Sport for all at Haileybury

Haileybury’s sports program is one of the largest school sports programs in the country.

However, there’s always room to improve the player experience, as well as expand the range of sports on offer, so every student can be part of a program they enjoy at a level that suits them.

As part of his role, Matt Dwyer, Haileybury’s newly-appointed Head of Sport, is bringing significant grassroots, national and international sports expertise to build on Haileybury’s existing sports program across campuses.

Matt’s goal is simple – to ensure every student has a memorable and enjoyable sporting experience, whether they aspire to become an elite athlete in traditional or competitive sports, want to exercise to keep active, or wish to pursue a passion like yoga or rock climbing. He also wants to make the sports program rewarding for the staff who coach and support students.

Matt is leading the development of a five-year sports strategy for Haileybury that will cement what the program already does well and build and broaden those strengths. It will take onboard the views and ideas of students, their families, and the staff who already deliver 38 sports across year levels and campuses. It is about providing more choice and wider opportunities for Haileybury students

“We’re keen to find out what students, families and staff specifically want from sports, so we can build a program for everyone. Some of our students will have a goal to be an Olympian or to play soccer or cricket for Australia or to play in the AFL or AFLW. What role can Haileybury play in helping those students towards that goal?

“We also want to support students who simply want to play the sport they love as best they can, and equally, we want to recognise kids who want to be active and who don’t want to pursue traditional team sports and find activities like pilates, golf or rock-climbing more to their liking.”

Matt joins Haileybury after decades in senior sales, marketing and sponsorship roles with major consumer and sports organisations including Cricket Australia and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). As the inaugural Chief Tennis Officer with Tennis Australia, Matt was accountable for growing and improving tennis participation in Australia from grassroots to Grand Slam level.

“My role with the ECB oversaw County cricket, essentially partnering with schools, government and sponsors to deliver cricket opportunities for children and adults at all levels of participation. I also oversaw the talent pathway for kids up until the age of 15,” says Matt.

Most recently, Head of Australia and New Zealand for Wilson Sporting Goods, Matt has also been a sports consultant and advisor to the Football Association in England, Golf England, the NFL, Major League Baseball and NBA. Key to his roles has been driving sustainable growth in community sport — skills that will be useful in enhancing Haileybury’s sports program during the next five years.

Choosing to work in education, rather than to continue his career in the corporate or sports world, is a proactive career switch that Matt is passionate about.

“When you’re on the executive of ECB or Tennis Australia and you roll out a program for 120,000 young people, it can often just be a number on a Board paper. You don’t actually see the impact of your work,” says Matt.

“What is most appealing about being here at Haileybury is having the opportunity to co-create a program and sports strategy with the students, parents and teachers, to implement it and to see the impact on the students. I’m very excited to be a part of that.”

Matt is also intent on ensuring the new sports strategy means teachers receive the support and professional development they need to build their own coaching skills and confidence. He also hopes a greater range of sports experiences will help create memories for young people with their families.

Haileybury CEO|Principal, Derek Scott, says the enhanced and contemporary sports program is about supporting all students to lead successful, healthy lives.

“Matt has a vast amount of experience in developing successful sports programs and initiatives at grassroots, national and international level and I’ve no doubt that, under his guidance, Haileybury’s sports program will become even stronger so every student can have a great experience..”