There is much speculation at the moment with regard to the sporting future of Gavin Henson as he has been placed on indefinite unpaid leave by his club, the Ospreys.
As with Jonny Wilkinson, he has suffered an almost continuous range of injuries over the past couple of years which must be both physically and psychologically debilitating. Jonny Wilkinson has dealt with his situation by learning French (apparently he speaks fluent French) and moving to an aspirational club in the south of France for a new environment and challenge. He will experience a completely new way of life and be in a climate that will be kinder to his body than the north east of England. It will be interesting to see, in the coming season, if this move rejuvenates both his career and his body but early signs are encouraging.
So what does the future hold for Gavin Henson? I am not privy to this but hopefully he, and those closest to him, has some idea as to the future direction of his sporting career, if he wants there to be one. What is certain however, is that performance is not just affected by the normal things that you would associate with sport such as fitness, nutrition, psychology etc but also those factors that are usually unseen and lurk below the surface. It is these that we call the 'iceberg effect' since they are usually given much less priority by sportspeople and coaches. They include things such as personal relationships, general health and wellbeing, physical environment, personal accountability and responsibility, emotional intelligence etc etc.
However, like an iceberg, if they are not sufficiently solid then the top of the iceberg will start to crumble and disintegrate. Too often in the (macho) sporting arena such issues are regarded as 'soft' and unimportant. I beg to differ and in my view they are the areas of one's life that need to be equally as robust as the things that can be seen above the surface. Who knows, perhaps the real reasons for Gavin Henson's continued absence from the rugby field relate as much to these being out of balance as to physical injury. If this is the case, he needs to get to work on them as soon as possible to ensure that the iceberg stays afloat.
Monday, 31 August 2009
Maintaining your momentum
It is the Bank Holiday weekend, and this is not only the last Bank Holiday for a while, but also this signifies the end summer. That means that the outdoor season for athletics is soon to end, and while I write this I am watching the athletics at Gateshead - I will be in mourning soon, as I love athletics!
This is the second grand prix after the World Championships and the athletes are tired, you can see it on their faces.
So how to you maintain your momentum? That is million dollar question, the answer will be different for everyone. It is not a one size fits all solution.
Many athletes who came out of Berlin with medals are feeling the pressure of a season which has had a world class event directly following an Olympics, the cumulative effect of that is huge. The psychological pressure and physical demands on your body are draining and to maintain good performances throughout the season is difficult. I think that Carmilita Jeter (USA) summed it up brilliantly today, by saying that you just have to get lots of rest and take your vitamins! Jeter is one athlete who is made of tough stuff and after all the traveling she has done, and perhaps after a little disappointment in Berlin, has managed to maintain her level of good performances. Her consistency is commendable and I think that she has been able to, health permitting, concentrate on the job in hand at all times, which has been to win as many races as possible.
We can all suffer lapses in our performance when at work, be we professional athletes or not. However, we need to know what it is which will help us maintain our levels of performances as best we can, and if not, we need to put mechanisms in place to cope with the dips in performance and ensure that they are short term blips on the radar and not long term lows which can create long term problems.
Jenny Meadows came 3rd in 800m race and admitted that she was tired and not 100%, but she was aiming for a top 3 finish and that is what she achieved. Knowing our limits is important as well for maintaining your momentum and this is something we can all bear in mind.
This is the second grand prix after the World Championships and the athletes are tired, you can see it on their faces.
So how to you maintain your momentum? That is million dollar question, the answer will be different for everyone. It is not a one size fits all solution.
Many athletes who came out of Berlin with medals are feeling the pressure of a season which has had a world class event directly following an Olympics, the cumulative effect of that is huge. The psychological pressure and physical demands on your body are draining and to maintain good performances throughout the season is difficult. I think that Carmilita Jeter (USA) summed it up brilliantly today, by saying that you just have to get lots of rest and take your vitamins! Jeter is one athlete who is made of tough stuff and after all the traveling she has done, and perhaps after a little disappointment in Berlin, has managed to maintain her level of good performances. Her consistency is commendable and I think that she has been able to, health permitting, concentrate on the job in hand at all times, which has been to win as many races as possible.
