Author Archives: James Marshall

  1. Summer Reading Recommendations

    Leave a Comment

    Books for the holidays

    Everyone who reads this post will have experienced the Pandemic lock down differently. Some of you may have had more time to read, some of you may have cut back on books due to finances, some of you will not have had time to read as you try to balance home -schooling, work, life and worries. Some of you may have been ill.

    What follows are my personal recommendations for holiday reading based on what I have read this year and also 3 text books that are keepers.

    I have read a lot more fiction than usual: my mind has needed to get away, even if my body is stuck in Willand.

    My pre-lock down Tsundoku

    My regular reader will know that I have forsworn from buying books over the last 18 months.

    I try to use the library (but not for 14 weeks now) as much as possible and borrow books from friends. This is to save money and to be disciplined in clearing my Tsundoku: I have plenty on that shelf already.

    I admit to breaking my oath by buying three text books:

    1. The Weightlifting Encyclopedia by Arthur Dreschler (recommended by Ray Williams).

    2. Your Move: A New Approach to the Study of Movement and Dance by Ann Hutchinson Guest (recommended by Greg Thompson).

    3. Self-Editing for Fiction writers by Renni Browne and Dave King (recommended by Jean Fullerton).

    All three are excellent; the first two are very detailed and require some time end effort to finish but will be keepers on my bookshelves.

    Top 5 Books for Holiday Reading

    A tough choice as I have read many excellent books this year (see full list below) but here they are:

    Will keep you occupied

    1. The Dog of the Marriage: Amy Hempel. Four books in one. A collection of short stories that are superbly written and entertaining.

    2. The Milkman: Anna Burns. Excellent moving novel about a young woman living in Belfast in the late 1970s. Outstanding writing.

    3. Life and Fate: Vassily Grossman. Epic novel about one family and their friends set in and around Stalingrad in WWII. The sparse Russian writing is a delight to read and the human stories are well placed against the horrific backdrop. Fantastic.

    4. The Shipping News: Annie Proulx. Sublime prose and similes to die for. A great human interest novel with the Newfoundland coast being a key part.

    5. Life Among the Savages: Shirley Jackson. Extremely well written memoir of life in rural Vermont with young children. Funny and relevant 50 years later, maybe more so for those of us who have had children at home for 6 months.

    If you have any books that you think are worth taking on holiday, please add in the comments section below.

    The full list of books that I have read so far in 2020

    Thanks to Mandi Abrahams and Pete Bunning for sending/ loaning me books and to Sarah and family who have bought me books for Christmas.

                  1. A Slip of the Keyboard: Terry Pratchett. A series of newspaper articles and speeches made over 25 years. The first half is about writing and publishing,which is very funny. The second half is about his Alzheimer’s disease and how he is coping with that. Truly a great writer.

                  2. Night Walks: Charles Dickens. Essays on his ramblings around London. His observations are witty and descriptive. I might make Dickens a thing to read every Christmas time now.

                  3. What Matters Most: John Doerr. Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) form the backbone of this book. Case studies of this form of management. Very useful.

                  4. James S. Corey: Tiamat’s Wrath. Sci-fi soap, wearing a bit thin now.

                  5. Calypso: David Sedaris. 18 semi auto-biographical essays. Laugh out loud in parts. Very well written.

                  6. The Stinging Fly (Summer 2019): Various. Modern writing, short stories and poems. The ‘Border’ focus was excellent, but some of the new generation are self-indulgent, talking about their writing.

                  7. The Body: Bill Bryson. Superbly written overview of what makes the body work, and the people who discovered how. A page turner.

                  8. Night Boat to Tangiers: Kevin Barry. Modern and interesting, raw prose. A bit too disjointed for me.

                  9. A Movement approach to Educational Gymnastics: Ruth Morison. Read for the 2nd time, got more out of having taught for 5 years now. Superb.

                  10. The Modern Antiquarian: Julian Cope. A beautiful book that comes in a box! Covers pre-history in Britain and how the Romans and Christians wrote over what existed previously. has a gazetteer of dozens of stone circles, henges and dolmens in the UK. Very interesting.

                  11. Emerald Eye: Various, ed Frank Ludlow and Roelof Goudriaan. A collection of SF and fantasy short stories from Ireland. Very good.

                  12. An Introduction to Movement Study and Teaching: Marion North. Short, with some good ideas. A lot of dance and drama involved.

                  13. The Depths: Henning Mankell. A Swedish novel about the navy in WWI. Interesting lead character, deeply flawed.

                  14. Young Skins: Colin Barrett. A short story collection by this modern Irish writer. Set mostly in one fictional small town, great prose, interesting situations.

                  15. Life Among the Savages: Shirley Jackson. Extremely well written memoir of life in rural Vermont with young children. Funny and relevant 50 years later.

                  16. And Then There Were None: Agatha Christie. Good plot, but dated and laborious writing.

                  17. Dynamic Physical Education for Elementary School Children: Robert Pangrazi. A huge book, in depth and lots of practical ideas. A must for p.e. teachers.

                  18. The Buried Giant: Kazuo Ishiguro. A beautiful, sad mythical tale. A treat.

                  19. Consider This: Chuck Palahniuk An excellent book for writers about writing. Useful tips and relevant anecdotes.

                  20. Socratic Discourses: Plato and Xenophon. Part of the Everyman’s library, wisdom from the wisest of all. Hard to get through due to the conversational style of writing, but useful nuggets in there.

                  21. Anatomy For The Artist: Sarah Simblet. A sumptuous book by this Dr and artist. Great illustrations, I enjoyed reading this.

                  22. Martin Eden: Jack London. A semi-autobiographical account of a struggling writer who burns out. Brilliant.

                  23. The Dog of the Marriage: Amy Hempel. Four books in one. A sublime collection of short stories that are superbly written and entertaining.

                  24. The Witcher: Andrzej Sapkowski Time killing fantasy short story collection. Meh.

                  25. Life In the Universe: Michael J. Farrell. What a collection of entertaining short stories. Funny and well written.

                  26. With Lawrence in Arabia: Lowell Thomas. A super little book written in the aftermath of World War I, before Lawrence’s death. Very descriptive and atmospheric writing.

                  27. Tales of Space and Time: H.G. Wells. 5 short stories/novellas. Interesting to see what Wells thought 2020 and beyond would look like.

                  28. The Shipping News: Annie Proulx. Sublime prose and similes to die for. A great human interest novel with the Newfoundland coast being a key part.

