AusDBF have just announced their selection of the coach to take train and lead the Australian teams at the upcoming Asian Dragon Boat Championships. Serge Cucsa (Victorian State coach) was the successful applicant, out a field of many. Serge has been coaching Dragon Boat teams for years, including currently coaching the Melbourne Flames, as well as recently becoming the Victorian State coach. More from Ausdbf president Kel Watt below:
AUSTRALIAN COACH AND SELECTION TIMETABLE FOR 2010 ASIAN CHAMPS ANNOUNCED Announcement of Australian Dragon Boat Squad Head Coach 2010 Asian Championships AusDBF is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Serghei Cucsa (Melbourne Flames, Victoria, Australia) as Coach of the Australian Squad to contest the 2010 Asian Championships. Serge is a highly qualified and experienced paddler, beginning his time in the Soviet Union and involved at the highest level of a range of sporting disciplines since the 1970s. While his focus has been on paddling and athletics, his skill set has seen him develop programs for sports and endeavours as diverse as ballet and OH&S workplace matters. Serge is the coach of the Melbourne Flames club in Victoria and has represented his state and country in kayak, canoe and dragon boat racing, winning medals at Australian Championships for the Flames and Victoria as well as while wearing the green and gold in the Sydney 2007 Dragon Boat Worlds. Serge cut his teeth in high level sport while studying at the National Sport Boarding School as a young athlete, before undertaking tertiary study at the State Pedagogical University at Kishinov, Moldova. He completed his PhD in Theory & Methodics of Physical Education, Sports Training & Exercise Therapy in 1990 at the St Petersburg Research Institute of Physical Culture, Russia. He has spent many years as a lecturer in Russia and Australia. He is currently on the Board of Dragon Boats Victoria and also serves as their High Performance Manager and Head Coach. He is also a member of the AusDBF High Performance Committee, formed recently to develop the elite end of dragon boat racing in Australia. His expertise and experience, especially in coaching the Australian Canoe Squad, will serve the Australian Dragon Boat community well and ensure we lay the strongest possible foundations for AusDBF as we now move towards a truly national and open selection for the Australian team. While the AusDBF High Performance Committee is meeting on January 10 to finetune the elements of how an Australian team selected from across the country will operate, some basic timeframes for the 2010 Asian Championships have been established already: SELECTION: The selection of paddlers will be made using a combination of physical and personal character assessments, including a letter of interest with questionnaires, observations, and personal conversations; and benchmarking and tests will involve on water, ergo and fitness tests. Initially about 40 people per crew will be selected and then the final cut made at subsequent camps and tests. Sweeps and drummers will also be selected at these camps. Camps and tests will be held over a period of some months from now until the team?s departure. All tests and criteria will be chosen and approved by coaches committee with advice from HPC. AusDBF will be mindful of barriers to participation and selection, such as time, geography and cost, and ensure the methods used to put the strongest Australian team possible on the water will not be derailed by financial hurdles and time restrictions. However, AusDBF is now developing a truly elite Australian team, and like all sports we expect that some sacrifice will be required. Paddlers who wish to put themselves forward for Australian selection need to be mindful of the following dates: 15 January 2010: expressions of interest for paddlers called for 31 March 2010: squad selected 22-25 April 2010: team presented at AusDBF Australian Championships - potentially the location for first training camp. Camps after April will be conducted in at least two venues, with details to be confirmed, but proposed to be NSW and Qld at this stage. As Australian Coach, Serge will be supported by a management and admin team as well as assistant coaches. However, he will be responsible for communicating with all paddlers and local coaches and designing the on and off water training regimes, mindful of the needs of paddlers in different states. A monthly report on the team?s progress as well as the progress of individual Australian team members will be made to the AusDBF Board. Paddlers should be aware that the Australian Squad competing in the 2010 Asian Championships will consist of Opens, Womens and Mixed crews only. No age categories such as Juniors and Masters will be raced. However, the open selection for the 2011 World Championships in Tampa Bay, Florida will be applied to the entire squad when all age categories will be competing. Good luck to all paddlers as we form our strongest ever Australian team, made up of the best 20 paddlers from across Australia. And on behalf of the entire Australian Dragon Boat community I congratulate Serge and wish him and his future team all the best. On the water! Kel Kel Watt AusDBF President
