CORNWALL COUNTY AA COACHING

NOVEMBER 2007

AT YOUR PACE. This is the new shop opened in Helston by Stephen Bloor, the athletic podiatrist from Mullion.Some coaches may remember Stephen came to a County Coaching Forum to give a practical demonstration. At the Helston centre you can run on a treadmill and have your gait filmed for immediate analysis, and if there are any problems the man is there to suggest the right action to take.Tel 01326 240078

THE WINNING DIFFERENCE IS TINY

Frank Dick, the former National Director of Coaching, talking at the 2007 National sprint coaches put the message across to coaches of all disciplines, illustrating the huge difference the consequences of winning or losing can have, both mentally and financially, and it is the coach who is responsible for the winning difference.

It is the coach who can manage the relationship between athlete, school, club, national federation and agencies. While an athlete may dream of winning, it is the coach who must dream, plan, do and review.

Dick went on to outline the coache’s priorities:

• Performance development
• Preparation. Every moment should be professional. Work in 6 week macro-cycles
• Performance. The results you are after
• Consistency. Plan, control, fitness
• A support team that shares the coaching. Physiotherapist, conditioning coach, strength coach, team coach.
• A timescale to achievement that involves preparation details in consultation with the athlete of coming competitions,
• Learn to lift your game so that performance becomes a probability rather than a miracle.
• Fitness quality that will give consistency in performance and training.

A coach needs a sustainable ability to learn faster tha nthe opposition by learning from others.(Other athletes, other coaches, other clubs, other countries.)

THE SEVEN STEPS TO PERFORMANCE

1. Learn and persistently practice quality
2. Develop fitness to be technically effective
3. Develop maximum speed without compromising technical efficiency
4. Develop optimal cruising pace somewhere just below maximum speed
5. Rehearse extremes of pace
6. Respond faster and more effectively than the opposition
7. Win, win, win.

Develop your synthesis skills to bring all of these together.

Remember, THE WINNING DIFFERENCE IS TINY

NEW UKA TELEPHONE NUMBER 0121 7138400

COUNTY SQUADS

The first county squad meeting on the beach at Crantock had a fairly good responses, with athletes breaking into three groups to cover middle distance, throws and speed. The next squad meeting at Carn Brea will also have a high emphasis on conditioning work, but will not include middle distance who have some different dates. Should you know of any athlete who ought to be in the County squad but has been missed out for some reason, please let me know.

An invitation is extended to all Level 3 and 4 coaches to attend this year's UKA Level 4 Coach Technical Event Module in Loughborough on 1 and 2 December. UKA Performance Director, Dave Collins will open the course with a session examining preparation for elite performance. The remainder of the weekend will be devoted to event specific delivery by a team of highly qualified and experienced coaches such as Malcolm Arnold, Michael Khmel, Nick Dakin, Peter Stanley and Terry Lomax. Although the main purpose of the weekend is specific education for Level 3 coaches looking to complete this key element of Level 4, it should also be of interest and value to existing Level 4 coaches keen to stay abreast of current thinking and spend time discussing issues with colleagues.The cost of the weekend is £100 (this includes refreshments and lunch on both days).
To book a place, please complete the application form attached and return it with payment either by email to smorris@ukathletics.org.uk <mailto:smorris@ukathletics.org.uk> or post to:

Level 4 Technical Event Weekend, UK Athletics Ltd, Athletics House, Central Boulevard,
Blythe Valley Park, Solihull, West Midlands B90 8AJ