                  29. The Stinging Fly (Winter 2019): Various authors. Collection of short stories and essays. Very good writing.

                  30. Hothouse: Brian Aldiss. Classic SF novel set on a future Earth which is dying. A Hugo award winning journey of discovery.

                  31. Britain BC: Francis Pryor. Extensive account of pre-Roman Britain. Lots of archaeology and description, well written and interesting.

                  32. The Encyclopedia of Physical Fitness: Ed by Thomas Cureton & Reuben Frost. An overview of many sports and some dance and outdoor activities. Includes rules and histories of the activities: dated in parts, useful in others.

                  33. Twelve Stories and a Dream: H.G. Wells. More misses than hits from this prolific writer, feels a bit dated in parts. Like the way he wraps up each story.

                  34. The Pianist: Wladyslaw Szpilman. Sombre and understated account of one man’s miraculous survival of the Nazi occupation of Warsaw. Shows how random and arbitrary death was.

                  35. The Revenant: A novel of the Western frontier in the 1820s. More of a fictional history lesson.

                  36. The Milkman: Anna Burns. Excellent moving novel about a young woman living in Belfast in the late 1970s. Outstanding writing.

                  37. Your Move:A new Approach to the Study of Movement and Dance: Ann Hutchinson Guest. An illustrated guide to Labanotation. Hard going but interesting. It is learning a new language.

                  38. Europe Between The Oceans (9000 BC-AD 1000): Barry Cunliffe. A comprehensive overview of the macro movements and events that have shaped our history. It uses the geography of our European peninsula to describe why peoples moved and traded and fought. Excellent.

                  39. The Small Back Room: Nigel Balchin. Short novel about a scientific research unit in London during World War II. Interesting and niche.

                  40. A Short History of English Literature: Sir Ifor Evans. This edition was written in 1963 and covers plays, novels and prose up until then. A useful guide.

                  41. Midnight’s Children: Salman Rushdie. A hard read with very flowery prose.: one sentence was two pages long,. The story is interesting but I can’t see what all the fuss is about.

                  42. Arizona Ames: Zane Grey. Disappointing and simplistic Western. A one-dimensional lead character.

                  43. Life and Fate: Vassily Grossman. Epic novel about one family and their friends set in and around Stalingrad in WWII. The sparse Russian writing is a delight to read and the human stories are well placed against the horrific backdrop. Fantastic.

                  44. Modern Short Stories: J. Hadfield (Ed). 20 stories from authors such as Conrad, Wodehouse and Pritchett, printed in 1962. Great examples of this form.

                  45. The Stinging Fly (Summer 2020): Various, Edited by Danny Denton. A collection of essays, poems and short stories. The essays and a couple of the short stories were good, the poetry I can leave.

                  46. The Weightlifting Encylopedia: Arthur Dreschler. Written in 1998, this is a well written, comprehensive guide to the sport. If it was published now it would have less text and more pictures. I like this edition. Great personal examples from the author and well laid out. Fantastic.

                  47. Self-Editing for Fiction writers: Renni Browne and Dave King. An older book, very useful with clear examples and downright funny in places.

  2. Coaches’ Coffee Break: Books

    Leave a Comment

    Reading ideas for sports coaches and teachers

    On Friday I had a virtual coffee break chat with several of my GAIN Europe colleagues. We met for 30 mins and talked about what books we are currently reading.

    GAINers chatting over tea

    The idea was to simulate the informal learning that we miss when we don’t hang out in person, rather than a ‘webinar’ or top down lesson. Thanks to everyone who took part, it was fun and much needed.

    Here are some of the books mentioned, in no particular order, and just because we are reading them, doesn’t mean they are recommended (my recommended reading list is here ).

    One thing we did agree on: that the quality of writing was as important, or more so, than the content. This is why many sporting books are ‘bad reads‘.

    Comprehensive but dated in parts
    • Jonathan Livingstone Seagull: Richard Bach
    • The Hobbit: J.R.R. Tolkien
    • Open: Andre Agassi.
    • Mastery: George Leonard
    • The Element: Ken Robinson
    • The Illustrated Light on Yoga: B.K.S. Iyengar
    • Encyclopedia of Physical Education, Fitness and Sports (Sports, Dance & Related Activities: Ed. Reuben Frost, & Thomas Cureton.
    • Physical Intelligence: Scott Grafton
    • Lore of Nutrition: Tim Noakes.
    • A Short History of Nearly Everything: Bill Bryson.
    • The Body: Bill Bryson
    • My Turn: Johan Cruyff
    • Science and Application of High-Intensity Interval Training: Paul Laursen & Martin Buchheit
    A fun read

    Our next coffee break is scheduled for 10:30 UK Time on Friday 1st May for any other GAINers wanting to join in.

    Other reading ideas

    While we are on the subject, here is a list of the books that I have read so far this year.

