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- Herausgeber: Crowood
- Kategorie: Lebensstil
- Sprache: Englisch
As attention and funding increases for women's team sports, so too should the understanding of the support they require to physically compete at these higher levels. Strength and Conditioning for Women in Team Sports is a dedicated guide to upskilling S&C coaches who are working with female teams. It addresses the unique requirements for women in reactive multi-directional sports and provides recommendations on creating a positive environment to succeed. The main topics covered are: preparing to integrate into a women's team; developing relationships and processes; testing and monitoring strategies; building databases and creating reports; planning sessions and implementation and finally, injury, illness and managing return to performance. Offering key insights into the plethora of variables available for achieving a certain goal, experienced S&C coach Jools Murray offers practical advice not only for session planning but also for important soft skills such as communication and team relationships.
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Seitenzahl: 350
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021
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First published in 2021 byThe Crowood Press LtdRamsbury, MarlboroughWiltshire SN8 2HR
www.crowood.com
This e-book first published in 2021
© Jools Murray 2021
All rights reserved. This e-book is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication DataA catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN 978 1 78500 833 7
CONTENTS
PREFACE
During my time as an S&C coach I was lucky enough to work with females from a variety of teams including England Netball, England Rugby, GB Hockey, and England Football. Although different from each other, there were common underlying S&C requirements always present. Regardless of who athletes were, what goals they were trying to achieve, or what stage they were at in their careers, if key S&C foundations were missing this negatively impacted their ability to train for success. S&C cannot make an athlete skilled at their sport but it can enhance them physically so they can spend more time training harder.
My book is a result of all of these experiences working within female team environments. The contents reflect my answers to repeated questions and conversations about S&C for women in team sports. It is an S&C guidebook for providing these athletes with what they need to reach their goals.
My abilities as an S&C coach were markedly challenged when working with my first female team. I lacked the skills to navigate this environment and create what was needed to ensure the success of my S&C programme. Over the years, and with many mistakes, staff and athletes taught me how to be a better S&C coach for them. I learned that even if I created the most researched, well thought-out programme, it would be ineffectual if I was unable to understand them in their world. I had to have clarity, especially on my negotiables and non-negotiables, to contribute to performance. The following content comes from the solutions I created when teams held me accountable for my delivery after I fell short of their expectations. During my biggest failures, when I was unable to give a reason for my decisions and suddenly having to accommodate a new demand – these were the times when I acquired the expertise needed to support these women for success.
My book is not about ‘how training female athletes is different from male athletes’; the key reason being that this implies male athletes are the default setting, the ‘norm’, and women are the outliers. Female athletes have their own standards, their own adaptations, and their own norms; it has nothing to do with how they compare to men. Unfortunately, very little is known about elite female athletes compared to male athletes based on the number of research studies that have been done. Elite female athletes, especially in team sports, are only just beginning to have enough funding to receive essential support to truly push themselves to the limit of their abilities. I wanted to write a book that recognizes that there is limited information available on how to support these women and what they are doing.
My aim is to educate or guide S&C coaches who find themselves in the wonderful situation of being a team’s S&C coach. It explains how to manage different physical abilities when creating the S&C programme. It also contains advice on how to navigate successful communication with the team versus individuals. With regard to the ‘female’ part of this book, this manifests itself in training goals that are required for women of various training ages.
I am extremely grateful to all the S&C coaches who invested their time into my development, without whom I never would have grown. In particular I would like to say thank you to Kate Eddy, Alex Wolf, Duncan French, Andy Hudson, Lewis Collier, Nicole Chase, Martin Evans, Ryan King, and Chris McCleod, for all their support and guidance. Thank you also to Kitty Forrest for teaching me how to have a truly integrated approach to S&C and physiotherapy.
I would also like to thank Jon Goodwin and Daniel Cleather for encouraging me to finish my MSc at St Mary’s University Twickenham.
To Adrian Lightowler, Alanna Coulson, Harrison Beeforth, Marcus Yolevski, and M.C. Geneau, from the S&C programme at the University of Toronto, thank you for bringing me into the Varsity Blues family and for teaching me so much. With a special mention to Anthony Capotosto, Luciano Lombardi, Nicolas Girard, and Ilya Orlov, who brought me closer to the team training environment and all the experiences it holds.
