Maccabiah preparations start in earnest
Preparations for Maccabiah 2021 are in full swing as the entire Senior Leadership Team for Australia’s delegation came together for a weekend of team building and planning ahead of next year’s Games.
Senior leaders prepare for the Maccabiah
The experienced 18-person management group has been working to build Australia’s Maccabiah team since last year, but the retreat provided an opportunity to workshop and agree on the leadership team’s key values and vision.
Transparency and a commitment to work as a collective team were two principles that were adopted to ensure the management team will function effectively and efficiently to provide athletes the best possible experience at Maccabiah 2021.
While the management team has collectively participated in over 50 Maccabiot, there is also an emphasis on the continuity and succession planning of leadership as well as the injection of fresh energy and ideas, which is reflected by the several members of the group who will be attending their first Maccabiah Games.
To help achieve this, a mentorship structure is in place to facilitate the exchange of information between experienced and new members of the team so that the benefits of existing Maccabiah knowledge is passed on.
The beginnings of this culture of trust throughout the team was reached through a series of leadership workshops facilitated by former Maccabiah athlete and leadership consultant, Allan Priess.
The group was also provided valuable insight into what the Maccabiah experience is like from the athletes’ perspectives after hearing from Australia’s inspirational 2019 Pan American Games captain, Barry Carp.
Nominations to participate as an athlete (which close on April 30, 2020) have been strong and over 70 quality coaches and team managers have already been appointed for Maccabiah 2021.
Head of Delegation, Barry Smorgon, said, “I am delighted at the positive attitude and the collective view taken by every member of the Maccabiah 2021 Leadership Team. We are all aligned with our objective of achieving the best possible outcome for the athletes.
There is great energy amongst the team and I’m looking forward to working alongside such a passionate group of people.”
To nominate to be an athlete or express your interest in joining the media or medical teams, visit the Maccabiah website.
Athletes from Western Australia interested in Maccabiah 2021are encouraged to attend the Information Session running on 8th March. To register, please visit Event Information.