We can all suffer lapses in our performance when at work, be we professional athletes or not. However, we need to know what it is which will help us maintain our levels of performances as best we can, and if not, we need to put mechanisms in place to cope with the dips in performance and ensure that they are short term blips on the radar and not long term lows which can create long term problems.
Jenny Meadows came 3rd in 800m race and admitted that she was tired and not 100%, but she was aiming for a top 3 finish and that is what she achieved. Knowing our limits is important as well for maintaining your momentum and this is something we can all bear in mind.
Monday, 24 August 2009
awinningformula!
The Athletics World Championships came to a close yesterday with the mens 4x400m relay. Team GB came away with some real silverware as they clinched silver behind the Americans on Sunday night.
The team spirit was clearly evident as 4 grown men hugged and jumped around to celebrate. Team GB's total medal haul was 6, one more than expected - that should keep the powers that be at UK Athletics happy.
Jessica Ennis definitely set the tone with her win in the heptathlon, with Phillips Idowu and Jenny Meadows following suit. Some team mates said that they were inspired by those performances and it certainly seemed as if this was the case. Athletes who finished in the top 8 were disappointed with those performances, whereas normally they wouldn't be and would be happy to just be there competing on the world stage. It is refreshing, and about time we saw some hunger from the British athletes.
Athletics is pretty much an individual sport, apart from the relays, but watching these recent Championships it is evident that team spirit was alive and well and it makes a difference to individual performances. Time and time again you would see those athletes who competed in the individual 100m and 200m races raise their games when competing in the relays. Asafa Powel, in particular, looked positively relaxed when he romped home to take gold in the mens 4x100m relay.
As medals were won and personal bests were achieved athlete upon athlete thanked their 'teams'. These 'teams' were made up of coaches, physios, doctors, fellow competitors, and of course friends and family. These people make up the invisible team that without being there these great performances would not exist. The Jamaican's dominated the Championships on the track and they thanked literally the whole of Jamaica, and the rest for their support and help in getting them to this point.
awinningteam is what it is all about, regardless of whether you are an individual or actual compete in a team sport. This 'team' we can all create and have for ourselves allows us to take the power of one and multiply it, and it is the quality not the quantity of the people in your team which determine how successful you will be. No man is an island!
The team spirit was clearly evident as 4 grown men hugged and jumped around to celebrate. Team GB's total medal haul was 6, one more than expected - that should keep the powers that be at UK Athletics happy.
Jessica Ennis definitely set the tone with her win in the heptathlon, with Phillips Idowu and Jenny Meadows following suit. Some team mates said that they were inspired by those performances and it certainly seemed as if this was the case. Athletes who finished in the top 8 were disappointed with those performances, whereas normally they wouldn't be and would be happy to just be there competing on the world stage. It is refreshing, and about time we saw some hunger from the British athletes.
Athletics is pretty much an individual sport, apart from the relays, but watching these recent Championships it is evident that team spirit was alive and well and it makes a difference to individual performances. Time and time again you would see those athletes who competed in the individual 100m and 200m races raise their games when competing in the relays. Asafa Powel, in particular, looked positively relaxed when he romped home to take gold in the mens 4x100m relay.
As medals were won and personal bests were achieved athlete upon athlete thanked their 'teams'. These 'teams' were made up of coaches, physios, doctors, fellow competitors, and of course friends and family. These people make up the invisible team that without being there these great performances would not exist. The Jamaican's dominated the Championships on the track and they thanked literally the whole of Jamaica, and the rest for their support and help in getting them to this point.
awinningteam is what it is all about, regardless of whether you are an individual or actual compete in a team sport. This 'team' we can all create and have for ourselves allows us to take the power of one and multiply it, and it is the quality not the quantity of the people in your team which determine how successful you will be. No man is an island!
Thursday, 20 August 2009
Gutsy or just plain competitive?
Jenny Meadows the diminutive runner who claimed a bronze medal in yesterdays 800m final got my vote for the most competitive athlete thus far in the World Athletics Championships.
Lagging behind the main contenders towards the final bend of the race I thought that she was out of it, even though I knew she can kick her way out of trouble, but not that much trouble! She had it all to do in the final stages of the race. In the final 150 metres Jenny clawed her way up the field and almost snatched a silver medal. Little did I knew that Jenny had her race plan sorted and was sticking to it. She had it all under control and won her first medal in her first world championship final.