I am so thankful to all the athletes who entrusted me to work with them to achieve their goals, without their trust to employ me, I never would have had all these experiences to then be able to write this book.
To all my athletes I had the privilege of supporting, thank you for all your hard work. There were times when I wasn’t able to provide you with what you needed, and yet you didn’t give up on me. You had the courage to hold me accountable for my delivery to you and demanded more from me as your S&C coach.
Thank you to everyone who inspires females to demand more from themselves and society.
To my wonderful family and especially my mother, Nola, you all helped me believe I could write this book and didn’t let me give up with a task that seemed insurmountable.
To all my friends who believed I could do it, with special mentions to Claerwen and Woz, who offered continual words of encouragement throughout.
Thank you to my husband 일수 for his love, coffee making, cuddles, shoulder to cry on, and writing companionship.
I am very grateful to everyone who supplied me with photographs for the book. My aim was to have as much variety in the images to truly represent female athletes.
To those competing in the female division, I have written this book for you, to support you to achieve your goals and reach your potential. To add momentum to what you are all doing every time you go on to the pitch, court, field... to inspire the world.
INTRODUCTION
Strength and conditioning (S&C) for athletes in team sports is physically developing them to repeatedly exert large forces and ensuring they apply this within the constraints of their sport. Building S&C support for a team and developing yourself as their coach is a wonderful and unique challenge that has elements that are only applicable to our profession. We have to know how to use the sciences and data to bring some level of objectivity to what we do, as well as learning the art of coaching and the soft skills that are used to ensure our successful contribution to our team. The best S&C coaches in the world know how to navigate between the two, and understand when part of a programme needs to sit more heavily to one side or the other. They are aware of their strengths and utilize them to develop their own brand of S&C, while also being conscious of the areas they need to cultivate. They also know that their role is to positively assist with the goals of the team; this means there are times when they need to lead and other times when they need to support. Currently, there is a strong focus on how to be a good leader and the development of leadership skills. Less is known, however, on how to effectively support a team to achieve its goals. Sensitivity is required to successfully integrate yourself into all the different areas and processes of a team as well as developing relationships within a wide group of people who have varied expertise and personalities. To navigate this unique and wonderful world, your practical abilities, knowledge, and experience will provide you with the building blocks to create your S&C programme. Your soft skills and creativity, however, are what determines the realization of your programme. Regardless of where you are in your career, the level of athlete you are working with, or what phase of the year you are in, the information contained in these pages can aid in developing your S&C programme as well as offer new ways to think about your integration into the team.
Working as an S&C coach with female team sports has its own unique requirements. Get to know the athletes as individuals as well as the personality of the team. (Photographer: Alexander M.H. Nicholson)
An S&C coach’s world: the different elements when working withinteam sport.
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
The following pages cover the necessary soft and hard skills of an S&C coach working within a female team sport environment. This book addresses the unique requirements for women in reactive multi-directional sports and provides recommendations on creating a positive environment for them to succeed. Each chapter represents an important facet of the S&C coach’s role, with advice and examples of how to actualize the information. The first few chapters address the overall approach and important areas for consideration; the later chapters provide greater detail on session planning and delivery.
Invasion sports
Invasion sports are team games where one team must invade an opponent’s territory to score a point, while also preventing the opposition from invading and scoring in their own territory. Due to the reactive nature of these sports, with intentional and unintentional contact, there are a multitude of forces that athletes have to be prepared to absorb and produce. With lower training age athletes, their ability to predict and manipulate situations to their advantage is less, therefore putting them at higher risk of injury as well as more ineffective energy output. This is important when considering the focus of an S&C programme and the choices made with regard to individual athletes. Best practice for working with female athletes is to understand them as a person as well as the context in which they are training and competing. Any information provided by this book should be adjusted to suit both the S&C coach and the team.
Know your athletes as individuals and understand the context within which they compete.
