Arthur Eustace is one of Athletics New Zealand’s leading administrators, having served on the Oceania and IAAF Councils and was a life member of Oceania, IAAF and Athletics NZ. A champion hurdler and Empire Games bronze medallist, he started his post athlete career as a coach and was passionate about coaching through until his recent death in April 2018. Arthur was also the Athletics New Zealand Patron from 2009 until 2018.

Arthur was a founding member of the Athletics NZ Coaches Association and an inaugural inductee into the NZ Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2006. He was instrumental in the IAAF establishing a Coaches Commission. As a teacher he understood the need for lifelong learning and encouraged innovation, collaboration and advocated always for putting the pupil, participant or athlete at the centre of decision making and practise.

The Arthur Eustace Award for Coaching is given in his honour to recognise Coaches who are integral to Athletics. The award celebrates coaches who demonstrate the values Arthur held around coaching athletics and who also exhibit the behaviours that support Athletics New Zealand’s core beliefs around coaching. These include:

Athlete/Participant Focus              Establish environments that support the participant/athlete to learn and to take responsibility for their performanceTailors approach to the individual and are sensitive to their individual needsLearning FocusedLearns ‘on the job’ and is open to feedback on their performance (mentoring), is reflective of their own practices with a commitment to be betterDemonstrated willingness to learn and gain accreditation and technical knowledge, but who also acknowledges these formal accreditations form just part of their ongoing development and seeks to learn outside of these  Personal ValuesPuts aside self-interest and collaborate in the best interests of the athlete. Willing to share knowledge and work with others in the interest of increasing the capability of Coaches across the sport.

For further information on the Arthur Eustace QSO Award for Coaching, please contact your regional development officer or Raylene Bates ([email protected])

Nominations close on Thursday 4th February 2027.

Click here to download the nomination form.
Please submit your completed nomination to [email protected] by the nomination close date.