I remember when she was not selected for the Olympics and this caused a stir amongst many athletics fans. Undeterred Meadows continued to train hard and establish herself as one of Britain's top 3 800m runners, the other two being Marilyn Okoro and Gemma Simpson. It was only Jenny and Okoro who made it to the final and only Jenny who came out of it with any silverware.
A professional through and through Meadows even had a chance, in her track side interviews, to thank all those who supported her, even some friends who had driven to Berlin through the night to be there for the race. She also sent out a a message to all young athletes, she wanted them to take note that she did not win any major 800 titles as a junior, but look at her now! So often we see junior champions burst on to the scene only to fade into the shadows as the years progress.
Jenny ran through the finish line using every drop of energy she had, she looked like she held nothing back and laid it all out there, and it paid off. Young athletes, in fact anybody for that matter, should take note that when you have a plan and follow it, great things can happen, the thing to know is give it your all and even though the competition is tough if you have planned right, you are always in with a chance.
My hat goes off to you Jenny, it was great to see you break through at last.
Lagging behind the main contenders towards the final bend of the race I thought that she was out of it, even though I knew she can kick her way out of trouble, but not that much trouble! She had it all to do in the final stages of the race. In the final 150 metres Jenny clawed her way up the field and almost snatched a silver medal. Little did I knew that Jenny had her race plan sorted and was sticking to it. She had it all under control and won her first medal in her first world championship final.
I remember when she was not selected for the Olympics and this caused a stir amongst many athletics fans. Undeterred Meadows continued to train hard and establish herself as one of Britain's top 3 800m runners, the other two being Marilyn Okoro and Gemma Simpson. It was only Jenny and Okoro who made it to the final and only Jenny who came out of it with any silverware.
A professional through and through Meadows even had a chance, in her track side interviews, to thank all those who supported her, even some friends who had driven to Berlin through the night to be there for the race. She also sent out a a message to all young athletes, she wanted them to take note that she did not win any major 800 titles as a junior, but look at her now! So often we see junior champions burst on to the scene only to fade into the shadows as the years progress.
Jenny ran through the finish line using every drop of energy she had, she looked like she held nothing back and laid it all out there, and it paid off. Young athletes, in fact anybody for that matter, should take note that when you have a plan and follow it, great things can happen, the thing to know is give it your all and even though the competition is tough if you have planned right, you are always in with a chance.
My hat goes off to you Jenny, it was great to see you break through at last.
Tuesday, 18 August 2009
Patience is a virtue!
Always the bridesmaid and never the bride, or should I say always the best man and never the groom when talking about Phillips Idowu! The British triple jumper, Idowu took gold in Berlin to claim team GB's second gold medal of the Athletics World Championships.
Understandably Idowu got a little emotional, but he has waited a while to claim this title after being a world leader for the last few years. He was pipped to the post in Beijing, but he snatched a deserving victory in Berlin.
So, it is now Ennis and Idowu who lead the way for Team GB in grand style with their matching gold medals. UK Athletics have set a target of 5 medals in this years' Championships, where the others come from who knows. Patience, patience, patience!
Understandably Idowu got a little emotional, but he has waited a while to claim this title after being a world leader for the last few years. He was pipped to the post in Beijing, but he snatched a deserving victory in Berlin.
So, it is now Ennis and Idowu who lead the way for Team GB in grand style with their matching gold medals. UK Athletics have set a target of 5 medals in this years' Championships, where the others come from who knows. Patience, patience, patience!
Monday, 17 August 2009
Bloodgate
As a rugby follower and supporter I was both appalled and saddened at the events surrounding the actions of Harlequins in their Heineken Cup quarter final with Leinster. Rugby has long held itself up to be a sport of the highest integrity in which you played hard and to win but you respected the referee, the rules of the game and your opponent. Nothing embodies this more than the fact that both teams still create a line to applaud each other off the pitch. This is done at all levels of the game from junior to international level. Sadly events of the last few months have put rugby in a very bad light indeed and there seem to be more and more incidents that are drawing the game into disrepute.