Closing remarks
There is rarely just one way to achieve a result or cause an outcome from one singular factor. Human movement is highly complex, integrating both the body and the mind; it involves not just muscles and bones, but also the ability to interact and create forces at a moment’s notice. When building an S&C programme for a team, critically analyse whether the programme has taken into consideration these multiple complex components required to address a goal. Give time in the plan for learning, especially for new movement strategies and behaviours. Upon reviewing the achieved outcomes, acknowledge the external influences that may have affected results. This is an opportunity to improve the programme.
It is important to respect female athletes and the physical demands they experience. S&C coaches have a responsibility to properly prepare them to compete in their sports.
Addendum
This book is aimed at providing S&C programmes for female athletes aged eighteen and above; the material can be applied to younger athletes but requires qualified consideration for understanding how working with younger athletes differs from adults. Use the book to add relevant content to a comprehensive S&C programme for young athletes to guide their development into becoming adult athletes.
Unfortunately there is a lack of images from all team sports. My sincere apologies to all the sports that are underrepresented in the photographs in this book; please still use the information contained to build S&C programmes for them.
Topics not covered by this book and reasons for their omission:
• The effects of menstrual cycle, menopause, and birth control on training and adaptation – evidence on these issues is inconclusive.
• Hormonal influences and changes with regard to training, ageing, and transgender athletes – the complexity of these issues demands special expertise.
• Mental health and how to manage athletes with mental illnesses – these subjects sit within another profession’s remit.
• How to adjust S&C support for athletes with health conditions such as diabetes, asthma, epilepsy, cystic fibrosis, cardiac arrhythmia, etc. – these aspects lie outside the scope of this book.
It is important to be aware of the areas listed above, and to know that they may complicate an athlete’s ability to engage with the S&C programme. Seek professional advice for dealing with anything that is not part of the S&C profession.
S&C MISSION STATEMENT
The S&C programme supports the team by ensuring the physical development of its athletes. It strengthens their ability to compete and execute sport-specific skills, enhances the quality of training, improves session attendance, and increases their availability for competition. These aims are achieved by addressing all the qualities to train at the level and frequency needed for athletes to increase their physical capabilities.
The integration of the S&C programme is realized through the S&C coach building a strong relationship with the team and its athletes. Facilities, equipment, and other resources needed to support the actualization of the programme are attended to and managed by the S&C coach.
A yearly personal development plan with corresponding continual professional development is produced by the S&C coach and shared. Its aim is to enhance the S&C coach’s ability to positively contribute towards the team’s goals.
Testing and monitoring are used as objective measures to track athletes’ physical progressions, training loads, and perceived cost from being in the team’s programme. This data, from relevant aspects of training and competing, is used regularly as part of the review process to enforce accountability and inform future planning.
The strategy is built using a set of S&C principles as the underpinning rules that support optimal decision-making for creating an impactful programme. It also takes into consideration all the variables associated with the intricate workings of the team and its athletes, to ensure positive integration of S&C which includes supporting both the short- and long-term aims of the team.
An athlete who gets sick or sustains an injury/concussion is provided with a bespoke return to performance (RTP) programme after adhering to the strict protocols following the illness or injury. The athlete’s progress is documented and contains sections for multi-disciplinary input. Regular meetings, which the athlete attends, are held to discuss and adjust the programme as needed to ensure the plan is adaptive to the non-linear nature of recovery.
At the end of a season, a formal review of the S&C programme is generated and shared with the team. It includes recommendations for what the S&C programme should focus on in the following season to increase its ability to positively contribute towards the team’s goals.
1
PREPARATION
Preparing to provide S&C for a team involves gathering information, creating a framework, and beginning to outline protocols and processes. All of this is brought together to produce the S&C programme handbook for the team. After spending more time within the team’s environment, adjust the handbook to reflect the specific requirements of the team.
Initially, it is extremely hard to build a framework as some information may not be available until a full season or cycle has been completed. The key is to start simple and cover all the basics. Sometimes, it is tempting to provide something new and complex, but without strong foundations the S&C programme is likely to have large gaps and ultimately be impaired in terms of what it delivers. The following sub-chapters are guidelines for the preparation required to build an S&C handbook.
