Posts by Team
Excelsior ADC Club Update December 2017
Merry Christmas to all our club members Thanks to all our athletes, parents, volunteers and suppliers for a great 2017. A lot has happened over the last year, and more is planned for 2018. Here is a summary and update for January 2018. Please share with family and friends, you never know who might want…
Read MoreBest books on coaching and teaching 2017
Reading highlights for coaches and teachers Here are my top 5 books from 2017, plus a synopsis of the other books I have read this year. It is easy to jump on the “It’s new and shiny, you must get it” bandwagon. Hopefully you will find some alternative ideas in this list. Top 5 books…
Read MoreAn athlete’s guide to avoiding the flu.
Intro Getting ill sucks! We’ve all been there, tucked up in bed shivering and feeling sorry for ourselves. Here is my guide to avoiding the flu. Nobody enjoys being ill and it can have a terrible effect on an athlete’s fitness, training and performance. Not only does having a blocked nose reduce performance, it…
Read MoreMulti Planar strength training
Here is a quote from John Jesse, in his “Wrestling Physical Conditioning Encyclopedia“
“The writer has consistently maintained over the years that very few, if any, athletes in the modern industrial culture, ever develop all -round body strength. Even those who accept the concept of progressive weight training overemphasize great strength development in the arms, shoulders and legs.
Read MoreExcelsior ADC Club Update September 2017
Autumn Term means new beginnings School term has resumed which means the end of Summer Athletics and the resumption of gymnastics and weightlifting in Willand and Wellington. Here is a brief synopsis of what is happening. Fundraising: we have been short listed from over 700 applicants for the Skipton Grassroots Giving Campaign. In order to…
Read MoreBrian Aldiss RIP
Britain’s best Science Fiction Author dies I am sorry to hear today that Brian Aldiss has died. My thoughts go out to his family. His books have given me great pleasure over the years right up until the current day (one of his books usually features on my reading review of the year). Aldiss was…
Read MorePAR: Golf core values
Setting core values for your coaching environment Taking this golf example from Wade Gilbert’s “Coaching better every season” for coaches and players to help focus on what matters most. The golf coach ended up with the appropriate acronym PAR. Passion: Nurture love for the game of golf and competing. Achievement: Strive to achieve our competitive…
Read MoreUsing reflection and debriefs to enhance coaching: Wade Gilbert
“Why wait for a disaster to have a really open and frank conversation?” Wade Gilbert asked this at the GAIN conference in his presentation on reflection and debriefs for coaches. (This was two days after the Grenfell tower disaster where many people were asking the same thing). Wade said that systematic reflection could be the…
Read MoreCreating the Perfect Workout: Vern Gambetta and Jim Radcliffe
“We should warm up with skills not drills” Said Jim Radcliffe in his joint presentation with Vern Gambetta at GAIN. Combined they have been on an 89 year journey and “We can do better” said Vern in trying to create the perfect workout. This was an interesting dual presentation with a lot of back and…
Read MoreDeveloping the Robust Athlete: Jim Radcliffe
“Some people can negotiate the speed bumps of life, some end up in a ditch.” Jim Radcliffe talking about the Robust Athlete in his excellent presentation at GAIN this year. Jim has coached at The University of Oregon since 1989 and has been a major influence on my coaching since 2011 when I first saw…
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