Ryan Cuskelly named in AUS Gen32 Coach Program

Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Ryan Cuskelly is one of 30 coaches from 23 sports to be named in the second Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Gen32 Coach Program.

AIS Gen32 was created in 2022 to enhance the depth and diversity within Australia’s high performance coaching ranks ahead of the home Games in Brisbane and provides emerging or early-career coaches with a two-year paid internship in the nation’s top sporting programs.

Since retiring from professional squash, Cuskelly has been coaching in the United States but did return for a brief trip in 2023, and during that time won his third Australian National Championship.

The two-time World Doubles Champion was also a bronze medallist at the 2017 World Team Championship alongside Cam Pilley, Rex Hedrick and Zac Alexander.

AIS Gen32 coaches are employed within high performance sport for the duration of the program under the supervision of a technical coach. For Cuskelly, this period runs from January through to December 2026 when he will be based at the National Performance Centre on the Gold Coast.

Throughout the program coaches AIS Gen32 learn contemporary ways of delivering coaching, advance their interpersonal and leadership skills and gain a deeper understanding of athlete development.

The coaches also participate in three ‘learning labs’ per year where they engage in social and experiential initiatives while hearing from leaders in sport and subject matter experts. Learning Journey only positions are also available to early career coaches already employed in the system.

The AIS co-funds the coaches salaries in partnership with the National Institute Network and National Sporting Organisations.

The program is a key component of the AIS High Performance Coach Development Strategy and forms part of the AIS’s commitment to become world-leaders in coach development ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games.