Even if the handbook is incomplete or very basic, it is still useful to have. It provides a springboard for discussions with the head coach, staff, and athletes. It is also a point of reference for the S&C coach and helps to reduce bias when programming.
A team giving motivational words to each other as they prepare for competition. (Photographer: Finlay Watson)
Once an overall strategy is created for that season, it is easier to see areas for growth. Identify gaps in knowledge or specific skills that are required to improve delivery to the team. Write a personal development plan (PDP) to address these areas, and have it signed off by the team within the first month of joining.
Creating an S&C programme and using the information to build the S&C strategy for the season or Olympiad.
S&C PROGRAMME, PRINCIPLES, STRATEGY
The S&C programme describes everything that is done as part of S&C’s support for a team, including testing protocols, session types, reporting, and all the structured processes. It also states what the programme’s long- term aims are. The S&C principles guide decisions when planning phases, blocks, or sessions. The S&C strategy is a road map for how to positively impact performance for that season/Olympiad. It explains the action plan for achieving the season’s aims and shows how the season is divided into phases and training blocks.
KEY TERMS
• S&C programme – a summary of all the S&C elements that are part of a team’s structure with a long-term plan for its contribution towards performance: it includes protocols, processes, normative data, and a mission statement.
• S&C principles – guidelines for designing sessions, blocks, and phases: a fundamental source for influencing decisions.
• S&C strategy – the plan of action to achieve the aim of the S&C programme: detailed systems explaining how to achieve a seasonal, phase, or block aim.
S&C programme document
The S&C programme document is the handbook for the team’s S&C. Link the S&C programme to the team’s goals and clearly outline how all the different facets of S&C contribute towards a positive impact on performance. Several benefits are associated with this and they are as follows:
Clarity
To ensure the S&C coach has clarity for their delivery to a team. The document is referred to when making choices, bringing in new athletes, and planning.
Information pack
To use as an information pack when explaining certain decisions or sharing the S&C agenda with the sport and the team. This also informs other members of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) how S&C impacts on their area of delivery.
MDT relationships
To supplement building strong relationships with other MDT members; this also helps them to know when to include S&C on certain discussions. This is especially relevant when their discussion has the potential to impact on the S&C programme.
• Protocol fidelity: to maintain consistency when other S&C coaches or staff help with S&C delivery. Share protocols from sections of the S&C programme that provide instructions for session implementation or data collection.
• Conflict resolution: to refer to when S&C decisions are challenged by other MDT staff or athletes. The handbook is a reminder of the aims set out by S&C and shows how all decisions are related to improving the team’s performance.
• Time allocation: to sanction reduced delivery hours to allocate time towards other areas that improve S&C for the team. This includes building an automated reporting system, planning the next phase, and analysing data.
FRAMEWORK FOR THE S&C PROGRAMME
Open the document with the S&C’s mission statement and then populate the following sections:
• Aims of S&C – long-, mid-, and short-term
• S&C principles
• Testing protocols
• Monitoring protocols
• Data management protocol
• Normative data with levels and standards
• Expectations of athletes
• Process for integration of new athletes to the team
• Process for re-integration of athletes from time off or RTP
• Annual year-end report and presentation
S&C principles
S&C principles are the foundations that guide decisions about session design and outcomes. Justify any choice made which conflicts with these principles. Share the principles with the MDT to provide context for S&C recommendations and decisions.
S&C strategy
The strategy is a separate document to the S&C programme. It is the S&C delivery action plan for the specific season or Olympiad. The S&C programme is used to support the creation and implementation of the S&C strategy.
How to create an S&C strategy
Step 1: Macro-cycle
• Write out all the months in the year and allocate the out-season and in-season periods.
Step 2: Meso-cycle
• Section each block and the number of weeks within the block.
• Add key information: competitions, testing, training camps, time off, and team selection.
Step 3: Micro-cycle
• Write down each block and add the aim for each training age.
• List the tests that will be administered.
• Include important information: exam period, travel, different venues, holidays, etc.
NEEDS ANALYSIS
Perform a needs analysis to assimilate information about the sport, the team, and the athletes. Use the information as an encyclopaedia to strengthen the building of the S&C programme and strategy.