    1. A Slip of the Keyboard: Terry Pratchett. A series of newspaper articles and speeches made over 25 years. The first half is about writing and publishing,which is very funny. The second half is about his Alzheimer’s disease and how he is coping with that. Truly a great writer.
    2. Night Walks: Charles Dickens. Essays on his ramblings around London. His observations are witty and descriptive. I might make Dickens a thing to read every Christmas time now.
    3. What Matters Most: John Doerr. Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) form the backbone of this book. Case studies of this form of management. Very useful.
    4. James S. Corey: Tiamat’s Wrath. Sci-fi soap, wearing a bit thin now.
    5. Calypso: David Sedaris. 18 semi auto-biographical essays. Laugh out loud in parts. Very well written.
    6. The Stinging Fly (Summer 2019): Various. Modern writing, short stories and poems. The ‘Border’ focus was excellent, but some of the new generation are self-indulgent, talking about their writing.
    7. The Body: Bill Bryson. Superbly written overview of what makes the body work, and the people who discovered how. A page turner.
    8. Night Boat to Tangiers: Kevin Barry. Modern and interesting, raw prose. A bit too disjointed for me. 
    9. A Movement approach to Educational Gymnastics: Ruth Morison. Read for the 2nd time, got more out of having taught for 5 years now. Superb.
    10. The Modern Antiquarian: Julian Cope. A beautiful book that comes in a box! Covers pre-history in Britain and how the Romans and Christians wrote over what existed previously. has a gazetteer of dozens of stone circles, henges and dolmens in the UK. Very interesting.
    11. Emerald Eye: Various, ed Frank Ludlow and Roelof Goudriaan. A collection of SF and fantasy short stories from Ireland. Very good.
    12. An Introduction to Movement Study and Teaching: Marion North. Short, with some good ideas. A lot of dance and drama involved.
    13. The Depths: Henning Mankell. A Swedish novel about the navy in WWI. Interesting lead character, deeply flawed.
    14. Young Skins: Colin Barrett. A short story collection by this modern Irish writer. Set mostly in one fictional small town, great prose, interesting situations.
    15. Life Among the Savages: Shirley Jackson. Extremely well written memoir of life in rural Vermont with young children. Funny and relevant 50 years later.
    16. And Then There Were None: Agatha Christie. Good plot, but dated and laborious writing.
    17. Dynamic Physical Education for Elementary School Children: Robert Pangrazi. A huge book, in depth and lots of practical ideas. A must for p.e. teachers.
    18. The Buried Giant: Kazuo Ishiguro. A beautiful, sad mythical tale. A treat.
    19. Consider This: Chuck Palahniuk An excellent book for writers about writing. Useful tips and relevant anecdotes. 
    20. Socratic Discourses: Plato and Xenophon. Part of the Everyman’s library, wisdom from the wisest of all. Hard to get through due to the conversational style of writing, but useful nuggets in there.
    21. Anatomy For The Artist: Sarah Simblet. A sumptuous book by this Dr and artist. Great illustrations, I enjoyed reading this.
    22. Martin Eden: Jack London. A semi-autobiographical account of a struggling writer who burns out. Brilliant.
    23. The Dog of the Marriage: Amy Hempel. Four books in one. A sublime collection of short stories that are superbly written and entertaining.
    24. The Witcher: Andrzej Sapkowski Time killing fantasy short story collection. Meh.
    25. Life In the Universe: Michael J. Farrell. What a collection of entertaining short stories. Funny and well written.
    26. With Lawrence in Arabia: Lowell Thomas. A super little book written in the aftermath of World War I, before Lawrence’s death. Very descriptive and atmospheric writing.
    27. Tales of Space and Time: H.G. Wells. 5 short stories/novellas. Interesting to see what Wells thought 2020 and beyond would look like. 
    28. The Shipping News: Annie Proulx. Sublime prose and similes to die for. A great human interest novel with the Newfoundland coast being a key part.
    29. The Stinging Fly (Winter 2019): Various authors. Collection of short stories and essays. Very good writing.
    30. Hothouse: Brian Aldiss. Classic SF novel set on a future Earth which is dying. A Hugo award winning journey of discovery.

    Thanks for reading, if you have any favourites, please share below.

  3. Creating Frankenstein’s Monster in the Gym

    Leave a Comment

    “Man,” I cried, “how ignorant art thou in thy pride of wisdom!”
    ― Mary Shelley, Frankenstein

    I was asked last week my thoughts on using the barbell hip thrust in the gym. I had no thoughts on the matter, I don’t use it as an exercise tool.

    Rather than, ‘What do you use to develop hip extension?’  The follow up question was, ‘Why not? S&C coach X says it works on hip extension which is really important in sprints and jumps.’

    Earlier that week I had been asked by a novice weight lifter why their Crossfit ‘coach’ was telling them different cues than I was for the snatch, especially with reference to the hip extension. She prefaced this with, ‘What I did with you really helped, I understood it and it works.’

    Why can’t we leave it at that? If what I do when I coach works, why ask me to comment on what I am NOT doing?

    “Of what a strange nature is knowledge! It clings to a mind when it has once seized on it like a lichen on a rock.“
    ― Mary Shelley, Frankenstein

    Here are some exercises that I do not use, or have not used in at least 8 years:

    • Nordic curls
    • Barbell Hip Thrusts
    • Bench Press
    • The Plank

    Whilst their proponents will argue their validity, I avoid simplistic isolated exercises that work on certain body parts in the hope that they will magically come together when the athlete tries to move fast or powerfully in the arena.

    All of the above minimise, or eliminate movement, and have a low skill component. That makes them easier to load and develop and get better numbers. 

    But, expecting them to work together is like Frankenstein working furiously in his laboratory, and then dismayed at the result.

    “Hateful day when I received life!’ I exclaimed in agony. ‘Accursed creator! Why did you form a monster so hideous that even you turned from me in disgust? God, in pity, made man beautiful and alluring, after his own image; but my form is a filthy type of yours, more horrid even from the very resemblance.I am solitary and abhorred.’ – The Monster”

    ― Mary Shelley, Frankenstein

    Whip cracking

    Last Sunday, whilst waiting for my daughter to finish horse riding, I had a go at cracking a whip. A big long one that probably weighed 200g or so. I attempted it a dozen times, and my arm was getting tired. The horse riding instructor said it looked like I was fly fishing.

    I had a few more attempts and cracked it twice overall. The speed and timing were what was needed to succeed.

    Harder than it looks

    If I was Frankenstein, I might give myself these exercises to help me get better:

    • Wrist curls
    • Bicep curls
    • Front shoulder raises

    They are the components of the whip action, so surely doing these will help?

    It’s embarrassing when a 60 year old lady can do a skill faster and better than I can. I doubt very much if she is stronger than me at those dumbbell exercises. Her timing and coordination are far superior.

    hip thrusts don't work
    /

    Sprinting, jumping and the snatch are coordination exercises. They require practice and skill.

    If you spend all the time in the laboratory (or weights room) without seeing, or being responsible for the end result, you can come up will all sorts of concoctions. Other mad scientists can marvel at your work and you will become famous amongst your peers.

    I prefer to help our athletes get better at their chosen endeavour.

  4. How to get fit for sport

    3 Comments

    A comprehensive guide to getting fit for your sport

    how to get fit for sportOver the past few years, we have published many guides on sports fitness; based on both research and our extensive coaching experience. Our athletes have benefitted from the principles and systems that we have developed.

    Rather than play sport to get fit, the evidence shows that getting fit to play your sport will be safer and more effective.

    Here they are gathered in one place to make them easier for you to find, most contain links to videos or other useful information.

    Essential information for all sports

    Whilst each sport is “unique, special and different” there are some things that are common throughout. Here are the key areas that will help you, whatever your sport.

    The Comprehensive Guide to Getting Fit for your Sport.

    An example of how to train hamstrings for football (and other sports like hockey, rugby, netball and cricket) can be seen in this video:

    Get the right coaching for you and your team now

    best way to get fit for sportIf you would like to get fit for your sport safely and effectively and have some fun on the way, then I am happy to help.

