Coach Education Resources
Long-Term Development of Sprinters: Part 2
Sprint technique depends not only on correct movement patterns, but also on whether the athlete has the strength and coordination to execute them effectively.
Physical preparation gives athletes the foundation to express speed. It underpins technique, protects against injury, and unlocks sprinting potential. For teenage sprinters, a long-term, well-structured strength and conditioning plan is essential, beginning with general athleticism and becoming more specific as the athlete matures.
Triple Jump Development
Australian Athletics is proud to share the replay of our Development of Triple Jumpers masterclass, held on 13 August 2025 with NCAA coach Keith Herston. This session delivers clear, practical insights for coaches on building long-term pathways for female triple jumpers, with lessons you can apply directly in training.
Calculating your Athletes’ Peak Height Velocity
Track athlete growth with confidence. This simple tool helps coaches estimate where an athlete sits in relation to their peak growth period—pre-, circa-, or post–PHV. Use it to guide training focus, manage injury risk, and support performance during key stages of development. No lab testing required.
Coaching Athletes with Intellectual Disability of Autism: What You Need to Know
Catch up on Webinar 2 of the Disabillity Inclusion Education Series. Learn more about Autism Spectrum Disorder and coaching strategies for providing optimal training environments for athletes with the condition.
Long-Term Development of Sprinters: Part 1
Developing young sprinters starts with sound technique, but that doesn’t mean over-coaching or chasing a mythical “perfect” model.
This first of 8 installments of our Coaching Development Sprinters series breaks down what matters most at each stage of development, from upright mechanics to acceleration posture, and provides practical cues and exercises.
Glide vs. Rotational Shot Put - Which Technique is Superior?
Which is better for shot put…the glide or the rotation? This deep dive compares the two techniques across athlete types, performance outcomes, biomechanics and coaching priorities. From youth development to elite competition, we explore how physical qualities like strength, coordination and mobility shape the best technical fit.
Inclusive Coaching in Athletics for People with Intellectual Disabilities and/or Autism
If you’re an accredited coach, you already know that great coaching means supporting every athlete to reach their potential. Inclusive coaching is not an optional extra, it’s a core skill of coaches from Level 1 to 4. This webinar brings together practical strategies for working with athletes with intellectual disabilities or autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It draws on the expertise of Special Olympics Australia and lived insights from athlete leaders.
Should You Plan Aerobic Training Before or After Strength Training?
A long-standing gym debate finally gets clarity. New research reveals that lifting weights before cardio significantly boosts fat loss and muscle performance. Whether your goal is body composition, strength, or aerobic capacity, understanding the science behind exercise sequencing can help unlock better results.
Lessons from Grant Ward’s Coaching Journey
Tune in to hear Grant Ward share valuable "lessons learned from a coaching journey" that spans decades and includes guiding athletes like Kylie Wheeler and Kim Mickel to international success. Drawing on his diverse background, Grant emphasises that coaching ultimately "comes down to relationships" founded on trust, confidence, and respect with athletes.
Grant openly discusses learning from significant "stuff ups" or failures, stressing that "if you're not failing, you're not learning either". He advocates for practical wisdom, advising coaches to "Keep it simple, stupid" (KISS) and avoid overcomplicating their methods. Essential elements of his journey include being open-minded , building strong networks, seeking mentors, and being flexible, adaptable, and vulnerable.
How This Coaches Eye Checklist Might Be the Kickstart Your Next Season Needs
Ever feel like you know where your athlete’s at but struggle to put it into words, or turn that instinct into a clear coaching plan? The Coaches Eye Tool is here to help. This simple but powerful observation tool helps track key areas like physical readiness, mindset, effort, and technical consistency all in one place.
What Coaches Can Learn from the World’s Best Distance Runners
What truly separates the best from the rest in distance running? It's not just high mileage or VO₂max—it’s how that training is structured, progressed, and personalised. Drawing from Haugen et al.'s landmark study and the training diaries of world champions, this article breaks down the key principles behind world-class performance: high volumes of low-intensity running, adaptive periodisation, and smart load management.
