The Winning Edge (WEDGE) Initiative

When Michael Campbell won the 2005 US Open the country celebrated. Cabinet was delayed for the morning. The cafes in Auckland's CBD were full of workers huddled around televisions rather than in their offices around computer screens. A few weeks later tens of thousands of cheering Wellingtonians lined Lambton Key for a ticker tape parade. It was extraordinary. The initiative described in this document seeks to chart a path that will mean such scenes are separated by years rather than generations. Its origin was in a request from NZG (through their then Operations Director Phil Aickin) to conduct an informal review of their High Performance Programme.

As part of that process Greg Turner enlisted the assistance of a small, elite group of New Zealanders with a background of international success in a range of sporting endeavours. That group has, over time, included Brett Steven (tennis), Russell Coutts and Tom Schnackenberg (yachting), Grant Fox and Anton Oliver (rugby), Michael Campbell and Marnie McGuire (golf). A number of leading business people have also been involved in offering a commercial perspective. The current model that has traditionally been, and continues to be, successful at producing world class amateur players but has a poor record at seeing them evolve into world class performers.

In the 1920's the difference between amateurs and professionals was effectively zero. Professional and amateur events were of a similar stature; the leading player in the world (Bobby Jones) was an amateur. By the 60's and 70's the two categories had parted quite dramatically. Many professional tours had formed and were beginning to develop some serious financial clout. The likes of Nicklaus, Player and Palmer were dominant and, in general, the professional player was significantly superior to his amateur equivalent. Fast forward to today and that divide has become an ocean. The modern professional is a multi-millionaire serviced and aided by private jets, personal coaches, trainers, physiotherapists, psychologists, business managers etc and the Tours are spread around the globe in a highly organised and structured form. The modern amateur is a schoolboy by comparison. We are united in believing that if that ocean is to be successfully navigated a four pronged structure must be put in place. The nubs of these prongs are:

Logistical Assistance
Most fledgling pros have little idea of what events and/or tours they are eligible to play in, how to enter, where to stay, what facilities might be available, a logical pathway to chart their course, the relevant accountancy and legal issues they will encounter etc. In a nut shell they are currently released from an organised and structured environment where most relevant issues are dealt with and set adrift in a maelstrom. The traditional management company role is to fill this void however these companies have little interest in fulfilling this role unless they can see success is imminent. Wedge must put in place the person or people necessary to fill this void.

Financial Assistance
There are a number of individuals and corporates who may well be willing to invest seed capital in young professionals if the model is credible. There will be differing motives behind such investments (from philanthropic to genuine financial speculation) however the likelihood of maximising the availability of such resources will only be achieved if the mechanisms are sound. Various models from corporatisation down, prepared and monitored by respected legal and accountancy businesses and supported by reputable individuals and groups, could serve to better unlock venture capital and enable accelerated progress. Through its logistical framework Wedge should provide this service.

Mentoring
As more youngsters have made the transition to the professional game and the average age involved in leading amateur tournaments has decreased, so too has the access of leading players to senior and experienced peers. A carefully administered structure that manages and enables the inter-action with senior sporting icons (our advisory board - Oliver, Fox, Steven, Coutts, Schnackenberg, Campbell and Turner - have all offered their time in this capacity) and selected leading patrons (successful business people could just as importantly contribute) will play a major role in correcting this anomaly. We believe that surrounding our athletes with a pool of high achievers from various walks of life will provide an invaluable resource for their development.