Needs analysis checklist
The text boxes provide questions to build the foundation for a needs analysis. Repeat questions to different people for depth of understanding and to get a well-rounded view; this includes asking the previous S&C coach for the team, or other experienced S&C coaches who have worked in the sport.
Needs analysis of the sport
Spend time researching the sport and find the answers to the following prior to doing the needs analysis of the team. This will put the rest of the information into context and means the correct terminology is used when discussing the sport. After collecting the information, spend some time considering how it will influence the S&C Programme.
S&C PRINCIPLES FOR WOMEN IN TEAM SPORTS
• Training modality selection is based on active joint movement or to create joint stability when applying or absorbing forces; exercises take into account the demands on the joints from multi-directional and multi-planar movements.
• Aims that specifically target the elicitation of adaptation/development of the musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, and/or cardiovascular system, are achieved by creating sessions where the demands exceed the capacity of the athlete.
• Increasing force output, improving the cardiovascular system, and optimizing body composition are addressed as the priority of the programme; this includes the individual components needed to achieve their development.
• Focused work on hip–knee–foot alignment control, spine–hip control, and scapula control in all types of movements and situations.
• Consistent conditioning of hamstrings.
• Consistent conditioning of ankle flexion, extension, inversion, and eversion.
• Athlete programmes are created based on training age and the associated target aims.
• Exposure and training age determine the priority of targeted adaptation to ensure the elements of time needed and athlete capability have been taken into consideration.
QUESTIONS FOR A NEEDS ANALYSIS OF THE SPORT
• How long is a game/match?
• How is the time of a game broken up (quarter/half)?
• How long are the rests?
• What surface (grass/turf/court/ice/sand)?
• How many substitutes are on the bench?
• How many substitutions are allowed?
• What research exists on the work to rest ratios? High vs low-intensity work ratios?
• What is the tournament format?
• What research exists for the S&C and physiology of the sport – different levels of competition and female specific?
• What are the different positions and what are the key performance indicators of those positions?
• What is some of the terminology used by the sport to explain movements on the field?
• What are the general rules of the sport?
QUESTIONS FOR A NEEDS ANALYSIS OF THE TEAM
• How many athletes are part of the team’s training?
• Who are the priority athletes?
• How many athletes per one position (e.g. 3 goalkeepers) does the team have?
• What are all of the athlete’s ages?
• What are the experience/ability levels of each athlete with regard to playing the sport?
• How long is the season (out and in)?
• When are all the competitions?
• What are the training dates?
• What are the goals of the team?
• Where does the team currently sit within the division it competes in?
• What funding is available?
• What venues are used? Where are they?
• What weight room and running areas are available for S&C use?
• What is the expectation for the number of S&C sessions (coached vs self-led)?
• What is the expectation for S&C delivery outside of S&C specific sessions?
• Who are the other staff?
• What are the past and current injuries of the athletes on the team and other relevant medical information?
• What are the head coach’s expectations of the sport science and medicine team (SSMT)?
• What are the head coach’s expectations of all staff (delivery, contribution, and behaviour)?
• What are the head coach’s expectations of the team and each individual (training, behaviour, performance)?
• Who was the previous S&C coach and what did they provide?
• What data does the team already have?
Needs analysis of the team
When performing a needs analysis of the team, speak to a variety of MDT members and ask the same questions again. Some may give the same answer but also add their own insight, which increases the wealth of the knowledge gained.
Needs analysis of the athletes
Have one-on-one meetings with athletes or meet them in small groups to find out this information. If time is limited, then ask during gym sessions or as athletes arrive prior to another training session. It is best to get this information face to face rather than by a questionnaire to hasten remembering athletes’ names and their data. It can be quite overwhelming when starting with a new team and trying to remember names and new terminology. Keep a spreadsheet and include photos of athletes to aid the process of documenting the information.
Closing remarks
After spending time gathering information about a team and its athletes, capture the process as well as what information was missing. This becomes a standardized needs analysis to use with future teams.
QUESTIONS FOR A NEEDS ANALYSIS OF THE ATHLETES
• What are their S&C training ages?
