyone is committed to the organization s vision and goals. Nothing of any consequence can be accomplished without that commitment, sacrifice and drive to be the best. Success in planning means finding the right balance to RCA members, leaders and partners. To accomplish the challenges ahead, RCA understands that it needs to:» Assume a leadership role in all the key areas of system and athlete development, including the full integration of LTAD.» Work closely with club and provincial partners to close any system gaps and to clarify roles and responsibilities regarding the design and delivery of programs and services.» Commit resources to help build capacity within PRA s To BUILD, DRIVE and INSPIRE growth and excellence within Canada s rowing community. Values As members of RCA, we recognize the following principles to guide our decisions and behavior: Excellence speaks not only to RCA s commitment to performance at the highest levels of competition and the importance of sustained podium performances, but also to the value we place on building the best club system, the strongest coaching development programs, the most effective talent identification programs, and the delivery of exceptional service to our between the inputs required to inform the process and the need to finalize and begin acting on the strategic priorities. With this in mind, RCA formed a strategic and member clubs to strengthen and enhance these partnerships that play a fundamental role in the development system. Excellence We are committed to do our best in all we do. membership. Excellence speaks to our drive to lead the way in all facets of our operations. planning group consisting of board members and staff to help with the development of the 2013-2016 Strategic Plan.» Identify the ways and means to leverage resources and invest in opportunities that will generate new discretionary revenue and reduce the organizations Integrity We are honest, respectful and accountable. Integrity, emphasized by honesty, respect and accountability are values that are fundamental to the culture of rowing. Of equal importance is The process involved consultation with the membership, discussions with the board and staff, input from various committees and individuals, clubs and provincial staff, including a comprehensive online survey. The final stage in the process will involve the preparation of an operational plan designed to turn the long term vision and goals into annual tasks and responsibilities. reliance on government support, and;» Expand capacity in the two key support areas: coaching development and marketing/ communications. These functional areas contribute substantially to the successful delivery of both domestic and high-performance development and are therefore integral to the strategic plan. Community We are a community of partnerships that is connected and passionate about the sport of rowing. the sense of community that defines our sport and characterizes our relationship with key partners. Teamwork is emphasized at every level and the strength of our rowing community is dependent on its continued evolution.
Goal One Win gold medals at the Olympics, Paralympics and World Championships» Continue national umpire identification, training, mentoring and selection program for national level three umpires who aspire to a level five license.» Continue to internally select, nominate and support Canadian FISA umpires (Level 5) for FISA regatta jury duty. Outcomes Objectives and Strategies 1.2 Build a strong coaching development program that ensures the recruitment, 1.4 Provide a competitive development structure that gives athletes on the high per-» Results in the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games that position Canada in the top three Rowing nations in the world.» Win five medals with three additional finalists at the 2016 Olympic Games.» Win one medal with one additional finalist at the 2016 Paralympic Games.» Win three medals with three additional finalists at the 2016 U-23 World Championships.» Win one medal with one additional finalist at the 2016 Junior World Championships.» Maintain the number of Canadian FISA Umpires (15) available to support FISA International Events. 1.1 Ensure that a high performance system is in place that maximizes opportunities for Canadian rowers, including adaptive rowers to be successful at the highest international levels.» Develop and maintain our national training centre facilities and infrastructure at a standard that provides a world class athlete training environment.» Ensure that world leading coaches are at the helm of our national team programs.» Establish a national training location for adaptive rowing that can support the enhancement of adaptive rowing as a high performance sport.» Strengthen the integrated support team networks at our National Training Centres to ensure a superior system of athlete performance and recovery programs.» Develop partnerships that will help support the daily living, training and competition needs of our high performance athletes. training and certification of coaches at the quality and level needed to support athletes in all stages of the excellence pathway.» Develop Canadian coaches to be successful, world leading coaches at the helm of our National Team programs.» Dedicate resources to coaching education f or the high performance coach pathway.» Improve access to Coaching education resources through improved use of technology (social media and website).» Ensure that proper rowing technique and standards are being instilled at the earliest stages of coach and athlete development.» Increase the number of coaches committed to adaptive rowing. 1.3 Develop and maintain a pool of Internationally-experienced FISA umpires to ensure the expertise needed to educate and support athletes, coaches and regatta organizers. formance development pathway (Train to Train/Train to Compete/Train to Win) progressive training and racing opportunities to achieve the goal of learning to win.» Build a strong system of national development regattas that includes Spring and Fall Development regattas and the National Rowing Championships.» Strengthen the RADAR system of athlete monitoring to ensure we are maximizing the number of athletes progressing along the high performance pathway.» Develop a strong Talent Identification network and Talent Development Centre program that delivers on the recruitment and development of athletes, including adaptive athletes.» Ensure the Chief Umpire curriculum includes a training module for National Development events and the National Rowing Championships so that RCA Umpires understand and are well briefed on the objectives and rule variations for these events.
