Louise Sauvage | Australian icon guiding the next generation

Despite being regarded as Australia’s most renowned Para-athlete, nine-time Paralympic champion Louise Sauvage concedes she did not know if she had what it took to be a good coach.

The urge to become a coach was hatched in the lead up to Athens in 2004, where Sauvage would compete at her fourth and final Paralympic Games.

“I wanted to give back to the sport that had given me so much,” she said.

“I knew I had to retire after Athens, and I was trying to prepare a little bit for my retirement. I really wanted to stay involved in my chosen sport so I thought I would have a go at coaching.”

The Australian legend was determined not to merely rely on her experience at the highest level, strengthening her skillset with a postgraduate degree in applied science at sports coaching at the University of Queensland.

But there was still one pressing concern in Sauvage’s mind when it came to coaching.

“I didn’t know if I’d be any good at it,” she said.

Former training partner Angie Ballard would soon become the first athlete to train under the tutelage of Sauvage, marking the inception of her coaching career in 2005.

“We had a great relationship as training partners and when I retired, she asked if I would coach her and I think I might have asked her at least ten times if she was sure about that,” she laughed.

It’s a modest assessment from the decorated athlete, whose insights into the sport are invaluable for athletes of all levels.

“I had some good mentors along the way to talk to about coaching and obviously I had my own personal coaches as an athlete. I learnt from them how I wanted to be as a coach and how I didn’t want to be as a coach,” she said.

With 11 world titles to her name on top of her swag of gold medals, Sauvage says that her illustrious career in wheelchair racing has allowed her to have a special relationship with her athletes, possessing a profound understanding of both their needs and experiences.

“Sometimes the communication level is a lot higher because I already know how they feel and they already know that I know,” she said.

“To know what they need or want at a certain time especially when it’s quite stressful is kind of cool because they don’t have to explain anything to me.”

Currently a national wheelchair track and road coach, Sauvage coaches all levels of athletes and is passionate about different athletes and disability groups.

“I really want other athletes and kids to have the same opportunities that I had in the sport,” she said.

“For me it’s about giving them a good first experience and hopefully they will want to come back. Not everyone is going to get to the elite level but as long as they are having fun and are fit and healthy - that’s all I can ask for.”

One athlete who ticks all those boxes is three-time Paralympian Madison de Rozario, who under the guidance of Sauvage has won gold at the last three World Para-Athletics Championships and set multiple world records – attesting to Sauvage’s expertise as a coach.

In total, she’s coached a total of three athletes to the Paralympic level.

Sauvage admits that seeing her athletes succeed is a different kind of feeling to that of her own glory days, yet equally as rewarding.

“I did achieve a lot personally, but I do get very excited when I see good times and good performances that I know that we have worked really hard for - it gives me such a buzz,” she said.  

“I want them to achieve their goals and just being a part of that journey with someone is the ultimate.”

The esteemed coach encourages other athletes to continue their involvement in the sport through coaching, mentoring or volunteering to assist the next generation of Australian athletes – saying she “can’t think of anything better”.

“We would love to have more coaches to impart our knowledge and to get more groups going Australia wide. I’d love to see more people get the same buzz I do out of coaching,” she said.

Recently retired athletes and athletes considering retirement can apply to be part of Athletics Australia’s new Athlete to Coach pathway program at: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=UbwA9LJQdES3HJ0Cz6yEwgyF0G9PtHBIsiq-zfEPLcBURE01MEpVT0QwRUY1TU8yREc5QklHSUJHSC4u

By Lachlan Moorhouse, Athletics Australia
Posted: 7/7/2021