• What lifts are they experienced in?
• What are their lift preferences?
• What experiences have they had in the past with S&C?
• Positive: learning exercises, achievements, training modalities, influence on performance.
• Negative: training modalities, injuries, failed attempts, impact on performance.
• What is their position and role within the team?
• How do they like to be encouraged?
• What injuries have they had in the past and are they currently injured?
OUT-SEASON
This is all the time that is not in-season. It is during this phase that S&C targets change. Each team has their own terminology for the out-season; including off-season, pre-season, training camps, recovery periods, and time off. The S&C priority for the out-season is to upgrade the athlete’s musculoskeletal system, cardiovascular system, movement skills, autonomous behaviours, and anything else that is needed to enhance in-season performance. This is also when regular testing takes place to guide meso- and micro-cycle planning.
IN-SEASON
The competition season. It is during this phase when matches and technical training take priority. The S&C priority is to support the team for optimal performance and athlete availability for competition.
MACRO-CYCLE PLANNING
Macro-cycle planning provides the broad overview and structure for the season. Incorporate the main features of the season at this stage which will influence the planning process as more detail is added. Start with the full length of the season and divide it into the outseason and in-season periods.
Out-season planning
Here ‘out-season’ refers to the entire phase when the team is not in their competition period. The out-season plan is when the S&C programme has the biggest impact on driving performance and is carefully built to support the in-season goal. The plan ensures athletes stay engaged with training by making relevant phases and targets for the athletes to focus on. It is also a starting point for communication and collaboration with other MDT members.
An example framework of a macrocycle and the type of content to include. Additional information is added like training camps, the competition schedule, and school exam periods.
Find out how the team separates the outseason into different phases for clarity. For example, a term like pre-season could be the entire time before in-season or a set period of time prior to competition; off-season could imply there is no training or it is a period of time when other training modalities take priority over the team’s technical sessions.
The out-season period for team sports is when it is possible to increase an athlete’s strength, aerobic and anaerobic capacity. This develops their ability to produce higher intensity efforts to train for their sport with higher quality. Plan integrated sessions throughout the out-season period to target transference of athleticism from the gym or track, to playing the sport and skill execution. There may be periods of physical awkwardness as athletes go through this; physical awkwardness refers to moments when their timing is off, like catching a ball or hitting a moving target, which results in poorer execution of sport-based skills. These transition periods are likely to affect the team’s execution ability; unlike individual sports, the team also needs to rebuild their connections with each other and get the timing right as they figure out how their physical change affects execution of offence and defence strategies. Invasion sports have the added risk of contact with the opposing team, where mis-timed interceptions or tackles increase the risk of injuries or fouls.
INCORPORATE INTO THE OUT-SEASON PLAN:
• The team’s goals for the out-season period and what S&C is required to support them.
• The specific goals for individuals or different training ages identified through testing and monitoring: link them to key performance indicators.
• The preparation of technique or training behaviours that are required to complete S&C sessions during the in-season.
• Integrated sessions for athletic transference.
In-season planning
The in-season plan is to support the aims of the team with appropriate loading strategies to maintain athlete physical fitness. This requires a lot of adjustments during the inseason period as each athlete will require fairly different strategies.
1. Example 1: athletes with reduced competition time
These athletes will be de-training compared to the loads experienced by athletes who play full fixtures. They are also fresher than athletes playing full fixtures. Planning for these athletes includes finding a balance to keep their fitness at a certain level without over-fatiguing them.
2. Example 2: athletes with minor injuries or niggles
These athletes are still playing almost full fixtures but require adjustments to their weekly schedule to not exacerbate their injuries. They also require injury rehabilitation incorporated into their weekly plan.
More detail is added in the meso-cycle planning stage.
MESO-CYCLE PLANNING
When deciding how many blocks should make up the out- and in-season periods, and before deciding on the outcome of each block, first estimate the total number of days of completed S&C training. Then decide on the priorities and focus for each block of training.