    If you live in the South West, then I can help you with individual strength and conditioning If you live outside the South West, or abroad, then please contact me if you wish to host a workshop or seminar.

  5. GAIN Deep Dive Review

    2 Comments

    A review of the first ever GAIN Deep Dive on Foundational Strength

    I always write a review of my experiences at the GAIN conference. This is part of my reflective practice.

    As I was hosting and co-presenting on this ‘mini-GAIN’ held in Devon, I thought someone else would be better placed to reflect. Mark Sheppard wrote this review of the Deep Dive.

    Coaches from 9 different countries came to Devon

    “Having known James Marshall for at least 8 years I am familiar with both his work and his philosophy. I know it has been shaped by the 9 years that James has attended the GAIN conference held in Houston, USA.

    To have Vern Gambetta share the experience and knowledge accumulated over 50 years of coaching I could see the impact this has had on James and others in the group who have previously attended these events.

    Vern explaining his ‘Train movements, not muscles mantra

    There is a saying ‘stop learning and you stop living’. Staying curious and open while being grounded in good science and the evidence of good practice are tenets of both Vern and James.

    Throughout the two days whether in the theory or practical sessions there was a clear rationale for the information shared. We were all encouraged to participate and contribute through the collective experience of those in the room from different disciplines and sports.

    Gambetta Athletic Improvement Network (GAIN)

    James showing how Indian clubs help strength and coordination

    ‘GAIN’ is very much a network. which I understood better as the workshop progressed and subsequently as a WhatsApp group was formed amongst the attendees afterwards.

     Listening to the ‘GAIN’ podcasts reinforced this dynamic. Hearing people share their journey in physical development and high performance coaching where the driver is what works best for my athlete, their ability and the demands placed on them is a welcome relief from the tsunami of self-promoted, ill-informed claims found on the internet.

    I came away with a clearer overview of what a well-designed programme looks like:

    • Appropriate to the age/gender/ability/sport.
    • Progressive, imaginative and grounded in sound fundamentals.

     I reviewed what I was doing and reshaped the structure of the sessions I was running with my developmental tennis players (10 – 16 yrs old). I am excited to see the impact this will have on the athletes and private clients I currently work with. I feel I have refined the tools I have been using to greater effect in the time I have with the people I work with.

    ‘Athletic Development’ in my experience is lower down the food-chain in most sporting environments. Buy-in from athletes, parents, and coaches is key, and educating and providing supporting information to these stake-holders is an important element in my coaching role.

    Having the wealth of information shared over the two days from both Vern and James was having access to a deep well which I know I will be drawing from for years to come.

    GAIN regulars Donie Fox, Matt Grainger and Jason St Clair Newman helped out.

    Human-beings are complex, multilayered, adaptive systems of physiology, neurology, culture and belief systems.  It’s what makes this work so interesting.

    Knowing there is a support system out there to support one’s own coaching journey through this minefield has been my biggest Gain (pun intended).“

    Mark Sheppard

    More learning opportunities

    Thanks, Mark for sharing. If any other attendees had a comment, please leave below. This was the first Deep Dive, but we shall be running others. Please contact myself or Vern if you are interested in attending or hosting.

    In the mean time, I am preparing for GAIN in June, where I am looking forward to once again learning from great practitioners from around the world.

  6. Do a Health Diagnostic in 2020

    Leave a Comment

    Are you healthy? How do you know?

    If you can’t fit into your jeans, time to do something about it.

    There is more to measuring health than being able to squeeze into your summer jeans. (Although, if they are from the summer of ’87 that might be as accurate as anything else).

    If you check the tyres, water and oil in your car this winter, or you get your boiler serviced, how about doing it for the most important thing in your life: yourself?

    (I know the carers amongst us say our dependents are more important, but if we are unhealthy we risk becoming a dependent ourselves).

    Rather than launch into some short- lived exercise or diet fad, try doing a health self-diagnostic and make 2020 the year you look after your wellbeing.

    But you should see the car I drive.

    Some people spend hours researching the best tyres to put onto their new car, meanwhile neglecting the spare one around their midriff.

    Some people spend hours watching sport on TV, but pull a rotator cuff reaching for the last mince pie in the cupboard.

    I am no body fascist, but I think that you should be able to negotiate the stairs in your house without wheezing and puffing. The problem is that in our auto mechanised society, there is no standard of health, except the absence of disease. We can avoid any accountability until it is too late.

    We have now the extremes of narcissistic 6- pack or bubble butt selfie takers on the one hand, and the mouth-breathing, thigh- rubbing, takeaway junkies on the other.

    What should your health diagnostic include?

    The four pillars of health are:

    • Movement
    • Nutrition
    • Rest
    • Rejuvenation

    I have put movement in there rather than exercise. Dancing, climbing and playing frisbee are all active, without being a competition. Better yet, do a little of all three.

    Thomas Cureton had a battery of exercises that he used to assess an adult’s physical well being. In the video below I am demonstrating three of them. These can be practised at home and are designed for normal active adults. Step 1 of your diagnostic is to try these. If you can do them, well done. If you find them hard, practise.

    3 simple measurements for active adults.

    Nutrition is simple and can be sustainable. Yet, people try to make it complicated. In yesterday’s Twitter poll, those people going on Vegan diets are the most annoying to share an office with, mainly because they insist on telling everyone about it.

    Sensible eating tips that last all year round

    Years ago, P.G. Wodehouse wrote an article for Vanity Fair about people doing fad exercises.

    “A man who does anything regularly is practically certain to become a bore. Man is by nature so irregular that, if he takes a cold bath every day or keeps a diary every day or does physical exercises every day, he is sure to be too proud of himself to keep quiet about it. He cannot help gloating over the weaker vessels who turn on the hot tap, forget to enter anything after January the fifth, and shirk the matutinal development of their sinews. He will drag the subject into any conversation in which he happens to be engaged. And especially is this so as regards physical culture.”

    Or as Mike Tomlin said in simpler terms,

    ’Don’t tell people about your problems, because they’re either glad you got ’em or don’t want to hear ’em’

    Rest and rejuvenation are not synonymous  

    Rest is sleep and the absence of work. When working with athletes, I concentrate on relaxing activities that help them get a good night’s sleep. That includes, eating well, getting off the screen and doing something that takes your mind off your sport.

    Rejuvenation is adding something to your life that enhances your spirit, soul or emotional state. The little things that help you get out of bed in the morning.

