Ontario NextGen Performance Centre
About
The Ontario NextGen Performance Centre (ONGPC) was created in 2020 to support Development and NextGen athletes in their quest to achieve their high-performance rowing goals.
The ONGPC boathouse is located in Welland, Ontario and delivers a complete pathway of NextGen programming and operations in alignment with RCA’s athlete development pathway. The boathouse is located on the Welland Canal, one of Canada’s premier waterways for rowing training and racing. The ONGPC also features a brand new, robust dryland training facility at Canada Games Park on the Brock University Campus, which allows ONGPC athletes to receive year-round opportunities to train, improve and be successful both on and off the water.
Ontario NextGen Development Program
The Ontario NexGen Development Program is designed to enhance and support the growth and development of aspiring high performance athletes and coaches in Ontario. To do this, we will;
- Provide an environment and a network for mentorship, individualized training and development of the whole individual.
- Refine and implement a system that relies on standardized evaluation processes, coaching practices, appropriate skill acquisition and training approaches that are applied with continuity.
- Continue to learn together as coaches and athletes to foster ongoing development and growth.
- Share what we learn through consistent communication with athletes, coaches, clubs and our performance and funding partners.
- Operate a Training Centre (ONGPC) to be the provincial base for athletes in the performance program that will host centralized rowers, host camps and assessments, and deliver directed and targeted sport science (physiological testing, biomechanical assessment, nutrition and mental performance support) for athletes engaged in the program.
Program Goals and Objectives
The aim of the Ontario NextGen Development Program (ONGDP) is to create the optimal development pathway for Ontario-based athletes with Olympic/Paralympic podium aspirations by emphasizing skill development, physical and mental training, tactical development and the personal development of the athlete. The ONGDP aligns with the Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model and uses sport science, sport medicine and certified full-time coaches to achieve sport specific skill development at each stage of the Athlete Development Pathway.
The creation of the ONGDP aligns RCA and Row Ontario in the delivery of the NextGen portion of the Athlete Development Pathway, to increase the quality and quantity of athletes in the system. The goal of a healthy, positive, and engaging training environment will maximize the time an athlete stays in the sport and will streamline them towards positive key developmental experiences, including provincial, national, and international competitions, and ultimately onto Olympic and Paralympic podiums.
The ONGPC creates a highly competitive daily training environment (DTE) that prepares athletes to transition to the National Training Centre. The ONGPC will provide appropriate opportunities for athletes to gain physical, technical, and mental competencies ahead of selection events and competitions. NextGen Athletes who prioritize their development within the ONGDP can centralize to the ONGPC in the Niagara region, to benefit from a high-performance targeted environment. NextGen Athletes who train in a club or school program (De-centralized Athletes), will establish entry points into the ONGPC through the creation of an annual Individual Athlete Performance Plan (IAPP).
HUDSON Sponsorship
HUDSON is the Official Boat Supplier for Row Ontario. All ONGPC athletes row exclusively in HUDSON Ultimate Shark Predators (USP), in training and in competition.
USP™ is performance redefined; a cutting edge concept boat. USP is the result of ten thousand hours of engineering, functionally revolutionary and stylish features, and a development approach unconstrained by convention and budget.
Full information on the Ontario NextGen Development Program, including performance standards, application requirements, acceptance criteria and fees can be found at the below link:
Ontario NextGen Development Program
Questions?
If you have any questions about the Ontario NextGen Performance Centre or Ontario NextGen Development Program, please contact Phil Marshall Director, Performance at Row Ontario.
