Sprints Jumps and Hurdles Coaching Network a great success

A runaway success

The latest event in the Coaching Network series was the Sprints, Hurdles and Jumps Network  conference in AIT on April 16th.  This was a great success with over 130 coaches thronging the venue.  The appetite for self-development by the coaches bodes very well for the clubs and athletes with whom they work.

The event line-up included a mixture of expert coaches and national record holders in various events.  The day started with a masterclass in speed concepts from Tom Crick which proved thought-provoking for many of the coaches present.  You can see Tom's slides HERE.

This was followed by specific workshops in long jump , high jump, pole vault and hurdles. Deirdre Ryan, Ciaran McDonagh, Juliet Claffey and Richard Wheater shared their experiences and insights with an enthusiastic group.  These were very practical sessions with a strong emphasis on coaches being exposed to best practice.  The presentations were enhanced by a number of young athletes who assisted the tutors in demonstrating the various drills and interventions.  There was a significant level of interaction and these sessions were extremely well received.  The sessions were repeated in the afternoon to allow participants attend two of the workshops.

Richard Wheater gave the final presentation of the afternoon bringing the focus back to the role of the coach.  The attendees had participated in a series of technical sessions up to this point and it was time for people to gather their thoughts.  Richard concentrated on assisting the coaches reflect on how they could improve and develop.

Thoughts have now turned to the next network session which will be held later in the year.  This will complement the work done and provide further opportunities for our coaches.