The Power of Passion and Paying It Forward | Dianne Huxley

Many hope for a better future, with very few actually stepping up and taking responsibility for making it so, but for Dianne Huxley she saw no other alternative. 

Huxley is Athletics Australia’s National Performance Pathways Lead. With a lifelong dedication to sport, development and education first as an athlete, then coaching, management and eventually teaching in some of the institutions within the region of Tasmania and New South Wales. She left the sport for a period of time to return to teach full time, however quickly found herself in research completing both a Masters, and then the ultimate, a PhD. 

Soon after, she gave presentations at the Oceania Championships which caught the attention of Athletics Australia HP Staff, so for Dianne, academia became her route back into the sport. 

The lack of research on pathways and strategies within the Australian athletics context drew her back in, with the aim of strengthening existing structures. 

“I wanted to get some evidence on how people were developing and what resources existed or didn’t, and how coaches were operating. In some ways, it confirmed what I knew practically, but now I can be very confident then in what I know and don't know. I felt this was Important for coach education and development, I really want to develop and upskill coaches, and those with influence working with the next generation of athletes,” she said.

Six years of study later, she has publications in Sports Science Journals, exploring topics such as An examination of the training profiles and injuries in elite youth track and field athletes, The pathway to the top: Key factors and influences in the development of Australian Olympic and World Championship Track and Field athletes, and The pathway to the top: Key factors and influences in the development of Australian Olympic and World Championship Track and Field athletes. 

However, in trying to shape the future of Australian athletes, she quickly found herself in the trenches with coaches, admitting “supporting the next generation of female coaches, kind of happened by accident.” 

The Australian Institute of Sport established a Women in High Performance Coaching Program, she was selected to participate alongside some of the most successful coaches Australia has ever seen such as Sharon Hannan (coach to Olympic Gold medallist, Sally Pearson), Penny Gillies (Commonwealth 4x400m coach) and Lyn Foreman (Commonwealth & Olympic Games Team coach). 

Here she realised the need to do their own program. She scurried to find all possible funding available, with investment coming then from the AIS and Athletics Australia. 

“We created this program which incorporated 14 women which ran over a year, with three residential workshops, exploring topics of the HP environment, the importance of networking, overcoming the boys club, and instinctive leadership. That just went gang busters! (an idiom used to describe something that is highly successful ).”

She did all she could as a facilitator, working in the present, before the beauty unfolded in front of her. 

“The growth and the confidence in the women from connecting was magic. Those residential meet ups were everything. We had created a WhatsApp group which is nothing unusual, but using that platform then to keep the channels of communication open, really strengthened their connection”. 

Creating a space for the women to come together and connect was the conduit to more. Through skillful facilitation, she ensured peer to peer collaboration, formal mentoring and also linking coaches with technical experience to support their development. Energised by this newfound network, the female coaches eagerly embraced opportunities to expand their coaching skills, going on to various Australian Team Coach and Management roles in 2023 and 2024. 

Now, these women have taken it upon themselves to pay it forward, stepping into mentorship roles to support and encourage others on their coaching journeys, made possible through an ASC Women leaders in Sport Grant

Leading into the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games, Huxley believes a modest investment in mentoring female coaches can wield significant dividends, especially in nurturing emerging coaches over the coming years, particularly by compensating mentors. 

“A huge barrier for female coaches progressing is time, lack of confidence and support system. Often, women find it difficult to take that first step in looking for additional support or guidance, so a formal mentoring programme seemed like the obvious fit. This was established as part of the Australian Athletics HP Coach Development Strategy, suddenly, this commitment became more formal and established , with clear expectations and accountability from the offset. 

“Mentee’s feel more inclined to reach out to their mentors here as previously they would have never have thought about reaching out to them, as they would have felt their mentor didn't have time to talk, or they wouldn’t want to bother them. But it's the opposite, these established coaches really want to help and give back.”

Huxley’s message isn't about needing hefty investments for women in coaching; rather, it's about nurturing passionate coaches to sustain the momentum already in motion.

Recognizing that a one-off program falls short, the focus shifts towards fostering dedicated coaches who are committed to long-term growth and development. 

“I am seeing it all evolve now, all the good work that has been established is already happening now and is only getting stronger.” It's crucial to remember “that without good coaches, you won't have good athletes.”

Huxley’s advice for federations aspiring to invest in women in coaching, while financial support is undoubtedly valuable, the most crucial step is simply to begin: start small but with individuals who have great heart and passion.

By Lilly-Ann O'Hora for Athletics Australia
Posted: 14/6/2024