Services
Athletic Development
If you want to improve your speed, agility, power or strength to help you reach the next level in your sport, then you are in the right place.
Wherever you are on your journey, we can help you. If you are under 16, we recommend you join our club (children learn best with others).
If you are 16+, then James is happy to coach you 1:1.
Contact James for your free phone consultation on 07976 306494.
FAQs.
- What is Athletic Development?
It is a concept that applies to all children and to many adults who want to improve their sports performance.
"Athletic Development is a combination of planned, unplanned, organised and chaotic events that lead to an improvement in a person's overall physical and mental abilities."
Why do I need athletic development?
In order to play sport, people need the physical competency to perform technical skills.
Unfortunately, the lack of free play and the decline of physical education in schools has meant that many modern-day children are physically illiterate. They are often thrown into the competitive cauldron of sport underprepared. No wonder 50% of children have dropped out of sport by the age of 13!
The good news is this can be changed! By creating a rich, varied and fun environment of training and playing, young people (and old) can develop their physical competency and fitness. This then allows them to thrive in sports sessions and gives them a more enjoyable experience.
What would I actually do in training?
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’.
By combining these movements with strength, speed and power exercises, we develop athleticism.
Many training programmes focus on a few strength exercises in the gym that are derived from bodybuilding. This is good for increasing your muscle size, but there is minimal transfer to sport.
Our only focus is to make you a better athlete so you can perform better at your chosen sport.
If you become a better athlete, you will reduce your injury risk.
Weightlifting and Athletics Club
James set up Excelsior Athletic Development Club in 2014 to give local people the benefit of his expertise. We have helped hundreds of young people since then.
Excelsior ADC is a Community Interest Company (CIC) led by a board of directors including a safeguarding officer. We have several volunteers helping run the club.
Weightlifting
We are a licensed British Weightlifting Club and regularly take our members to competitions, including the British Age-Group and Masters Championships (Timetable and prices below).
All our sessions are planned and coached: there is NO open gym. We encourage technical efficiency of the snatch and clean and jerk before heavy loading. We work on strength all the time with easier movements such as pulls, presses and squats.
We welcome anyone who wants to learn, try hard and feel part of a team.
"My daughter has competed in several weightlifting competitions with James always making time to coach her at the events - we are incredibly grateful to James for this. His primary concern has always been safety and proper form - ensuring every lift is executed correctly before increasing the weight. My daughter has not only avoided injury, but she has also developed confidence in her strength and seen remarkable progress in her lifts this year. The best part though is that her training buddies support her and are always the first to encourage and congratulate her."
Liz Ranson
Athletics
In the spring and summer, we coach athletics in Cullompton, focusing on sprints, hurdles, long jump and hurdle jump. Our athletes compete in the Devon Open meets and two have competed in the South West Championships.
In the winter, we focus on strength and co-ordination, which helps prepare for most sports, as well as athletics.
"It was so much fun and I’ve already made two friends!" Zara, age 9.
(Timetable and prices below).
Our current timetable is here:
We run an online booking system via Spond. You can sign up here. Annual club membership is £9.50. Weightlifting sessions are £9.50 and our athletics/S&C sessions are £6.60 (all booked monthly in advance).
Our safeguarding officer is Emma Cottington. If you have any concerns about the welfare or protection of our members, then you can contact her by email.
Emma Cottington, Club Welfare Officer
Sports Injury Rehabilitation
If you have suffered from a serious sports injury and want to return to play, then James can help you. He offers a structured approach that looks at you as a whole person, focusing on what you can do, rather than what you can't do.
James combines strength exercises with movement patterns that retain and develop your athleticism while your injury heals. His unique background of coaching gymnastics, sports psychology, strength and conditioning, and athletics coaching means he can help you along every step of your rehabilitation journey as a sports person.
“I would wholeheartedly and already have, recommend anyone who has been unfortunate to have an ACL injury or something similar to rehabilitate with James if you’re serious about wanting to return to your sport in the best possible shape. His drive, enthusiasm and knowledge rubs off on you to want to get back to where you were and if you’re willing to put the effort in James will get you there.” Scott Rogers, Manager Weston-Super-Mare AFC
What will your rehab look like?
Here's an outline of the structure for returning from an ACL injury.
ACL Stage 1 Post Operation: Return to function
In your first 4-6 weeks post op we will the aim is to get you returning to your normal function, such as driving and walking up and down stairs. It will include modified whole body exercises to ensure that your body relearns how to work as one unit as soon as possible.
We constantly remind you and your body that you are you an athlete and that we are aiming for a return to competition. For that reason we may also introduce simple ball skills and running drills during this stage.
ACL Stage 2 Athletic Development
It is important to develop your confidence in the strength of your injured knee step by step. In this stage, we will progress you through exercises that develop your range of motion and strength.
As you improve, we gradually increase the challenges both technically and physically. We progress from two legged work to single leg work such as this sequence. This helps you prepare for change of direction and agility work in your sport specific training.
Towards the end of this stage we get you to move in many different directions, developing your ability to move from one leg to the other, to start-stop, turn, jump and land. All of which you do when playing ball sports. This helps you when you return to limited practice and skill sessions with your team.
ACL Stage 3 Return to Sport assessment
Depending on when you started training with us, this would usually be 6-7 months after injury. We put you in more unconventional and unexpected jumping and landing situations: much like what happens in sport. At this stage we would liaise with your team coach and talk about limited practices with small sided games.
Each injury is different, but if you see us soon after injury and train weekly, we would expect you to return to competition within 9 months.
Coach Mentoring and Education
.James is an experienced coach mentor and educator. He runs courses and workshops for sports coaches and teachers that help put theory into practice. He has presented for the German Academy of Sports Medicine, GAIN (USA) and Scottish Athletics.
Recent workshops include:
- Speed Training for Team Sports.
- Why Physical Education is the bedrock of Athletic Development.
- Developing your coaching eye.
- Ground based agility and conditioning for rugby contact.
- How Laban's movement framework can help your athletes.
“Partnering with James Marshall and Excelsior has been a game-changer for GAINswim. James brings sharp insight, clear strategy, and a no-nonsense approach that makes the complex feel simple and actionable. He’s been a true partner in every sense—committed, reliable, and innovative. I couldn’t recommend him more highly.”
—Chris Webb
Director, GAINswim
If you would like a tailor-made workshop for your team or school, then please contact James.
