Noticeboard: Coaching Conference; Leaders; Q and A

Tuesday 27th September 2016

There’s been a very positive reaction to the National Coaching Conference at the Emirates Arena last weekend.

Just over 200 coaches, presenters and staff gathered at the Glasgow venue with a common goal to improve knowledge and learn from the experience of others.

All at scottishathletics would like to thank both our World Class lineup of presenters, who gave their time over the weekend to deliver, and also the coaching community in Scotland – and beyond – for your support.

Performance Manager Darren Ritchie said: ‘The feedback coming in to us from the coaching Conference has been overwhelmingly positive with many coaches appreciating the opportunity to learn from a great line-up of presenters.

‘I really want to thank those coaches who gave presentations and delivered some very though-provoking sessions – as well as the delegates who were in attendance and who gave us their feedback afterwards, which is always very helpful.’

On Twitter, there was a lot of coverage via our hashtag #SALCoach and also via the scottishathletics Facebook page.

Here are three of the messages we’ve seen:

Jill Summers: ‘Inspiring weekend at the Coaching Conference, great messages over both days on avoiding over-training and specialising too early. As Vern Gambetta put it: ‘One workout cannot make an athlete, but one workout can break an athlete.’

Chirnside Chasers: ‘Absolutely brilliant weekend at the #SALCoach conference. Fantastic speakers across the two days.

Henry Hunter: ‘At the Coaching Conference, it was great to see both disabled and able bodied coaches/athletes inter-acting this weekend without boundaries’.

And there have been a number of emails to Darren expressing thanks and support as well as offering ideas going forward.

Gordon Lockie: ‘Thanks and well done to you and the rest of the team for putting such a great conference over the weekend. The organisation and content and the learning opportunities were really excellent and is without doubt a vital factor in the continuing education of Scottish coaches.’

Brian Davis: ‘Just wanted to say thanks again for probably the best conference so far, I don’t know exactly what the secret was this year, but I came home with more questions than answers.

‘I think this is a good thing as I left the conference questioning everything: why am I doing this session? What do I hope to gain? Why are these athletes doing the same session, could they do something similar that would benefit them more?

‘I’ve had it confirmed that I’m doing some things right but it’s all about understanding why something is done and what the expected outcome is and does that session fit everyone.’

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Club Leaders Conference – Book Now

When: Saturday 29 October 2016 9.30am – 3.30pm (followed by Annual Awards dinner at same venue)

Where: Hilton Hotel, Glasgow

Cost: FREE to scottishathletics affiliated club members/£50 non-affiliated

Once again, there will be a strong emphasis on leadership and club management with case studies and best practice sharing being among the focal points for the day.

Full details on the full programme and timetable for the day and how to book are available online on this website on the dedicated page for the Leaders Conference.

If any further details are required, please email our Head of Development, Mark Munro

mark.munro@scottishathletics.org.uk

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The Glasgow Athletics Association, along with Glasgow Sport and Great Run Company, are pleased to announce we are holding a ‘Night with the Olympians’ this Friday evening!

The Q&A session led by 1984 Olympian, Lynne MacDougall will feature a panel with some of Scotland’s best endurance athletes: 2008 Olympic Steeplechaser, Andrew Lemoncello; 2016 Olympic Marathon duo Callum and Derek Hawkins, and Rio 5000m 6th place finisher Andrew Butchart.

This is a great opportunity to learn from our great Scottish athletes on the progression in their training and racing, taking them from club level to World Class Olympic Athletes. The event takes place Friday 30 September, at 6:15pm in the Marriott Hotel, Glasgow, in the Ballroom.

Spaces are LIMITED so email glasgowathleticassociation@gmail.com to reserve your space. If you have any questions you would prefer Lynne to ask, please send these in by 6pm on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Andrew Butchart and Callum Hawkins are among three British athletes to receive ‘Rising Star’ Awards from the British Athletics Supports Club. BASC makes these awards usually to athletes who impress at major events but who are not yet on the British Athletics funding programmes.

Congratulations to both athletes and their coaches. More details online

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WINNERS! Thanks to everyone who entered our competition to win a copy of Freya Ross ‘Food on the Run’ cook book – the correct answer was TRUE, Freya DID represent Team GB in the Women’s Marathon at the London 2012 Olympics.

Our winners are: Catriona Graves, Fiona Gibson, Kerry O’Flaherty, Robert Griffin, Sarah Dunn, Sarah Whalen. We’ve contacted each of you directly to arrange delivery of your prize.

If you weren’t one of the lucky winners – the books can be ordered via www.freyaross.com and are also on sale at Run and Become in Edinburgh and Achilles Heel in Glasgow.

Tags: Andrew Butchart, Andrew Lemoncello, Callum Hawkins, Coaching Conference, Darren Ritchie, Derek Hawkins, Emirates Arena, Freya Ross, Hilton Hotel, Leaders Conference, Lynne MacDougall