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June, 2008
What is High Performance?
One of the most commonly asked questions in this business is, “What Exactly is High Performance?”
People talk about, write about, think about sports science, sports medicine, exercise physiology, talent identification, performance psychology, biomechanics, skill acquisition, elite coach development, recovery, sports physiotherapy, sports massage, performance analysis and all the elements and components of high performance sport, but what is it? What is this thing called High Performance?
I can summarise it all in one word………Change.
June 21, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Tags: AFL, American Football, Athletics, Baseball, Basketball, Cricket, Diving, Football, Gymnastics, Netball, Rugby, Rugby League, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Track and Field, Triathlon
The Greatest Assistant Coaching Article Ever Written (i.e. because we think it’s the only one): 50 of the best Tips on how to be a World Class Assistant Coach.
By Lindsay Gaze, Michael Foley, Dave Claxton, Craig Tiley, Scott Johnson, Bill Sweetenham, Andrew Friend, Keith Davies, and Wayne Goldsmith
Foreword:
Leading international Rugby Coach, Head Coach of USA Rugby (and former Wallabies Assistant coach) Scott Johnson and I were exchanging emails about coaching. Scott said, “You read a lot about coaching and plenty about being a head coach, but where is there something written about being a great assistant coach”.
I accepted the challenge, contacted some coaching friends and colleagues and this is what we came up with.
Sincere thanks to Lindsay, Michael, Dave, Craig, Scott, Bill, Andrew and Keith for their ASSIST-ANCE.
WG
June 20, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Tags: AFL, American Football, Athletics, Baseball, Basketball, Cricket, Diving, Football, Gymnastics, Netball, Rugby, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Soccer, Swimming, Tennis, Track and Field, Triathlon
Ten Tips for Keeping your Relationship Healthy when you work in High Performance Sport
The term “Sporting Widow” (or widower) is almost a cliche in high performance sport as many, many relationships have fallen apart in the industry due to the demands and pressures of travel, preparation, competition, training camps etc etc.
This article is for all my coaching, sports science, sports medicine and sports management colleagues (and their long suffering partners and families) written after many years chatting over beers and lamenting the challenges of working on the road, away from loved ones trying to balance success in high performance sport with a successful relationship.
June 17, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Tags: AFL, American Football, Athletics, Basketball, Coaching Tips, Cricket, Cycling, Diving, Football, Gymnastics, Netball, Olympics, Rugby, Rugby League, Soccer, Swimming, Tennis, Track and Field, Triathlon
Ten Reasons Why Change is so Hard to Introduce in Sport
Change is one of the most talked about aspects of sport.
But change is also one of the hardest things to actually introduce successfully and sustain in any sporting environment.
Why?
Because people who introduce change are often seen as radicals or “ratbags” or people who know nothing about the sport or people who don’t understand the sport’s culture or similar negative label.
Change innovators in sport have to fight through three phases to make a real difference:
- Ridicule - Real innovators, lateral thinkers and change drivers have to first face the conservative thinkers in the sport who will label their push to change as stupid, ill informed and ridiculous.
- Resistance - If the idea gets through Phase 1, it then meets hard opposition from people who are benefiting from the current thinking and who will fight hard to resist new ideas and any challenge to their position and beliefs.
- Acceptance - finally if you can get through the days, weeks, months or even years of fighting, political maneuvering, back stabbing and other obstacles you have to overcome, you can introduce real change and ensure the sport progresses.
June 10, 2008 | 1 Comment
Tags: AFL, American Football, Athletics, Baseball, Basketball, Boxing, Cricket, Diving, Football, Gymnastics, Netball, Rugby, Rugby League, Soccer, Swimming, Tennis, Track and Field, Triathlon
Hiring and Developing a COACHING / PERFORMANCE TEAM
Gone are the days of the “GURU” coaches.
Sure, the great names of coaching have all been “one man bands” - strong, decisive, authoritarian, leadership focused head coaches who controlled every aspect of the team’s performance.
However, elite sport has developed at an incredible rate over the past twenty years and the knowledge and skills required to win an elite sporting competition are greater than any one person can bring to the table.
Think of the advances in sports science, sports medicine, analysis, IT, nutrition, psychology and technology since the 1980s.
How can we expect that any one person can be THE expert in all performance areas plus coach the team, deal with the media, work with Club Board and Executive, recruit new players, talk to sponsors, meet the fans etc etc etc?
So - the Coaching Team and Performance Team concepts are born.
June 9, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Tags: AFL, American Football, Athletics, Baseball, Basketball, Boxing, Coaching Tips, Cricket, Diving, Football, Netball, Rugby, Rugby League, Soccer, Swimming, Tennis, Track and Field
