Tom Aggar won a gold medal in the Single Scull rowing event at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games
From Left: Secretary of State Jeremy Hunt talks to Tim and a Paralympian
and I have been refining the way the BPA is structured and governed and have been putting processes in place so we can develop the skill sets of BPA staff and make the most out of this year’s unique opportunity.” Regarding Games-time preparation,
Hollingsworth says the BPA has left no stone unturned and he has, in fact, ‘fallen on his sword’ to ensure the team’s success. “I took the decision not to be the Chef
De Mission at the Games [a role often tak- en by the CEO]. I believe that this role calls for a different skill set. With me coming into this environment only recently I’ve been fortunate to identify and secure the services of Craig Hunter, who led the team at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in De- hli, for that role. “He’s been a life-long sports admin-
istrator in swimming. He has the right values, the right attitude and the right approach to life and his experience is fantastic in terms of what a Games-time
Issue 2 2012 © cybertrek 2012
GB’s sitting volleyball programme was re-instated for London 2012
environment is like and how it will impact on our athletes. “Between us we’ve considered ev-
erything around the pre-Games and Games-time environment as far as maxi- mising performance and getting our athletes on the starting line in the best possible shape. Our job is to protect them and challenge them where needed.”
SPREADING THE WORD As host nation, the BPA has a role to deliver to the expectations of visiting international Paralympic teams, as well as its own. The Paralympic Movement started as a competition for World War II amputees at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, which coincided with the 1948 London Olympics. The Paralympic Games officially joined the Olympic roadshow in Rome 1960 and the movement keeps growing. According to Hollingsworth, the BPA
needs to fully capitalise on London 2012’s fantastic opportunity to grow the brand,
and that making this a reality has been monopolising the majority of his time since joining the organisation. “We need to secure and maximise
the future of parasport after London. I don’t like to refer to this as ‘legacy’ be- cause that word suggests some sort of aftermath, a high-water mark, that once reached is maintained thereafter. That’s not the case with Paralympic sport. It’s a very young movement and our strategy, going forward, is about maximising the ‘momentum’ and not saying ‘that’s that and what can we do off the back of it’; It’s much more than that, it’s a fantastic door opening to many opportunities.” To this end Hollingsworth has been
formulating a strategy that demonstrates leadership for the 2012-2017 period, to- wards Rio 2016 and beyond. “To put it simply, it’s about ensuring
that we have a mission which is clearly defined around the athletes and our role in delivering and supporting them,
Read Sports Management online
sportsmanagement.co.uk/digital 19
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84