Goal Two Grow participation in the sport of rowing at all levels Outcomes» Increase the number of RCA Sport, Competitive and Para Rowers by 10% per year.» Increase the number of NCCP Qualified Instructors/ Coaches in each province.» By 2016, 70% of RCA registered coaches are NCCP trained.» Increase the number of qualified umpires (male and female) available to support domestic regattas (10%/year). Objectives and Strategies 2.1 Engage and retain new members to the sport.» Ensure that recreation and high performance athlete/ participant recruitment strategies are integrated.» Develop a skills package and supporting materials that addresses the early LTAD stages and recreational needs of members (Learn to Train, Train to Train, Active for Life).» Develop a marketing strategy that leverages the 2015 Pan-Parapan Games and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic and Paralympic Games as opportunities to increase participation in rowing.» Improve the capacity of the website and other social media networks to promote the sport and better serve RCA members.» Present an annual communication plan at the RCA national conference based on key events, opportunities and strategies.» Capitalize on the growing interest in non-traditional rowing events (example: open water rowing, touring, indoor rowing, cottage rowing) to increase participation and membership.» Complete the development of the Member Registration system that will enable Clubs, PRA s and RCA to effectively communicate with members and better track and meet their needs.» Through leadership, influence and strategic initiatives, ensure that rowing maintains its status as a sport in the Canada Games, 2021. Vision 2020» Increase the number of new licensed umpires (in particular, female umpires) and the retention of current umpires through targeted recruitment and communication strategies, ongoing education and mentorship initiatives and improved umpire tracking systems.» Provide leadership, align strategies and resources and strengthen partnerships with our Clubs and Provincial Rowing Associations to grow and sustain program delivery. 2.2 Canadian rowing fully adopts the RCA Long Term Athlete Development Model.» Provide developmentally appropriate events for rowers (including adaptive rowers) in the Learn to Train, Train to Train, and Active for Life stages of LTAD with skills events competition formats fully adopted where appropriate.» Provincial and national regatta calendars reflect the principles of LTAD and Provincial and National Multi-sport Games have adopted Regatta formats that are aligned with RCA s LTAD model.» Conduct a full review of Junior rowing programs in the context of LTAD.» RCA s Long Term Athlete Development Model is understood and embraced by volunteer leaders, Umpires, Coaches, rowers and parents. 2.3 Provide leadership and build capacity at the provincial and club levels to increase membership growth.» In consultation with the Provinces, develop a framework for program delivery and clarify roles and responsibilities at all levels.» Provide development opportunities, tools and resources and pursue partnership opportunities to address critical program gaps.» Provide leadership/volunteer and program development opportunities as part of the National Rowing Conference. 2.4 Develop, and coordinate with PRA s the delivery of, a National Coach/Learn to Row Instructor Certification that produces coaches who are excellent leaders of RCAs early LTAD stage/active for life programs.» Increase the number of NCCP Certified Coaches and Learn to Row Instructors with the skills and expertise to deliver quality rowing programs for able bodied and adaptive rowers.» Progress to a system that adopts mandatory training and/or certification requirements to ensure a high standard of program quality, participant safety and, participant retention.» Clarify roles and responsibilities at national and provincial levels for NCCP delivery and communication.» Use technology effectively to improve communication, advance ongoing education and improve database tracking.» Restructure resources at the national level to improve the delivery of coach education and development programs.