It is possible to do this for different time periods, such as a full Olympiad, or a 6-month part-time job. The purpose is to get an idea of just how many actual weeks or days of training there will be. This informs planning how many sessions are available to dedicate to a certain outcome and what is realistically possible to achieve in this time. It is hard to know what type of year the team will have, especially if this is the first time working with them. Choose simple outcomes as this increases the likelihood of reaching the target. Adjustments can always be made later on in the season, and extra time can be used to benefit individuals.
An overview of training blocks
An example of a macro- and meso-cycle plan based on a good year of training (i.e. 45 weeks).
An example of how to break a full season into respective blocks is given below. The out-season includes two blocks of 5 weeks which, of the 6 blocks of training, occur in block 1 and block 5. Block 1 accounts for potentially late starters and provides the S&C coach with more time before creating block 2. Block 5 is towards the end of the out-season to incorporate anything fundamental that was poorly executed in the first 4 blocks, but with enough time for influencing before leading into the final block and in-season. The inseason consists of 4 blocks of training where three of them are 6 weeks and the final block is 5 weeks. In-season training usually has a lower completion rate and more changes to the team’s training schedule. Having 6 weeks per block increases the likelihood of achieving the outcome as well as providing athletes with some stability of training. The final block heavily depends on the team and how the competitions have gone. The accumulation of the entire year of training is a prominent feature of this block; use lower volumes and adjust intensity to support the final stages of competition.
EXAMPLE OF A GOOD YEAR OF TRAINING
A full season where the out-season is made of 7 months and the in-season has 5 months.
Out-season
• 29 weeks total, 26 weeks of training
• 3 weeks holiday (2 weeks summer; 1 week winter)
• 6 blocks for training: 4 blocks are made of 4 weeks and 2 blocks are made of 5 weeks
• 3 testing sessions
In-season
• 23 weeks
• 4 blocks of training: 3 blocks are made of 6 weeks and 1 block is made of 5 weeks
Sessions
The following is an example for calculating the rough number of sessions in a week during the out- and in-season. Based on the total number of sessions in a week, block, or season period, calculate the number of expected sessions for an athlete to complete. This takes into account external factors that will influence an athlete’s completion rate while also setting an expectation of how many sessions are required to be completed. This expectation number provides the athlete with a reason why they have to repeat a block of training, have seen no change on test results, or are required to have restricted training load. To start, set the completion rate at 85 per cent; with more time and data, this number is changed to be relevant for the team and population; different standards for training ages as well as out- and in-season completion are also worth creating.
Out-season guidelines
NUMBER OF SESSIONS
S&C SESSION TYPE
HOW OFTEN
2
resistance
per week
1
aerobic/anaerobic
per week
1
S&C coach-led recovery
per week
1
sprint/agility/jump
per week
One block of 4 weeks has a total of 20 S&C sessions
In-season guidelines
NUMBER OF SESSIONS
S&C SESSION TYPE
HOW OFTEN
2
resistance
per week
1
aerobic/anaerobic
every 30 days
1
S&C coach-led recovery
per week
1
sprint/agility/jump
every 2–3 weeks
One block of 6 weeks has a total of 21 S&C sessions
In a whole year of training there are about 210 S&C sessions and athletes are expected to have completed 179 of them.
MICRO-CYCLE PLANNING
This is the final stage of planning and is completed one or two blocks at a time. A detailed schedule shows the daily and weekly athlete plans for all training ages. It also includes the different S&C session types and their content.
Additional information for planning
Competition schedule
To build an in-depth schedule for the S&C strategy, start from the competition with the highest priority and work backwards from that point; for sports with only regular season matches, set the last competition as the end date of the season. Then fill in the other competitions and any training camps or weekends: identify mini peaks to qualify for the bigger events. This allows for an understanding of the potential disruptions in the training programme due to travel, or recovery needed post competitions. Include other competitions if the team is non-centralized and athletes are competing with other teams.
Testing and monitoring
Adjust testing days based on phase or block aims. For example, for a phase of strength training, schedule testing at the start and the end of the phase to capture relevant data. If monitoring is only for a specific phase, indicate where this starts and finishes.
