Tony’s heart-warming and inspiring story unveils his approach to coaching athletes from grassroots to elite.

Tony, a former Irish Olympic and World Champion Rower, immigrated to New Zealand to teach and lead the rowing programme at Christs College, Christchurch.

In 2019, he was asked to coach NZ Men’s Rowing Eight with the goal of qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics. The team successfully qualified via the “Last Chance Regatta” months out from the Olympics and then had to deal with COVID restrictions leading up to the Olympics.

At the Olympics, the Eight qualified for the final via the Repechage dominating the race to win gold; NZ’s first gold medal in the Eight in 49 years.

Tony O'Connor

Coaching Workbook

Watch this epic story of a world champion Irish rower who has changed the lives of hundreds of kiwi school boys and is the ‘wizard’ behind our gold medal winning Men’s 8 at the Tokyo Olympics. 

Most of all be inspired by Tony O’Connor’s passionate coaching philosophy anchored on caring for his athletes as people first – winning shiny cups and medals a distant second. A philosophy the Coach For Life Foundation hopes will inspire all kiwi coaches to embrace in their mission to grow better people through sport.

Clear standards of behaviour

Teach them to teach themselves

Planning a season

Get to know your athletes 

Keep everything in perspective

Getting parents on board

The Rowing Teacher

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I became the coach I needed

A Leader For Tomorrow

The Snow Coaches

The Coaches Coach

The Players Coach

The Mana Enhancer