New Beginings

Its been some time since I have created a post. Much has happened and plenty has been really enjoyable. 

Head Coach Role

About a month ago I put my hand up for an opportunity to transition into a role with Rowing Australia. The role, Head Coach - Integration is something I saw as aligned to my skill set, motivation and approach. To be able to engage with key coaches around Australia to help take our sport to a new level is of great interest. The extension of this is to help these coaches and others to further to capability to build, craft and create amazing rowing performances. 

Obviously its not just about key coaches but it needs to begin small and then over time I see value in engaging with the wider coaching community to enable improvement and change. This is the plan and its inclusive of some athlete development too.

Importantly assisting coaches and the network of service providers to be better able and willing to help athletes plan, focus, engage, drive, learn, perform and review what, how and why they do what they do. This is to ensure higher standards, repeatable outcomes and greater satisfaction is achieved.

From Athlete to Coach

Coming from an athlete perspective will assist in certain area's but I am reminding myself and have received great advise that I need to be mindful of a coaches perspective and the day to day realities of working with athletes or a team. Having been the athlete within this process who over time become worked on understanding the observable perspective of a coach and the guiding, directing, managing aspects of coaching I do feel like I am in a good place to be able to assist but I will need to maintain awareness for my own biases, blind-spots and gaps.

Personal View of Performance

After 16 plus years of International performance I recently made a heap of notes on key learnings. One thing that seems pretty obvious is that to compete there needs to be a certain level of conditioning reached through quantity and targeted intensity while maintain integrity of movement effectiveness and harmony. 

Now there is heaps in all that but suffice to say if you do the work, row effectively and are ready for the event then it becomes easier. Thats not to say its easy to do but rather the flow, process and deliver can be uncomplicated and then the depth of effort can be reached which can put athletes into that state. The state where it takes everything they have while the realisation emerges that it was less hard and not as difficult as previously thought or perceived. 

So simply work to make it easier. Focus to help it flow and push to let it happen. Under do it and you feel guilty, over do it and frustration appears and so to get it just right is the key. The flexion point between effort and ease, tension and relaxation, concentration and letting go, its all a fine line and to learn & master is where art form meets science.  

Finally then with out the work your not in the game. With out the efficient your unable to make the most of the opportunity. Then with out begin ready for the nature of the big event all can be lost in the blur and intensity of what rises on the day. To seize the day requires all three elements to be developed, stimulated and firing.

Life with Family

Its been amazing to be home and enjoy the time with my wife and kids. Having recently turned 38 and taking plenty of time to reflect I see so many wonderful things happening with my family. We a growing together and surprising each other. My kids regularly blow me away and to be able to share it with my wife who I find makes life more enjoyable to live. Family is a great gift and as its Christmas time its such a cool time with kids.