Coach Education Resources
The Pathway to the Top
Di Huxley shares her research on what it takes to help athletes progress from juniors to elite seniors. She emphasises how crucial it is to truly know your athlete—not just their physical abilities but also their psychological and developmental needs. It’s about building trust, aligning your coaching goals with their readiness, and being flexible enough to adapt. She shares examples of how this approach can either nurture an athlete’s talent or, unfortunately, push them away.
Nutrition and Physiology 101
The presentation focuses on optimising performance and recovery during the upcoming January Relay camp in preparation for future competitions like the World Relays.
Key topics include the importance of hydration, nutrition, and central nervous system (CNS) recovery. Practical strategies are outlined, such as tracking fluid loss through pre- and post-training weighing, prioritising recovery snacks and ice baths, and managing heat exposure during training in hot and humid conditions.
Why is it so hard to win medals in Track and Field?
This townhall discusses a 2007 paper that created a competitiveness index for international sports by analyzing national traits linked to sporting success and identifying which countries participate in various sports. This index rates sports based on their competitiveness, helping assess how challenging it is to achieve success in each sport. The index is valuable not only for sports enthusiasts but also for informing government decisions on funding allocation for sports. Before playing the video, download the full paper below for an overview of the Sports Competitive Index.
Preparation for the Olympics and Paralympics
Learn from three of Australia’s leading High Performance coaches as they describe their preparation for the upcoming 2024 Olympics and Paralympics. Hear from Sprints Coach Andrew Murphy, Jumps lead Alex Stewart, and Distance guru Philo Saunders as they explain how elilte athletes will optimise their condition prior to a major championships.
Serial Winning Coaches
Prof. Cliff Mallett explores the common qualities of serial winning coaches, their motivators, and how you can reflect on what you know about yourself and others.
Long Term Athlete Development
Athletics Australia’s Lead Sprints Coach, Andrew Murphy, speaks about his approach to long term athlete development and how to facilitate elite performance in Track and Field athletes.