    Tip: Getting a fist bump on Strava, or cycling with pretend friends on a computer screen are different from doing a shared activity, that requires no boasting

    A picnic combines many health enhancing activities.

    Instead, think about: learning, fun, having a purpose, and creativity. It might be baking cookies, singing, trying a cartwheel or fixing old bicycles.

    Maybe dog walkers and gardeners have got it right? Regular moderate exercise, in the fresh air and purposeful. Repair Cafes and pantomime groups seem to have the group rejuvenation thing down.

    Maybe it is their connection with other human beings.

    So, if in 2020 you can move well, eat sensibly, get some quality sleep and try something that collaborates with others, your health diagnostic will score higher than in 2019.

    Just don’t tell everyone about it.

    Join us

    If you want to get healthy and learn some new skills alongside other people then join our club. You could do the adult gymnastics or weight lifting. No heroes, just ordinary people trying to do extraordinary things.

    I am currently working on a project that will help adults like you enjoy movement in the comfort of your own home. Watch this space, or get in touch if you would like to take part.

  7. Four things I have learnt in 2019

    Leave a Comment

    I have learnt lots in 2019, but here are some of the key things. Some of them I should have known before, but have drifted away from or been blown off course.

    Thanks to all the members of Excelsior Athletic Development Club for helping me improve my coaching this year and inspiring me to try harder.  Thanks also to everyone at GAIN for helping me clarify my thoughts and sharing their experiences.

    I hope to navigate 2020 better than 2019, avoiding rocky shores, dealing with the changing winds and enjoying the journey.

    Lesson 1: Have faith in the children

    Our end of term gymnastics display showed how adaptable and creative young people are, if given the opportunity. Despite illnesses, and parents forgetting the display was on, the children pulled together, stepped in to help each other and got on with it.

    Three great boys, all very different, helping each other.

    Our club members come from different backgrounds have different experiences and have vastly different personalities. Yet, they still manage to work together, express themselves and have fun. It is an absolute delight watching them put it all together.

    It shows what a community of people can do, when working together, and no one is trying to ‘WIN’.

    Lesson 2: The Mark #1 Eyeball is the best technological coaching device

    I have spent more time watching and observing this year. People might be thinking that I am sleeping on my feet, but my brain is taking in all that people do. How people move, what they like doing in warm ups, who they congregate with, where they get stuck.

    By watching, I can then intervene, encourage, educate or praise according to THEIR needs, rather than my own master plan (if I had one).

    Here Adanna and Grace are practising aerials. I gave them some tips to help after they tried.

    You can wander (and wonder) around various conferences, or social media, looking for answers or ideas, but I have found that many are right in front of me if I look carefully.

    The coaching process is sometimes specified as

    • PLAN 
    • DO
    • REVIEW

    I am now thinking that

    • OBSERVE
    • DO
    • REVIEW
    • PLAN

    Is more of what I believe. Where the DO is experimentation within safe parameters, and then build the plan from there.

    This links in to what John Pryor and Eddie Jones said at GAIN about the Plan evolving from your Philosophy.

    Lesson 3: Avoid the major catastrophes but allow the minor mistakes

    I got asked to describe my leadership style by a minor bureaucrat last week. I couldn’t think of an answer immediately. An HR person implied that ‘command and control’ is bad and to mention the GROW  model.

    Yes, but if you see someone about to collide with another person, shouting ‘STOP’ is definitely a command. So is, ‘Please evacuate out of the rear exit as we have a fire in the building.’

    On reflection, I thought that I don’t have a leadership style, nor do I want one. It might be out of fashion next season.

    Instead, we have to adapt to the situation and the person in front of us. By allowing them to make minor mistakes, but stopping major catastrophes, we give the person the opportunity to learn for themselves. If they keep making the minor mistake, we can guide them or show them a different way.

    I have learnt that perfectionism gets in the way of progress. It is easy to waste time on things that don’t matter in pursuit of the overall goal.

    Lesson 4: Joy is the fuel that drives our engines

    Life can get heavy. We can get sucked into a vortex of ‘Performance Pathways’ or learning about ‘frontal adverbials’ and forget about the joy of movement or reading for pleasure.

    There is a time for rigour, discipline and knuckling down to get enough repetitions to master a movement (as Archie demonstrates here).

    But, if we just do that, we squeeze the joy out of WHY we are learning and moving and playing. We become lifeless automatons, doomed to an existence of spreadsheets.

    An aimless life filled with Hedonistic pleasure would also be dull.

    Having a purpose, pursuing that dream, and enjoying the journey with others are what matters.

    I hope you all have a happy and healthy 2020.

  8. Top 5 books of 2019

    2 Comments
    Not quite there yet

    Looking for some books to give as gifts for Christmas? Here are my Top 5 books of 2019, plus a simple reflection of the rest that I have read.

    Sports coaches and p.e. teachers are often quick to jump on the latest book that is doing the rounds. Many of these are over-hyped and do not stand up to long term scrutiny. It is also often the only book that someone has read.

    Over the last 6 years I have read 474 books. Thanks as always to Mandi Abrahams of Castle Books, Beaumaris and to the staff of the Hayridge Library for their help and suggestions.

    Reading broadly gives me a sense of perspective. The following five are good ones.

    In no particular order…

    1. Instead of Education: John Holt.

    Excellent thoughts on how people can learn outside of a competitive education system. Written in 1976, thought provoking and relevant.

    “Education, with its supporting system of compulsory and competitive schooling, all its carrots and sticks, its grades, diplomas and credentials, now seems to me perhaps the most authoritarian and dangerous of all the social inventions of mankind.

    2. How to Run a Government: Michael Barber.

    Superb book with excellent examples and guidelines throughout. Useful for every manager or leader of an organisation that wants to get things done. No politics, just practical ideas and processes.

    Here is Barber on implementation,

    “The widely held view that the way to bring about change is to ‘win hearts and minds’ and then proceed is largely a myth. In fact, the reverse is true; you need to proceed, and if you do so well- a very big and important ‘if’- hearts and minds will follow.”

    The 4 stages if implementation

    3. Letters of T.E. Lawrence: David Garnett (Ed.).

    Hard to describe how inspirational and revealing these letters were for me. Addressed to Siegfried Sassoon, E.M. Forster, Robert Graves and many others, it shows how Lawrence/ Shaw enjoyed his life in the RAF as a mechanic working as part of a team. It showed how he hated the limelight, and was poor, not wanting to ‘make money form the war’ and have his royalties from ‘7 Pillars of Wisdom‘ to charity. 

