What is Inclusive Sports Coaching?
John Lonergan
Head Coach and Founder
We all want to feel included, it's a basic human right
This sentence sums up Inclusive Sports Coaching for me. There are many Academies and Elite programs focused on mainstream athletes, but those with a Disability or Disadvantaged often don't get the opportunity to access High Performance Coaches. It's time that changed, and so I have created the Inclusive Sports Academy.
With the NDIS providing funding to people with a Disability or Mental Health concerns to enable them to increase their social and community participation opportunities, High Performance coaches like myself can provide the same coaching and mentoring to people with autism and down syndrome as I provide to mainstream athletes.
As well as a professional career of over 20 years in the IT industry managing large teams spread across the Asia Pacific region, I've also had a diverse and wide-ranging list of roles in Cricket. I believe this diversity and mix of club and representative levels of playing and coaching provides a strong basis to pass on my knowledge and help athletes become the best they can be.
Current Head Coach Australian Cricket Team for Players with an Intellectual Disability
Assistant Coach Australian Cricket Team for Players with an Intellectual Disability (2014-2016)
Current Assistant Coach Goodwood Cricket Club
Director of Coaching/Head Coach Northern Districts Cricket Club
Inaugural Coach of South Australian Special Olympics Cricket Team at the first National Championships
Open Mens South Australian Indoor Cricket Coach (2003-2005 and 2009-2015)
Various SA Masters Indoor Cricket Coaching roles (Over 30 Men, Over 35 Men, Over 30 Women)
Ad Hoc Coaching assistance to various teams as requested
I'm also on the Committee of Taverners SA (Home - Taverners Australia) which is a charitable organisation supporting athletes with a Disability or Disadvantaged to pursue their sporting dreams.
John has a Working with Children Check, has completed the NDIS mandatory training modules, and also the "Improving Sport for Athletes with an Intellectual Disability" online course from Special Olympics Australia.
And most importantly I'm married to Lesley, and have a daughter Tyler and a son Sean. We live in Goodwood, South Australia.
Paolo Franzini - Western Australia Delivery Partner
Based in Perth WA (Joondalup) I assist players of all ages and abilities on their cricketing journey. With 18 years experience at all levels, I hope to be able to impart the knowledge I have to the benefit of the player. My experience working with athletes with a Disability includes being the WA State Coach of Cricketers with an Intellectual Disability, and State-Based Coach for the Australian Cricket Squads for both ID and Blind and Visually Impaired Cricketers.
I am a Level 2 Cricket Australia accredited coach with WWC, and currently studying for my High Performance Coach (Level 3) accreditation. I run CricketCoaching.com.au providing a range of coaching services in WA.
James "Ned" Niederer - Adelaide South
Ned is part of the Inclusive Sports Coaching family having played cricket with John a looooong time ago, and bringing both cricket qualifications as well as lived experience with autism.
A Level 2 Cricket Australia Coach, Ned has played District Cricket for Southern Districts, been the Junior Coordinator at Reynella Cricket Club, and has also run the Reynella All Abilities Clinic for the past 7 years helping 40+ kids with special needs have an opportunity to play cricket and get some exercise in a fun and supportive environment. Ned has also Umpired at A Grade levels for both Cricket and Football, so has a wide range of experience both on and off the field.
Jaime Hards - Adelaide Golf Specialist Coach
Jaime is a State Level Junior Golfer and is providing specialist coaching services to Inclusive Sports Coaching where we have clients who are keen to develop their Golf game. Jaime will attend specific sessions to provide technical guidance to help the Client be able to get more consistency, distance and accuracy in their Golf game. We are delighted to have Jaime as part of the Coaching group, as she also has lived experience with intellectual disability in her family so despite just being a teenager, she is very aware and empathetic to the needs of people with learning difficulties.
ABC 730 Report Story
A Training Camp with a Difference
The ABC attended the Australian Intellectually Disabled Team Training Camp in Brisbane to get a behind the scenes look at how the Players were preparing for the International games vs England later in the year.
Fox Sports Interview with John Lonergan
The Best Job in the World
A story on John Lonergan's journey to becoming the Australian Cricket ID Coach, and the passion he has to influence those with a Disability as Cricketers and People
