Analysis of Steeplechase Training & development Day on 6 Dec 2009

Theme: Improving performance, chasing excellence:


Total attended 40: Athletes 31 (female 11) Coaches including lead coaches 9 (female 1)
Returned questionnaires 31 including coaches –excluding lead delivery coaches
Lead coaches on the day: Geoff Williams, Geoff Harrold, Brian Hopkins (Lee Valley ) and Rob McKim.

Questionnaire satisfaction rating based on scoring of 5 excellent- 1 awful!
• 1 returned 3 rating; 18 returned 4 rating; 12 returned 5 rating

This second event reports on participants’ high satisfaction rates for a new programme and is broadly on par with the high satisfaction from the first event held in October. At the review, there was overwhelming feedback that the day had been of real value to coaches and athletes. Lead coaches observed a marked improvement as the day progressed such as in the athletes’ improving their competence at technical work- ‘(e.g. hurdle/water jump drills) as the learning began to be reinforced and ingrained. Coaches gained in confidence through increased understanding and in other ways.
There was widespread support for a continuing with the programme and in coming up with development races ( see later comments). What was noticeable was an increase in female athlete participants ( double from last time) and an increase in U17s age group which is encouraging for growing participation in the event. Coaches and athletes agreed with the delivery coaches’ message to go away and continue to practice to reinforce the learning. Next day is Saturday 20 February 2010. The coach to one of the athletes who attended the first session commented that he found the first event very helpful. His athlete and son, Zak Seddon age 15 ran for the UK in an international schools event in the middle east recently ( on the same day as the second session) and his time of 5.58 for 2k steeplechase was only 5 secs off the fastest U20 time in the UK in 2009. Zak could secure the UK U17 record for 1.5K chase in 2010 with only 5 secs improvement needed on his 2009 time Examples of comments on the feedback questionnaires:

From Coaches:
Built my confidence in my ability to deliver a session: I learnt many aspect of the event and drills and sessions require; learnt a lot of new things to give me more confidence n coaching the event.
And for developing the programme:
More of the same by progression, development of drills after basics;

From Athletes
Drills help me concentrate on technique, benefitted from training with other chasers ;knowledge and skills of the coaches; felt more confident through the hurdles session; learned a lot of great tips and advice today; learned techniques for barriers ; expert coaching advice; really enjoyable day; feel more confident now; learned about pace judgment; would love these training days to be regular events ; confirmed that I want to start competing at steeplechase; more confident -know how to improve. And for developing the programme:
more sub - sessions at pace for race judgment ; progression on water jump technique; steeplechase development race; reinforcing hurdle drills , continued progression on alternate leg clearances

16 clubs were represented by coaches and athletes as follows Andover
Dacorum & Tring
Newmarket
Vale of Aylesbury
Blackheath
Enfield & Haringay
Reading
Warrington
Cambridge& Coleridge
Marshal Milton Keynes
Shaftesbury
Woodford Green/Essex Ladies
Chiltern
Medway
St Mary's
Wycombe & phoenix

Lead coaches will take views into account when preparing the next day. What is emerging is that some coaches and athletes are coming into the programme at different phases in the programme year and with a range of skill levels and needs. In response, lead coaches will be increasingly adaptive in the progressive approach and in the ‘offer ‘to meet coach and athlete needs. The continued aim is based around starting the learning process for the event at low level and progressing throughout the series with opportunities for competition (male and female). There was overwhelming support to a Lee Valley centre request through Brian Hopkins asking if the athletes wanted some steeplechase events run as part of Lee Valley event programme on 10 April . There are now other development chase events in the pipeline such as in London, to put learning into practice

Produced by Rob McKim on behalf of lead coaches , Geoff Harrold, Geoff Williams and Rob McKim and for feedback to Lee Valley, British Milers club
18 December 2009 For specific issue s about this note contact Rob as follows
Rob T 01189 451517 ,M 07717 773385, rob@runwhizz.co.uk

The best of British from the BMC

© Copyright British Milers Club 2010