Goal Three Build a dynamic and sustainable organization Outcomes» Increase the percent of non-government revenue supporting the programs of RCA (20%).» Achieve a good to very good RCA member/ participant satisfaction rating (Annual Survey).» Increase RCA s representation at FISA.» Improve RCA s overall sport ranking in the Sport Canada SFAF process. Objectives and Strategies 3.1 Implement a governance and organization structure that is responsive to the needs of the membership and complies with regulatory and funding accountability standards.» Report annually on the achievement of Strategic Plan directions and develop annual operational plans that ensure resources are continually aligned to strategic priorities.» Implement a small, policy focused board that provides strong leadership in achieving the organization s strategic objectives, clearly defines roles and responsibilities and, recruits board members based on required competencies.» Develop a robust Nominating Committee structure and terms of reference that recognizes the key role of this committee in ensuring the integrity of the new governance model and succession planning for key roles.» Review and align committee structures and terms of reference to the new governance structure and strategic priorities.» Develop and implement a marketing/ communications strategy to highlight new programs, publicize outstanding results, recognize volunteers, athletes, and coaches and serve as a platform for fundraising and sponsorship activities. 3.2 Invest in a revenue generating strategy and reduce the organizations reliance on government support.» Develop marketing, sponsorship, fundraising or planned giving strategies that will produce long term results and provide the greatest return on investment.» Explore the potential for greater alignment/ partnership with the Canadian Rowing Foundation in building a long term fundraising and investment strategy.» Build on the activities of RCA s National Team Alumni to create a sustained engagement of our alumni that connects with and supports our national team athletes.» Work closely with the Canadian Henley Rowing Corporation on sponsorship strategies for the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta that increases revenue for both partners.» In partnership with the COC/Pan Am 2015 Games and Row Ontario, explore the development of a signature Toronto Harbour event that increases the sports profile and leverages sponsor and revenue opportunity.» In conjunction with funding partners and FISA, determine the feasibility of hosting future World events in Canada/North America based on the new FISA Hosting guidelines. 3.3 Work with PRA s and Clubs to integrate strategies for volunteer recruitment and recognition.» Identify current challenges related to volunteer recruitment and, in conjunction with the clubs and Provinces, develop strategies to encourage ongoing involvement and retention.» Review the current RCA awards policy and recommend a new policy that considers: the role of RCA in athlete, coach and volunteer recognition; the alignment of awards to national athlete, coach and volunteer development goals and; the criteria for determining award recipients. 3.4 Maintain a strong leadership position, nationally and internationally to ensure continued influence on policy and decision making that impacts the sport of rowing and the organization.» Establish a Canadian representative on the FISA Events Commission.» Continue to support RCA representatives that sit on COC, OTP and FISA boards and committees and ensure succession planning for these roles. Performance Management In order for a plan to succeed, progress must be measured and individuals held accountable for the results. The RCA 2013 to 2016 strategic plan will be an integral part of daily operations and staff performance will be measured against performance indicators and long and short-term objectives. Additionally, the board will review progress on a regular basis and build their meeting agendas around the strategic plans and priorities. The board and RCA staff will report to the membership at annual meetings and coordinate communications and message delivery with the clubs and provincial associations on a regular basis.
Conclusion If RCA is to realize its vision and goals, resources must be reallocated and aligned with the strategic goals and priorities. These efforts must include greater collaboration between clubs, staff and volunteers on messaging, program delivery and communication strategies. The process will also require a clear delineation of roles and responsibilities among all the partners. Additionally, the key functional areas of marketing/ communications and coaching development must be resourced appropriately to maximize opportunities as well as help build capacity for program and athlete development, both at the high performance and domestic levels. It was acknowledged during the planning process that these areas were critical and required RCA s immediate attention. Since the majority of funds received by Rowing Canada are non-discretionary government contributions primarily allocated to high performance, it is understood that RCA must begin to develop alternate streams of revenue to ensure a sustainable future and provide resources for other program areas, including participation development. Before embarking on such a strategy however, the organization must weigh the cost/ benefits of different approaches in order to maximize limited resources. Additionally, it is important to emphasize that RCA does not currently have the in-house expertise or resources to commence a dedicated fundraising program or develop and implement a comprehensive sponsorship strategy. Any new revenue generating program will require new and sustained investment in this area in order to ensure a reasonable return over the long term. RCA is a national leader with a celebrated past and an exciting future. The organization needs to continue to focus on what is most important and do it extremely well. The strategic plan is designed to reduce complexity and ensure that resources (human and financial) are channeled within an orderly framework. With the full integration of LTAD (Long Term Athlete Development) and a focus on the key strategic priorities, there is every reason to expect that RCA will succeed in realizing its most important goals. The 2013-2016 Strategic Plan is the foundation for an integrated system based on partnerships and if RCA is totally dedicated to this objective and commits its resources accordingly, it will fulfill its vision of being the leading rowing nation in the world by 2020.
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