On Saturday, September 7, Melbourne played host to an exceptional Level 3 Performance Coach jumps course, delivered by three of Australia's most esteemed coaches: Sandro Bisetto (High Jump), Cathy Woodruff (Long Jump and Triple Jump), and Mark Stewart (Pole Vault). More than 20 developing coaches attended the course, which focused on advancing knowledge and skills in high-performance coaching for jumps events.

The Level 3 Performance Coach accreditation is specifically designed for coaches working with athletes aged 15+ who are in the Training II (Specific) stage of development, as outlined by Athletics Australia’s Development guidelines. The objective is to prepare athletes for success at national and international competitions by honing their expertise in biomechanics, recovery, strength and conditioning, sports psychology, and more.

This particular course took a new approach, allowing coaches to specialise in their preferred Jumps discipline and work directly with current high performance athletes. Additionally, participants were granted access to the actual training plans used by high-performance coaches for international-level athletes and discussed how they can be adjusted for the individual needs of the learner’s athlete cohort.

Sandro, Cathy, and Mark’s leadership was celebrated by attendees, who praised them for their willingness to share their expertise, provide the opportunity for hands-on training, and helping them to develop their coaching philosophy, which reflect the growing need for performance coaches to balance athletic training with the psychological and social aspects of athletes’ lives.