"Do, or do not. There is no try" - Yoda, 0BBY
Success in any sport requires methodical planning, organisation, evaluation and commitment. It is widely accepted that failing to plan is planning to fail. Effective planning in any competitive sport requires a thorough understanding of a variety of factors that impact performance, including:
the age of the athlete
the experience of the athlete
individual needs
team requirements
psychological factors
skill requirements
team tactics
training equipment and resources
length of the season
environmental factors
physical fitness requirements.
All of these factors must be appropriately addressed if optimal performance is to be achieved. Appropriate planning is difficult, as such periodisation is used to balance all aspects of physical, technical and practical preparation. Appropriate planning ensures that athletes are properly prepared for competition
In order to effectively address the performance and fitness needs of athletes, it is critical that the coach has a thorough understanding of both the individuals’ and the team’s skill levels, training goals and physical fitness characteristics. Regardless of the level of play (amateur vs professional) the coaches and trainers must have the ability to gather and utilise data on both the individual players and the team overall. There are a number of methods used to gather data that informs training.
For example, here are some examples of performance data collected by professional Rugby League and football coaches. These include individual and team data:
strengths and weaknesses
defensive statistics
attacking statistics
goals
technical and tactical strengths and weaknesses
training enjoyment
pre-season and in-season performances
areas for improvement
communication and leadership skills.
Coaches also need to consider:
planning of training, venues, equipment and climatic considerations
training and support staff.
Examples of the performance and fitness data collected by professional strength and conditioning coaches include:
physical fitness tests – for example, speed, strength, power, agility and aerobic endurance testing; physical fitness data can be used to individualise training programs based on the strength and weaknesses of individual players
postural screening – this is used to identify individual athletes’ muscle imbalances, flexibility, mobility and stability concerns that may lead to injury risk
injury history
body composition (body mass and body fat)
hydration levels and nutritional analysis
individual physical performance needs and training goals
individual and team training loads
training and game heart rates, distances covered, numbers of sprints, impacts, accelerations and decelerations (GPS units worn by the athletes are used to collect this data).
Effective coaches will regularly perform both individual and team performance appraisals in order to provide feedback, assess performance, formulate strategy and adjust training
In summary:
In order to get the most out of your athlete/team, a good understanding of their abilities, shortcomings and fitness is required
To get this information, there are a variety of different methods including testing, technology and performance reviews
This information is then used to inform future training sessions, team/individual focus or strategy
Effective sport-specific periodisation requires an understanding of the competition’s start and end dates. Establishing a clear understanding of the competition period ensures that the appropriate cycle of fitness, technical and tactical qualities has been addressed in an attempt to ensure optimal performance during the most important period of the season.
Periodisation: the division of a training year (macrocycles) into smaller and more manageable intervals (mesocycles) with the goal of managing and coordinating all aspects of training to bring an athlete to peak performance at the most important competition or managing performance across a long in-season.Team sports like netball, soccer, Rugby League, AFL, basketball and Rugby Union require weekly competition over an extended period of time, so players are required to peak weekly. Professional coaches spend countless hours assessing the players’ daily and weekly training loads, muscle soreness, fatigue, sleep, stress, training enjoyment, heart rates and training distances in an attempt to ensure that they are not over-training or under-training in relation to the weekly training intensity and volume.
By adjusting training volumes and intensities, session types, session venues, recovery methods and rest periods, coaches can help maximise performance, avoid excessive overload and ensure that players are physically, socially and emotionally refreshed and ready to compete on a weekly basis, then peak for the final series.
Unlike team sport athletes, who have extended competitive periods, many individual athletes like swimmers, track athletes and cyclists have long periods of preparation with major competitions occurring periodically during their preparation. Athletes may be required to peak two to three times per year. For example, Olympic swimmers may be required to peak at the Commonwealth Games, Indoor World Short Course Championships, National Championships and Olympic Games. Coaches use smaller competitions and variations in training loads in an attempt to bring the athletes to a peak for the major competitions. In many Olympic sports, coaches design three and four year periodised programs designed to peak the athlete for the Olympic Games every four years.
In summary:
Training programs must be designed in such a way that the athlete is able to peak at the appropriate times of the season
Different sports require different peak times and can vary from specific days to specific times of the year
Peaking is managed by adjusting training intensity in order to ensure athletes are not overloaded and become fatigued or injured at key times
The climate and seasonal temperatures throughout the year must be considered for training periodisation as well. Strategies to counteract the heat, cold, wind and humidity must be put into place, as a failure to account for these may contribute to dehydration, poor performance and overtraining.
For example, during the summer months of pre-season training, NRL and AFL coaches need to consider appropriate training attire, training times, player hydration, sunscreen and protective equipment in an attempt to counteract the effects of heat on performance. Conversely, athletes in England must adapt their training programs to be appropriate for the colder months where snow and ice may be a major contributing factor.