    “Do make it clear that generalship, at least in my case, came of understanding, of hard study and brain-work and concentration. Had it come easy to me I should not have done it so well.”

    4. The Peckham Experiment: I.H. Pearse & L.H. Crocker.

    An account by these two biologists of the first health centre set up in the 1930s. A Utopian experiment that was sadly cut short by the war. An outstanding account of what can happen when a community is given opportunity to develop.

    “Experience has already taught us that health can only come forth from mutuality of action within a society sufficiently mixed and varied to provide for the needs of mind and spirit as well as of body.”

    5. West: Carys Davies. Sublime short novel about exploration and grief. Simple and elegant. I have read some great fiction this year, but this would be the one to read again.

    Other reading

    top 5 books of 2019
    Five is far too few, but better than none

    It was hard to narrow this down, honourable mentions are highlighted below. If you have a suggestion or would like to mention a book that you have enjoyed, please leave it in the comments section.

    Reading recommendations for teachers and coaches. My all time shortlist (non-fiction).

    The full list of books I have read in 2019.

    1. Words Are My Matter: Ursula K. Le Guin. Excellent start to reading in 2019 with this series of essays, book reviews and literary thoughts from the recently deceased author. Famous for her SF books, but the ideas and expressions in this book have opened my mind to new avenues of reading. A treat.
    2. The Courage To Be Disliked: I. Kishimi & F. Koga. Interesting look at Adlerian Psychology, told in a student/ teacher type interview. The two main points are to develop self reliance and to live in harmony with society.
    3. The October Country: Ray Bradbury. Collection of Gothic horror stories.
    4. The Barcelona Way: Damian Hughes. A mish-mash of ideas gleaned from observations during Pep Guardiola’s time at the club. Some good points from this: Cultural Architect, Cultural Assassin.
    5. The Lonely Voice: Frank O’Connor. High craft, reading it makes me want to be better. A series of essays about short story writing looking at literature’s greats.
    6. Surfacing: Margaret Attwood. Novel set in Quebec featuring a woman trying to find her identity and not submitting to cultural norms. Enlightening.
    7. Son of the Morning Star: Evan Connell. Extensive historical account of Colonel Custer and the battle of the Little Big Horn.
    8. Sketches From a Hunter’s Album: Ivan Turgenev. Collection of stories from 19th century Russia. Shows the plight of the peasants. Entertaining and great atmospheric descriptions.
    9. Crazy Weather:Charles L. McNichols. Super coming of age story of a white boy living on a Mojave reservation. Very detailed descriptions.
    10. The End of Average: Todd Rose. Very interesting book about statistics being badly applied to humans. 
    11. The Trial: Franz Kafka. Interesting story, but turgid writing and structure make it a tough read 
    12. Most Secret: Nevil Shute. A ripping war yarn about a secret mission in France. Splendidly understated.
    13. Slide Rule: Nevil Shute. Autobiography of this engineer and author, detailed account of early aviation in the UK.
    14. Skin in the Game: Naseem Taleb.A few good points set out in this unnecessarily thick book. If you lecture but don’t practice, or have a tangible downside if you are wrong, then you lack “skin in the game.” 
    15. The End of the Affair: Graham Greene. Short novel set in the 1940s, concise expression of human love and faith. 
    16. Brilliant Presentations: Richard Hall. Well laid out and easy to follow guidelines on improving your presentations.
    17. Revolutionary Road: Richard Yates. Superb novel about a dysfunctional couple in the suburbs of Connecticut. A page turner 
    18. West: Carys Davies. Sublime short novel about exploration and grief. Simple and elegant.
    19. Doctrines of the Great Educators: Robert Rusk. A synopsis of thoughts from Plato, Montessori and several others. Lots of good ideas. 
    20. Stone Mattress: Margaret Atwood. Nine tales of speculative fiction. A leaning towards the older generation. Good fun.
    21. Where Shall We Run To?: Alan Garner. Amusing and poignant autobiography of childhood in the war.
    22. Space,Time and Nathaniel: Brian Aldiss. 1950s SF short stories, some good ideas. 
    23. The Mint: T.E. Lawrence. Autobiographical account of Lawrence’s time as Airman Ross in the RAF basic training. Superb prose about life as a recruit between the wars. Hardly ever referenced, but I would recommend.
    24. How Things Are, A Science Tool-Kit For The Mind: Ed. John Brockman & Katinka Matson. A series of essays written in 1994 about science based topics and ideas. Thought provoking and interesting to read now, 25 years later, how much has changed. 
    25. Winning in the Trenches: Forrest Gregg. Autobiography form this Packer great. The most interesting part is his childhood, and then dealing with the players’ strike in Green Bay. A great man, the book is less so.
    26. The Creative Writing Handbook: Ed. J. Singleton & M. Luckhurst. A series of workshop ideas and premises for writing groups such as short stories, poetry , journalism and screenplays. Useful, but written 20 years ago, so dated in parts.
    27. Death in Venice and Other Short Stories: Thomas Mann. A sad collection of dysfunctional individuals, written over one hundred years ago. Superbly written.
    28. Deep Work: Cal Newport. A look at how to be productive, rather than busy. Very good ideas on switching off and concentrating on purposeful work.
    29. The Shrinking Man: Richard Matheson. Classic SF story, focusing on the detail at home of this problem.
    30. Encyclopedia of Physical Education, Fitness and Sports (Vol 4): Ed. T Cureton. Produced in 1985, so dated in some parts, but excellent in others. Very easy to read and well laid out. Information presented for coaches and teachers should always be this good.
    31. The Black Klansman: Ron Stallworth. So strange it can only be true account of the black police officer infiltrating the Colorado Springs branch of the KKK. Entertaining.
    32. Forgotten Voices, of the Falklands War: Hugh McManners (Ed) Imperial War Museum account of various people in the conflict. Heavy Para bias and critical of Sandy Woodward and 5 Brigade. Their view points would have been appreciated.
    33. How to Live on 24 Hours a Day: Arnold Bennett. A super little book about making use of the time we have got. Beautifully written and very relevant.
    34. Live and Let Die: Ian Fleming. A James Bond novel, interesting, but seems racist in parts now.
    35. Jeeves in the Offing: P.G. Wodehouse. Comedic novel.
    36. The Inimitable Jeeves: P.G. Wodehouse. Short stories featuring the fall and rise of Bingo Little.
