NNZ has developed a series of player profiles to better understand New Zealand’s athlete pool and to identify and address those athlete’s development needs.

NCZ has adapted these player profiles to provide maximum effectiveness in our zone.

  • In the Pulse and Beko programmes, our focus will be on producing proficient and advanced athletes who can win their respective domestic competitions;
  • In the NZSS identification and development programme, where the lead is shared between NCZ and the centres, our focus will be on producing competent athletes who dominate NZSS selections;
  • All our centre age grade representative programmes will move from novice to developing player profile standards and our centre age grade representative teams will achieve top four placings at national events

We will support our centres to assess our athletes using the adapted player profiles. We will achieve this by developing and distributing appropriate resources and inducting centre volunteers and staff in how to use them.

We will also work with centres to provide support for those athletes we identify. We will also work with centres to help them support their identified athletes to enter and progress through the NCZ pathway, with the ultimate goal of being selected into NNZ programmes.

Figure 5 below summarises the NCZ player profile performance standards at each level of performance. The following key (Figure 4) explains the assessment terminology used.

NOVICE Rule governed. Needs structures and rules to guide performance. Response to situation is limited and inflexible
DEVELOPING Demonstrates acceptable performance of basic techniques and can start to apply them with support and supervision
COMPETENT Performance is efficient and organised but lacks speed and flexibility to adjust
PROFICIENT Understands situation/skill as whole. Can adapt to situations. Techniques are performed fluidly, accurately and at pace
ADVANCED Highly intuitive and characterised by doing the right thing at the right time

Key - NCZ Player Profile Performance Standards

competencies 1
competencies 2

NCZ Player Profile Performance Standards