Reflecting after the Australian Athletics Championships
In this short post, we introduce the Good–Better–How framework—an easy, effective way for coaches to reflect on their performance at the Australian Athletics Championships and beyond. Whether your athletes medalled or gained experience, this tool will help you grow from every competition.
The Key Principles You Must Understand About Planning for Youth Athletes
Whether you're coaching rising sprinters or first-time throwers, effective season planning for junior athletes is more than just filling a calendar.
In this post, we break down the essential principles every coach should understand—covering periodisation, youth development, and how to monitor and manage training load without frying your athletes. If you've ever wondered whether you're doing it right (or just hoping for the best), this guide will help you identify where your knowledge gaps are.
Best Practices for Resisted Sprint Training for Acceleration and Maximum Velocity
What You Need to Know About Resisted Sprint Training.
Discover how resisted sprint training can transform your athletes’ acceleration, sprint mechanics, and explosive power. This evidence-based guide covers optimal resistance loads, distances, sets, reps, periodisation strategies, and the best tools for sprinters.
What ALL Coaches Need to Understand About Hamstrings
Why do hamstrings always seem to blow up just when things are going well? This quick, coach-friendly deep dive unpacks the real role of the hamstrings in sprinting, why they get overloaded, and—most importantly—how to train them smarter for both injury prevention and peak performance.
🎥 Includes a must-watch video breakdown, practical takeaways, and real-world coaching strategies to keep your athletes firing on all cylinders.
Why Attentional Focus is Your Essential Coaching Tool
Want to help your athletes move more efficiently, and actually retain what you coach? This articles explores the science of attentional focus and why how you cue matters just as much as what you coach.
Optimising Tendon Properties for Track and Field Performance
Tendons are the unsung heroes of athletic performance—acting as biological springs that store and release energy to enhance movement efficiency, power, and resilience. While muscle strength often takes centre stage in training, optimising tendon properties can be the key to unlocking new levels of performance and reducing injury risks across all track and field disciplines.
This article delves into the science of tendon adaptation, exploring how plyometric and resistance training influence tendon stiffness and compliance. Backed by cutting-edge research, it provides practical coaching insights, including targeted training interventions, recovery considerations, and the ideal balance between stiffness and elasticity for different event demands.
Group B Supplements in Sport
Learn from Professor Louise Burke, one of the world’s leading sports nutrition experts, for an insightful presentation on Group B supplements within the AIS Sports Supplement Framework. Originally presented at the 2023 Endurance Coaching Conference.
Group B supplements are those with emerging scientific support, warranting further research but showing potential benefits in certain sporting contexts. In this session, Prof. Burke will explore key subcategories, including:
Fruit-Derived Polyphenols – Food compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Menthol – A tastant that interacts with sensory receptors, influencing temperature perception and breathability.
Ketone Supplements – Investigated for their role in metabolism and endurance performance.
Mental Fatigue and Strategies for Mental Recovery
Mental fatigue is an often-overlooked performance killer, impacting reaction time, decision-making, and training consistency—even in physically fresh athletes.
This article explores how mental fatigue manifests in track and field, its physiological roots, and, most importantly, practical coaching strategies to assess, train, and support mental recovery and resilience. From chaotic drills that sharpen adaptability to targeted recovery techniques like mindfulness, strategic rest, and cognitive training, this guide provides actionable tools to help coaches keep their athletes mentally sharp and competition-ready.
Coaching with Heart: How Rachel Limburg Balances Performance, Empathy, and Athlete Development
Rachel Limburg is redefining what it means to be a coach and competitor. A talented heptathlete turned triple jump and pole vault specialist, she balances her own athletic career with mentoring the next generation. But beyond her technical expertise, it’s Rachel’s deep empathy, energy, and ability to truly understand her athletes that make her stand out. She doesn’t just coach—she connects, supports, and inspires, ensuring her athletes thrive both on and off the track. In this feature, we dive into Rachel’s coaching philosophy, personal journey, and the lasting impact she’s making on the sport.