    37. The Playmaker’s Advantage: Leonard Zaichkowsky. Well written, well evidenced account of how game sense is developed in the brain. Good examples throughout.
    38. The Kean Land: Jack Schaefer. Collection of western short stories. Some are very good.
    39. Writing with Intent: Margaret Atwood. A collection of essays, reviews and thoughts from this veteran writer. I couldn’t put this down. I loved the writing.
    40. Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers: Robert Sapolsky. In depth look at stress and how it affects the human body. Extremely informative and entertaining to read.
    41. Iron Ambition: Mike Tyson. An interesting account of his life with Cus D’Amato. The boxing parts are best, it gets bogged down int he courtroom mob accounts.
    42. The Walker’s Guide to Outdoor Clues & Signs: Tristan Gooley. Interesting and informative. 
    43. The Road to Little Dribbling: Bill Bryson. Travel writer’s sequel, funny but now sounding bitter. Has Britain gone downhill or the writer?
    44. Seven Pillars of Wisdom: T.E. Lawrence. Epic account of the Arab Revolt, part novel, part autobiography. Descriptive and fluent. Second time of reading, worth it.
    45. Negotiating With the Dead: Margaret Atwood. Seven essays about writing.
    46. American Gods: Neil Gaiman. Expansive and funny account of old gods trying to make it modern USA. 
    47. The Iliad: Homer. Finally read it, a lot of repetition, some great descriptive passages.
    48. The Natural History of Aggression: Ed. J.D. Carthy & F.J. Ebling. A report from a symposium held in 1964, lots of interesting research ideas.
    49. Raylan: Elmore Leonard. Short novel with a somewhat disjointed plot. More like a series of events. Dialogue is crackling.
    50. How to Write Your First Novel: Sophie King. Some useful ideas.
    51. Robinson Crusoe: Daniel Defoe. Read again after forty year gap. Descriptive adventure story, a reflection of its time and also a man’s development. 
    52. Under the Frog: Tibor Fischer. Superbly written tragi-comedy about life in Hungary pre-revolution. 
    53. Instead of Education: John Holt. Excellent thoughts on how people can learn outside of a competitive education system. Written in 1976, thought provoking and relevant.
    54. Conscious Coaching: Brett Bartholomew. Some interesting ideas, but generally unwieldy. Also, assumes that life in the gym is essential to athletes and that the squats, cleans mode of training is what counts.
    55. Lady With Lapdog and Other Stories: Anton Chekov. Two of these took my breath away, the rest are just very good. 
    56. The Handmaid’s Tale: Margaret Atwood. Dystopian novel about a woman surviving in the US ruled by a religious dictatorship. Might have seemed far fetched when written in 1985, less so now.
    57. The Peckham Experiment: I.H. Pearse & L.H. Crocker. An account by these two biologists of the first health centre set up in the 1930s. A Utopian experiment that was sadly cut short by the war. An outstanding account of what can happen when a community is given opportunity to develop.-
    58. The Testaments: Margaret Atwood. Sublime sequel, a real page turner. Thrilling words indeed.
    59. A Town Like Alice: Nevil Shute. Read again as a light touch. How to build a community from scratch.
    60. The Wizard of Earthsea: Ursula Le Guin. Read with my son, a coming of age quest.
    61. In Pursuit of Excellence: David Hemery. Detailed account of interviews with elite sports performers from the 1980s. Insightful and well researched.
    62. The Road: Cormac McCarthy. Brilliant novel, sparse prose, heart wrenching, love story between father and son in post apocalyptic USA.
    63. Star Trek in Myth and Legend: Thomas Richards. Very interesting book for fans of the series. Links in to the bigger world of literature.
    64. Ribbonworld: Richard Dee. Pedestrian SF Novel, poorly written.
    65. Letters of T.E. Lawrence: David Garnett (Ed.). Hard to describe how inspirational and revealing these letters were for me. Addressed to Siegfried Sassoon, E.M. Forster, Robert Graves and many others, it shows how Lawrence/ Shaw enjoyed his life in the RAF as a mechanic working as part of a team. It showed how he hated the limelight, and was poor, not wanting to ‘make money form the war’ and have his royalties from 7 Pillars to charity. 
    66. A Map of Imaginary Lands: Huw Lewis-Jones. A beautifully designed book of illustrations and maps from favourite books. Guest authors describe their love of stories and maps, nothing challenging, just a pleasure to read and observe.
    67. My Abandonment: Peter Rock. A great coming of age novel with a 13 year old girl protagonist. Set in the woods of Oregon, inspired by a true story and the basis for the film ‘Leave no Trace.’ Very good, read in a day.
    68. Fear & Fantasy: The Stinging Fly anthology, Various authors. An interesting collection of poems and short stories, a great short read.
    69. Gridiron Genius: Michael Lombardi. Analytical look at the management side of football. Insights gained from working with Bill Belichick and Bill Walsh. Very interesting and well laid out.
    70. The Stinging Fly (Spring 2012): Various authors. Short stories and poems from emerging writers. Carys Davies, Robert Hopkins and Colin Barratt stand out.
    71. A Secret Vice: J.R.R. Tolkien (ed. D.Fimi & A. Higgins). One for word smiths and language enthusiasts.
    72. The Exuberant Animal: Frank Forencich. Rambling book with good ideas, but few concrete conclusions or examples.
    73. How to Run a Government: Michael Barber. Superb book with excellent examples and guidelines throughout. Useful for every manager or leader of an organisation that wants to get things done. No politics, just practical ideas and processes.
    74. Why I Write: George Orwell.  Clear, precise, accurate and had me thinking from the start. A short book with a few essays, well worth keeping.
    75. The Mammoth Book of Celtic Myths and Legends: Peter Ellis. Lots of fairy tales, few about the Celts. More stories from these Celtic nations. 

    Currently reading: The fifth season by N.K. Jemisin.

  9. The Joy of Movement

    Leave a Comment
    the joy of movement
    Nobody ever jogged for joy

    Jumping for joy; when was the last time you did that? What about Jogging for joy? Hardly sounds the same does it?

    the joy of movement
    I did 11,000 steps today.

    I recently heard two people talking about their exercise regime. Everything was counted. They count calories, they count steps, they count miles and they count lengths in a pool.

    Their measure of progress was to do more of the same, count it, and then share it on Strava. They can then compare themselves with all the other hamsters.

    Were they happy? Sure didn’t sound it like it, they used phrases like, ‘I dread it, but feel better afterwards.’ Or, ‘I don’t want to do it, but I think I ought to.’