Contact time
Know the number of S&C coach-led sessions and the number of sessions where athletes are self-led in a block. This information dictates the priority chosen as the block aim. For example, low- and mid-training age athletes who are in a strength block require full support from the S&C coach. Use S&C coach-led sessions to target aspects that require learning or when athletes should be challenged. Use selfled sessions for other training sessions where the aim is still successfully achieved even if completed with lower quality.
Other demands on athletes
A crucial element in the planning process is finding out the other demands being placed on the athlete’s time like an exam period, a stressful project at work, or extra skill training sessions. Adjust the S&C plan accordingly. For example, during the exam period athletes will spend a lot of time sitting down; incorporate hip mobility and postural exercises.
Travel across time zones
International travel for holidays or competitions, especially when crossing more than a 3-hour time zone, needs to be accounted for in phase aims and the overall programming for phase-time allocation. For example, after a long-haul flight there is a period of acclimatization where S&C sessions will be affected. Calculate the number of training days lost and incorporate this into the phase or block aim.
Booking and ordering equipment
Find out when the appropriate venues are available and complete all bookings to ensure S&C session implementation. Order equipment early so it has arrived in time for the start of the block or if needed for travel.
REVIEW
A review is a critical examination of the S&C service with the intention of instituting change if necessary. It can be:
• An in-depth analysis
• A pause for reflection
• A conversation with the head coach or team
Cultivate review skills to improve support and gain an awareness of what the S&C programme is providing. As these skills grow, it is possible to check the decisions of the present with regard to what the review in the future will yield. The more familiar an S&C coach becomes with planned versus actual outcomes, the more informed their current decisions will be and the more likely it is that the future goal is achieved.
A structured review creates an environment of accountability. It informs the S&C coach if their programme has achieved its aims and if not, the reasons behind this. It informs athletes if they have achieved their goals and if not, provides evidence why. In both cases, each party understands there are times when aims will be checked and they are answerable for the outcome. This builds a sense of responsibility in all parties, which encourages quality of input.
The review process involving casual and formal reviews of both a qualitative and quantitative nature.
Different types of review
Casual review
A casual review refers to the type of review that is done without producing a document or needing to report anything. The benefits of a casual review are to keep things in mind which may be of use during meetings with staff or athletes. It is also about making time after a session or a meeting, to reflect on what went well or consider why something did not work out as planned. It is possible to keep a notebook to record thoughts or ideas; this can then be referred to for formalized reviews or to act as a reminder in the future.
Formalized review
A formalized review is when there is an expectation of some kind of representative documentation that will be produced. There should be a scheduled time for when this will be completed, and a standard report created for each type of review. By having a schedule, time beforehand can be used to gather the necessary information and allow time for reflection. Understanding or analysing the results is the main reason for performing this type of review. Sometimes, bringing information together in this way helps with building a portfolio of what the S&C programme has to offer.
Qualitative
A qualitative review focuses on anything that is part of the S&C coach’s role that isn’t based on numbers. For example, the quality of interactions between the S&C coach and the MDT, or the relationship the S&C coach builds with the team. The review may also focus on the environment in training sessions and athlete engagement.
Quantitative
A quantitative review looks at any data that has been collected from the athletes or sessions. It could be the data collected from testing and monitoring, or the percentage of the team that attended each training; some of the data may have come from subjective markers like session RPE.
Scheduling reviews
Different reviews are done throughout the year and at appropriate times. For both casual review processes, form a habit of when to do them and to keep a notebook for jotting down anything of importance. The following are some recommendations for when to review.
Casual qualitative
Time spent deliberating on the sessions with the athletes, the training environment, or relationships with staff; what went well or what could be done differently. It is done on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Right after a session has finished, there is usually some attention residue where the mind is still thinking about the session. This is a good time to let the mind process what happened, reflect on the situations that arose, and consider some of the behaviours. Meet with a mentor to discuss any areas for improvement or things that are causing difficulty with delivery.
Casual quantitative
Reviewing the data, checking how athletes are progressing, and preparing for the next session to have an idea of what they should be aiming for. This is also done daily, weekly, and monthly. By staying familiar with the data, the numbers have an opportunity to influence decisions made in sessions or when discussing athletes with other members of the MDT.
Personal formalized qualitative
