Aligning Strategies Leading industry consultant Martin Sheppard, Managing Director of the Smart Connection Consultancy and founder of the National Sports & Physical Activity Convention (NSC) considers the development of the NSC and his wider aspirations. Sheppard explores his vision for the NSC to be seen as Australia and New Zealand’s leading vehicle for bringing the industry together to challenge the norms, to change the narratives and collectively lay the foundations for the future, with our industry collaborators. Longer term he would love to see the NSC owned and run by the community sport and recreation sector, themselves.
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ustralia’s largest community sport and recreation convention, the National Sports & Physical Activity Convention and Expo will be returning in July, supported by over 40 peak bodies and collaborators, delivering information on the latest trends and thinking from the globe with showcasing good practice from around Australia. Created in 2013 with a focus on synthetic sports surfaces where Sheppard is an internationally respected consultant - the NSC has grown pre-COVID to hosting 1,000 delegates and 500 at the Expo, with co-located conferences also aligned. NSC22 sees the bringing together of over 75 speakers, 70 exhibitors and an expected 600 industry delegates over two days in July, as the conference bounces back after the pandemic. With Australia hosting numerous major sporting events in the next decade, which he sees as a “generational opportunity”, along with the post-COVID challenges of physical activity among the wider community, Sheppard looks at the NSC’s achievements and his aspirations for the event moving forward.
Martin Sheppard (centre) at the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the NSC and the International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities (IAKS) with IAKS President Stefan Kannewischer and IAKS Secretary General Klaus Meinel.
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Australasian Leisure Management: Given there is confidence that live events and conferences will be able to proceed this year, what do you hope for the 2022 NSC to achieve? Martin Sheppard: 2022 is the starting point for the next decade, during COVID so many alliances were established between peak bodies, sports, providers and academia. In my 25 years in Australia, I have never seen such camaraderie and desire to align the narratives, this is really exciting. This year’s NSC focuses are around how we can understand all the various approaches and collectives in a manner that can benefit the next decade. Kieren Perkins OAM (Chief Executive of the Australian Sports Commission), will share his vision for the next decade, followed by a global vision exploring other organisations visions for the next decade with Chief Executives and Chairs and leaders from Sport New Zealand, Sport Singapore, Sport England, International Play Association, The Danish Foundation for Culture and Sports Facilities and the International Paralympic Association. These two sessions open the NSC as part of the NSC Oration, on the afternoon of Monday 11th July with delegates and industry VIPs. ALM: How has the event evolved over recent years and what do you see as its greatest achievements? MS: The concept from 2016 was to challenge the narrative and approach that we were all embracing, as the saying goes “if you keep doing the same, you will get the same results”. With the growing number of peak bodies who now collaborate and partner with us, we feel that the NSC is really a true representation of the community sport and recreation sectors. They are themselves encouraging us to continue to challenge the ‘traditional approaches’ by showcasing different approaches. With some global announcements over the next few months, the NSC I think, has come of age and is now seen by the industry as the key knowledge sharing and networking event annually for community sport and recreation.
