New national partnership will support coach and official education and create stronger links between schools and local clubs. This initiative will also focus on the benefits of digital learning in sport.
Wrestling Australia has announced a new partnership with Playbk Sports to strengthen how the sport develops coaches and officials, using digital learning to support wrestling’s growth in schools and communities across Australia.
Through the partnership, Wrestling Australia will develop its own digital learning in sport platform, offering introductory coaching and officiating courses for teachers, schools, volunteers and club communities. The initiative is designed to complement existing education programs while making it easier for people to discover wrestling and connect with local clubs.
For many emerging sports, participation growth depends on creating opportunities beyond the traditional club environment. By giving teachers the knowledge and confidence to introduce wrestling safely and appropriately in schools, Wrestling Australia hopes to increase the sport’s visibility and build stronger long-term participation pathways.
The platform also represents an important investment in the future capability of the sport. While face-to-face education will continue to play an important role, digital learning will give Wrestling Australia a scalable resource that can provide consistent, accessible learning across the country.
Development of the learning content is being led collaboratively by Playbk Sports, experienced sports consultant Mike McLaughlin from McLaughlin Sports Consultancy, and coaches from across the Wrestling Australia community. This approach brings together contemporary digital learning design, practical coaching knowledge and the lived experience of people actively developing wrestling in Australia.
Playbk Sports Co-founder and COO Damian Hecker said digital learning is an important tool for National Sporting Organisations seeking to grow participation and awareness.
“For sports with a smaller footprint, digital learning provides a way to reach further than has often been possible in the past.”
“Schools are where many young Australians experience a sport for the first time. By providing teachers with accessible education, we can help sports like wrestling reach new audiences and create stronger connections between schools and community clubs.”
“Digital learning removes geographical barriers, supports volunteers and gives sports the ability to build capability at scale. Ultimately, it is about giving more young people the chance to experience a sport they may not otherwise have discovered.”
Wrestling Australia President David Barns said the partnership was an important step in the organisation’s long-term development.
“As a volunteer-run National Sporting Organisation, we have to think carefully about how we build capability and support our members.”
“This partnership gives Wrestling Australia a digital platform that provides coaches, officials and teachers with access to consistent learning at a time and place that works for them. It complements our existing education programs and helps us reach communities that have traditionally been difficult to service.”
“Importantly, this initiative builds on the governance improvements Wrestling Australia has made in recent years and creates a resource that will continue to evolve with the sport. As we look ahead to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games, it also gives wrestling a practical way to build awareness and participation ahead of a home Olympic Games.”
Development of the platform is now underway, with the first introductory coaching and officiating courses expected to launch by September. Future releases will include further education resources to support teachers, volunteers, coaches and officials, creating a connected learning journey that can evolve with the needs of the sport.
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About Wrestling Australia
Wrestling Australia exists to develop the sport across the country, encompassing Freestyle, Women’s, and Greco-Roman disciplines, alongside non-Olympic Beach Wrestling, Sambo, UWW Grappling and Indigenous styles.
Our primary role is to encourage the widest possible participation and ensure the highest proficiency in Olympic Wrestling within Australia.By developing a robust network of coaches and officials, the association provides strategic leadership.
This enables Australian states to effectively coordinate programs and activities that welcome participants of all ages and backgrounds into our sport.
About Playbk Sports
Founded in 2015, Playbk Sports builds digital products for sport that grow participation, strengthen pathways and develop people at scale.
Trusted by leading organisations across the AFL, NRL, NBL and National Sporting Organisation landscape, Playbk Sports partners with clubs and governing bodies to deliver connected digital experiences across schools, workforce development and athlete pathways.
