May 2015 Building A Resilient and Empowered Team 2015 Beijing World Championships Clear evidence suggests that the athletes who have the most rewarding and fulfilling careers are those who perform well in successive championships and Games. The research also shows that this group of athletes is generally more empowered and resilient than the less successful athletes. Perhaps most important is that research also shows that resilience and empowerment can be developed, and that these skills can be largely improved with even a modest investment of well-planned time, attention, and effort. Australian athletes typically need to perform well in the domestic season, and then look for further improvements during the period between June-August. For many, this involves overseas travel prior to arriving at the major event of the year. This is the time to refine mental and strategic preparation. For those coaches likely to have athletes compete in Rio next year, using 2015 WCs to rehearse strategies and develop skills may provide an important opportunity and competitive advantage. This paper offers strategies for developing resilience and empowered team in advance of the 2015 World Championships in Beijing. During the coach and staff discussions at the Brisbane Nationals, groups identified and shared strategies to prepare themselves and their athletes in the next several months before Beijing Worlds Championships. The strategies recommended by coaches fell into four major areas: 1. AA and Team Coach communication between personal coaches & selected athletes (reflecting two-way exchange of information, and ongoing dialogue) 2. Coach and athlete plans from now until departure, particularly competition-specific preparation 3. Athlete assimilation into the team environment 4. Athlete's travel, transition and time management (food, down time, independence, family and friends, etc.) Specific strategies for each area are offered below, and are best discussed by selected athletes’ and their coach in planning for 2015 WCs. 1 May 2015 1. AA and Team Coach communication between personal coaches & selected athletes (reflecting two-way exchange of information, and ongoing dialogue) Make sure people are informed - expectations of athletes and coaches need to be known and checked to see if they are realistic Build relationship between personal coach and Team Coach prior to the holding camp and Championships Talking to relay athletes about their roles, especially if initially they look like being the 5th or 6th athlete Clear and early review of Beijing schedule, discussing any issues with Team Coach 2. Coach and athlete plans from now to departure, particularly competitionspecific preparation Plan and ensure access to specific individual competitions (coach to control) o Early discussion with AA / Team Coaches o Incremental level of difficulty of competition, especially for less experienced athletes (e.g., don't start with Diamond League) o Build confidence of the athlete in “bite-size” chunks of competition Encourage athlete independence & responsibility prior to leaving Australia Have a plan - implement change if necessary "be adaptable" o Make anticipated changes here, so changes over there don’t have impact Rehearsal of scenarios o Coping and contingency plans for likely scenarios (Ideal Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, etc.) o What ifs….. Talk about how to deal with unexpected events that may occur o Prepare for surprises o Managing warm-ups; Athletes need to be prepared for personal coach not to be at warm up. How can we prepare athletes for this? o Rehearse athletes' training on their own to prepare for coach not being there o Teach athletes to modify the session if needed, depending on the context Plan and rehearse preparation and performance routines o Call room practice o Train @ competition times (e.g., early morning or late nights) Practice or develop skills and strategies for... o Dealing with imperfection o Being comfortable with being uncomfortable o Managing expectations o Being flexible, malleable o Focus plans, mental preparation/imagery o Prepare for what they'll encounter o Be "anti-fragile" - introduce scenarios they'll see through practice "Ready" to get on plane - injury free Keep fitness up to ensure confidence of high levels on arrival “Control the Controllables” Integrate heat adaptation – train in hot conditions, use SIS/SAS heat chambers 2 May 2015 3. Athlete assimilation into the Team environment There will be Team staff/coach photos with names on AA World Championships portal Moving from Junior to Senior team o AA will have awareness of who these athletes might be and ensure that they adjust as quickly as possible, however the personal coach can help this transition too. 4. Athlete's travel, transition and time management (i.e., food, down time, independence, family and friends, etc.) Thoroughness of training/recovery/preparation for travel Adopting a selfish attitude, especially when entering competition environment (sharing training and warm-up space with competitors, the superstar and entourage, etc.) Making good use of dead time o books, music, movies/TV, study/work, professional/career development Stick to normal routines (communication w/family, coach, food, etc.) o Comfort foods, drinks, etc. Eat Japanese and Chinese food prior o See what you like / don't o consider dietary restrictions Every athlete is different, and so are the staff with the team. There are no “one-size-fits-all” solutions but we know enough from former athletes and past situations to say that certain things should be encouraged, or others need to be avoided. Through the adoption and refinement of the strategies recommended above, we can ensure that athletes and the team are well-prepared and ready, both mentally and physically, to perform on the day! Renee Appaneal & Brian Miller 3
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