    ‘Where do I sign up?’ I didn’t ask.

    The daily grind

    how to get my child fit and healthy
    I am looking forward to getting home and spending time on the treadmill.

    Commute, work, commute and then relax by spending time on the treadmill.

    Compare that to a dog in the park. Endless energy, running around, chasing balls, leaves, cats and sniffing things. Children do that, without the sniffing. They are playful and happy, if given the chance.

    Bastards- let’s stop all that ‘larking about’ as one parent said to me. She wanted her 12 year old daughter to grind out tough strength and conditioning sessions because she was trying to climb up tennis rankings (another pointless measurement).

    Let’s drive our children to school and then give them fitbits to measure their steps. Let’s foist our adult insecurities onto our playful children.

    Let’s stop physical education and replace it with a ‘Daily Mile’, let’s turn them into mini adults.

    making shapes and changing shapes
    No adults necessary, just making shapes

    Alternatively you could explore the joy of movement with your child or dog:

    • Go upside down
    • Go backwards
    • Climb things
    • Go over and under things
    • Skip, jump, hop and leap.
    • Pick things up and carry them or throw them.
    • Forget competition and comparison; try to explore what your body can do.
    The joy of performing a new skill and trying things out can not be underestimated.
    Your children won’t get a certificate at our gymnastics sessions, but they might just have fun.

    Fun is what seems to be what is missing in life ( I have put some ideas on a YouTube playlist, ‘The Joy of Movement’ have a look.)

    If you concentrate on making shapes and changing shapes, you will never have to worry about getting in shape.

  10. What is Athletic Development?

    Leave a Comment

    Athletic Development is a combination of planned, unplanned, organised and chaotic events that lead to a person’s overall physical and mental abilities to perform a variety of physical tasks, often within sport.

    what is athletic development?
    Never too old to develop as an athlete

    Long Term Athletic Development (LTAD) is a model that highlights different stages from infancy to adulthood and what types of activities are best suited at each stage.

    As each human being grows up and develops in different environments, with different experiences and with different adaptations, there is no such thing as ‘The ideal pathway’. There are as many paths to the top as there are peaks.

    Athletic Development is a concept that applies to all children, and for many adults who want to continue physical activity.

    The ability to throw, catch, evade, slide, dodge, skip, run, jump, climb, duck, hop, roll and balance is often summarised with the term ‘Physical Literacy’.

    If a child is physically illiterate, then it is unlikely, but not impossible, that they will be unable to participate in a sport successfully. They may get hurt, injured, be unable to keep up, or bend down to pick up the ball or flinch when a ball is thrown at them.

    Physical Literacy can be developed through parenting

    I am often asked to provide sessions for young children- 3 year old’s in gymnastics or 6 year old’s in athletics.

    If I wanted to be rich, I would organise sessions for these age groups and fill the sessions. Yet, these children do not need organised sessions at these age groups.

    They need opportunities to crawl and roll on soft surfaces (sand, grass, carpets) to strengthen their limbs and discover movements themselves.
    For the budding track stars, I tell the parents to treat their child like a dog. Take them down to the park and throw their child a ball, let them run around maniacally and at their pace. They will set off like a berserker and then rest for a bit.
    That is what dog walkers do, and with children you don’t have to pick up their mess afterwards.

    Children need to explore in unsanitised environments

    But, the parent has to put down their smartphone and interact. They have to sack the ipad babysitter.
    The child needs the opportunity to get dirty, fall over and get up again. They need the chance to play with other children without it being a ‘playdate’.

    That is why I asked Willand Parish Council to improve the parks in our village four years ago. I gave them advice on what equipment would benefit children and give them the chance to play.
    They have been very responsive, taken a punt on my suggestions, and have seen the popularity of the equipment since.

    Hanging around in the park

    I was frustrated with parents not hanging around long enough for their children to play. So I suggested park benches and picnic tables to encourage families to stay. They have proven popular too, with all sorts of residents enjoying peaceful moments in the fresh air (I have yet to see any National Governing Body put in its ‘Talent Pathway’ plan the incorporation of benches under oak trees in parks).
    Our Parish Field has become a park that people from outside our village want to visit.


    Athletic Development for All

    Most things written about Athletic Development come from Sporting NGBs looking to increase medal counts or from academics promoting their model to gain speaking engagements and publication credits.

    Little of what they do has any relevance to George who is 6 years old and likes playing football in the playground and climbing onto the park benches. George has no idea what a ‘Talent Pathway’ is.

    For him, ‘Long Term’ means waiting until lunchtime to go out and play.

    I set up Excelsior Athletic Development Club five years ago. It was in response to my observations of young people who were keen, enthusiastic sports people, but were unable to perform simple tasks well.

    Examples being:
    • A 13 year old boy who was part of a swimming ‘Academy’ but he did not understand how to play piggy in the middle with a bean bag.
    • Rugby ‘Academy’ players who were given loaded back squats in a Smith machine, but were unable to stand up from a low bench without using their hands.
    • Track and Field athletes who could not skip sideways.
    • A 14 year old county cricketer who could not throw overhead.

    These children were given specialised activities in their sporting environment, but lacked the underpinning skills and basic movement patterns to help them reach a very high level.

    My work with National Governing Bodies and the Sport England “South West Talent’ Project brought me into contact with a lot of children whose parents ferried them from organised session to organised session, but had little time to play.

    The so-called ‘Talented’ athletes were just normal children whose parents had the time or money or both to take them to training sessions.

    Since I have been coaching at Excelsior ADC, I have seen first-hand how ordinary children, somewhat clumsy, sometimes tubby and lacking in confidence, can achieve a great deal given time and opportunity.

    I am often contacted by parents who tell me things like, ‘My daughter’s got a body in a million’ (can’t make this stuff up) or ‘He’s an extremely talented tennis player and you will be amazed by his physical ability.’
    I give the poor kid the benefit of the doubt and welcome them to our club session.

    I have yet to see any child come in and be better at the ordinary skills than our top twenty most regular attendees.

    Cerys (competitive weight lifter) sharing experiences with 6 of our dedicated youngsters.

    Our unsung heroes aren’t county players or internationals (yet), they just come in and get on with the job of learning gymnastics, athletics, strength and co-ordination training.

    In short, they are developing as athletes. Our aim is for them to be healthy, happy and participating in physical activity for the rest of their lives.

    That is the definition of Athletic Development in my mind.

    Athletic Development in action