Dont be Instantly reactive

After a frustrating loss on Friday night in a major semi final where we conceeded 2 goals in the final 7 minutes my first reaction was to question the fitness of the players and furthermore ask myself the question have I stuffed up. PArticularly when this has happened 2 weeks in a row. I even lost sleep about this as I went over things in my mind. The point of this is true REFLECTION and to demonstrate like everyone I do doubt myself from time to time but after going over my notes on the game and my programs I did realise the physical preperation was good and the goals came from concentration lapses or just poor decision making. My point is that dont react instantly take time and from my first reaction of Ive got to step training up fortunately I had Vern Gambettas words in my ears "one training session cant make a season but it certainly can ruin one"

What is your SYSTEM

I am often talking about a systematic approach to training and programing and I was thinking that maybe this term is overused and people dont know what it means. To me it is about a checklist about doing one step before the next and no going to step 5 before you have completed step 1. I work on a very basic system

Step 1 - Analysis

I first analyse the sport, the movements, the physiology involved, the research outlining what is required to be a success anything I can find or do so that I know and understand the sport from a movement perspective. If there are specific positions in the sport than I must also analyse that position (for instance the GK in soccer)

Once I know the sport I must tham know the athlete and analyse their present physical condition. Now if I dont know the sport how do I know what to analyse and if I dont analyse how can I program. Testing needs to be completed and too ofetn it is not completed many professional teams do not test but how do they know where their athlete is at and how do they know if there program is working. testing is not the be all and end all of this but it does give a very important view point. The tests I conduct must be specific to the sport

Step 2
Plan - Here you plan the season, phase (block), the week, the session if you have no plan you will fail and you are not a professional. I dont think it is possible to have a season plan spot on from the start but you must have the outline but it must be flexible if changes are needed. You than plan the phase, then the week and the session and this must be done in detail. I always say to my students a plan should have enough detail so if you are sick an assistant can run the session from the plan

Step 3
Perform

The implementation stage where players perform the session etc and this is where you put the plan into practise. This is imperative that you are involved in this stage so you can see how your plan is working in reality

Step 4
Review and Reflect
Often not used but so powerful after every session that you review and reflect on the positives and negatives and adjust if required. The system is flexible and fluid and requires constant tinkering dont get set in your ways be open Review how players feel, use player monitioring forms, interview your players anything to make your programs better.

This is not rocket science it is a basic educational model and you may vary what you do but at least be sure in your mind that you do have structure

Preparing for the off season

It is imperative you speak with players about the crucial time of off season or transition. One of the main reasons pre season is not enjoyed because players see the off season as a time to do no physical activity and to eat anything they like. If this is how they approach the off season than the mountain to climb in pre season will be high. However if this period is approached correctly where other activities are taken up just so there is regular physical activity than pre season will be more enjoyable. Sometimes when I see players back after pre season I realise that they actually need a pre pre season program. You must speak with the players and inform them about what to do during the transition period otherwise valuable weeks will be lost.

Know your place

Too often sports scientists and people involved in athletic development think the World revolves around them. Preparing a player requires a multi disciplinary approach and not always are you going to get your own way. Further to this at the end of the day your boss is the head coach and you must respect this. If you do not like the head coaches methods than find a new job - dont sit around backstabbing the coach or trying to get onside with the players be a professional and do your job to the best of your ability. Too often I have heard of difficulties between sports scientists and coaches and in most part the fault is with the SS. Dont think because you have the knowledge or you think you do that you know it all. I love talking to the coaches, listening to their ideas offering advice when requested but most of all respecting their views. Too often we forget sports science is an APPLIED science and thus involves people and what may work in the lab or in a research project does not work in reality.

Olympics

I thought I should post something about the Olympics. I love it and every 4 years I embrace the amount of sport on TV and I know I could be philosophical and critical and think about the drugs, the pollution and Chinas crimes against humanity but beyond that I just try to focus on the sports and the end products of a training plan. There is some exceptional human talent and remarkable sports and one of my favourite things is to watch sports and admire those that I seldom see except for the Olympics. Think about how you could incorporate wrestling into your program or how would you train for volleyball etc etc I really is alot of fun so embrace it and enjoy it for what it is

Why do what you Do?

do you know what the session you conducted meant? Where did it fit into this weeks plan and where did this week it into the present phase and where did this phase fit into earlier phases. We must advance from being a great session trainer into being a well planned professional COACH. Many people ask me what I do am I a trainer m I a sport scientist but really we are athletic development coaches. This is a profession in itself and to be a good coach you must have a plan you must make a stance and create your plan based on sound scientific principles. Too many professional strength and condiitiong people are killing athletes off simply and surely. Have a look at our cities A league team before we have even started injuries are everywhere now maybe their program hasnt caued all the problems but the muscular injuries yoou have to start asking questions. Do they really know what they are doing, what is the plan how are improvements measured well no testing has been conducted so no retests so how do they know. The fact is they dont and thus we have the terrible situation of our cities A League soccer team being as professional or unprofessional as a local park team - what a waste of money. I feel strongly about this as in their hands are players with bright futures who will make no advances in term of their athletic development due to the arrogance and ignorance of the staff involved.

Grad Diploma and Master of Athletic Development

Great news as I had proposed the above courses to a University in Sydney and have got the go ahead to write them up. I am so excited as I know this can be a great course and I hope to make it practcal and vocational in that people come out work ready to venture into the field and to be able to make a difference. It will be different to many Masters courses around that are just an advancement on 3rd year subjects without being anything really different. I am also passionate about the name athletic development and not letting it be called strength and conditioning and Vern's post below has strengthened my thoughts on this. I wil keep you posted but I hope its finished by Christmass and get authorised next year so we can start an intake in 2010 or even semester 2 2009.