ACADEMY FACTSHEET FOR PARENTS/teachers/COACHES
Academy
eight week course Eight athletes (under 16), 1hr weekly x 8 weeks			£32.00 (equivalent £4.00 per person per session)
LONGTERM ATHLETIC DEVELOPMENT	ABC’S OF ATHLETICISM	INJURY PREVENTION		FUNCTIONAL TRAINING
§ Using rugby union as an example the RFU has recognised it takes between 8 and 12 years of training to produce an elite performer. § The critical period for accelerated improvement of speed and power occur for boys between 13 and 16, and for girls between 11 and 13. § The academy has been set up to target these age groups and improve speed, strength, stability and agility at their ‘critical’ or ‘sensitive’ periods of accelerated adaptation. Young athletes are physiologically most receptive to improving specific physical attributes during this period but this is too often not considered during planning. § Our main aim is to develop sound technique and basic speed and strength gains. Athletes whose physical development is in advance of their chronological age may progress to external resistance training if appropriate.	§ Research has shown that the introduction of the ABC’S of athleticism (agility – balance --co-ordination -- speed) during the ages between 13-16 will lay the foundation of athletic excellence for later years. § Agility: The ability to change direction rapidly without loss of control or speed. § Balance: A fundamental component of agility. Equilibrium; or balance correction is an essential component of many sports. Dedicating time in training to enhance balance yields results during game/match time. § Co-ordination: In addition to sports specific skill acquisition, hand-to-eye, hand-to-foot, eye-to-foot, foot-to-hand, depth perception and peripheral awareness all play a part in the development of sports specific co-ordination. § Speed: acceleration speed – commonly referred to as speed off the mark and relates to the ability to change from a stationary or slow movement to a quicker pace.	§ Injury prevention is a very important part of developing every young athlete and we look to maximise this by integrating progressive stability routines into every session. § Most injuries occur when an athlete is too weak around the ankle or knee joint and attempts to land or change direction on an unstable surface such as a pitch. Ankle, knee and hip stability can be improved gradually by using various surfaces and platforms for landing and balancing routines. § Proprioception is vital to produce controlled and co-ordinated movement. Sensory receptors provide information about the position and state of muscle contraction and joints. Using unstable surfaces we have available to us such as; agility discs, core boards, bosu’s, airex pads and indo boards, we can help heighten these senses and prepare the muscles for working in the unstable position that may arise, therefore reducing risk of injury.		§ Functional training promotes multi joint activity with its purpose being to develop athletes balance, stability, and joint co-ordination and manage their body weight whilst performing an exercise. § Functional training is carried out with feet on the ground to reflect the demands of the sport and the fact that the body, not a machine, needs to provide stability whilst performing an action. § There are many occasions in sport where the body is in an unstable position and the athletes need to control this. As an athlete’s functional strength increases the risk of injury will decrease. This is because the joints will be better prepared for the forces they will encounter during their sport and help them to function more effectively, individually and collectively.

Academy Coach	Telephone	Email	Web
Gavin Roberts	01244 535 053
Athlete Performance Centre, Unit 8, Tradezone, Pentre, Sandycroft, Flintshire, CH5 2DJ