It seems that there are 3 distinct issues to deal with but each has a common theme:
- the behaviour of Dean Richards and other rugby officials of the club
- the involvement of Tom Evans and the way he has dealt with the incident
- the behaviour of the club and its executive
Dean Richards belatedly resigned his post as Director of Rugby before the appeal hearing in Glasgow into the original decision to clear him which has also now found him responsible for four similar incidents in non-ERC competitions. This is a sad situation for somebody who was a colossus on the field of play.
It was evident from the start that other people on the rugby side, in addition to Tom Evans, must have been involved. At one level it is understandable why he would have succumbed to pressure from above but it also shows a weakness in his character. On the other hand his decision to appeal the 12month ban also suggests that he does have some strong values and beliefs but one can only speculate what he might have done if the original ban had been much lighter. Would he still have said “I hope that, as a result of this episode, no player or employee will ever be put in such a compromised position and, if they are, that they will always tell the truth as I wish I had done from the outset,”? It would have shown much more courage if he had declined to co-operate with the sham at the outset.
The way in which the club seems to have handled this whole episode is unprofessional in the extreme. Mark Souster in the The Times sums it up perfectly when he says "The way in which officials at the once proud club.......... have dodged, ducked and dived has been shameful and cowardly. Those in charge have brought to its knees a once proud institution that prided itself for so long on its Corinthian values. Its reputation is in tatters. The club threatens to implode". It seems inconceivable that people at the very top of the club were not aware of this and/or the previous 4 incidents and, to add insult to injury, the suggestion remains that the player was cut with a scalpel as part of an attempted cover-up. Not only this but also, according to The Times, until the eleventh hour Williams faced intense pressure from officials at the club not to proceed with his appeal.
What is especially damning is that Harlequins, founded in 1866, have been regarded as one of the custodians of the integrity of rugby and the Corinthian spirit. Perhaps like others in the game who have been found guilty of such heinous offences as eye gouging the 'pressure' of competing in a professional environment, in which the financial stakes are high, was too much. Whatever the circumstances of the offence, committed by members of the Harlequins' club, it shows an inherent weakness in the values and make up of a number of people.
One of the key characteristics of truly top performers is to be of the highest integrity. People who cut corners, cheat or who are unable to play by the rules show a weakness in their personality and a flaw in their character that will be exposed in pressure situations - it looks as though this is what happened here. Such individuals will have an automatic tendency to adopt such default behaviour in other situations too, whether in a professional or personal context, as evidenced by the findings of the appeal panel that Dean Richards and Stephen Brennan (the club physiotherapist) had been involved in the systematic feigning of blood injuries on 4 other occasions.
It seems that there are 3 distinct issues to deal with but each has a common theme:
- the behaviour of Dean Richards and other rugby officials of the club
- the involvement of Tom Evans and the way he has dealt with the incident
- the behaviour of the club and its executive
Dean Richards belatedly resigned his post as Director of Rugby before the appeal hearing in Glasgow into the original decision to clear him which has also now found him responsible for four similar incidents in non-ERC competitions. This is a sad situation for somebody who was a colossus on the field of play.
It was evident from the start that other people on the rugby side, in addition to Tom Evans, must have been involved. At one level it is understandable why he would have succumbed to pressure from above but it also shows a weakness in his character. On the other hand his decision to appeal the 12month ban also suggests that he does have some strong values and beliefs but one can only speculate what he might have done if the original ban had been much lighter. Would he still have said “I hope that, as a result of this episode, no player or employee will ever be put in such a compromised position and, if they are, that they will always tell the truth as I wish I had done from the outset,”? It would have shown much more courage if he had declined to co-operate with the sham at the outset.
The way in which the club seems to have handled this whole episode is unprofessional in the extreme. Mark Souster in the The Times sums it up perfectly when he says "The way in which officials at the once proud club.......... have dodged, ducked and dived has been shameful and cowardly. Those in charge have brought to its knees a once proud institution that prided itself for so long on its Corinthian values. Its reputation is in tatters. The club threatens to implode". It seems inconceivable that people at the very top of the club were not aware of this and/or the previous 4 incidents and, to add insult to injury, the suggestion remains that the player was cut with a scalpel as part of an attempted cover-up. Not only this but also, according to The Times, until the eleventh hour Williams faced intense pressure from officials at the club not to proceed with his appeal.
What is especially damning is that Harlequins, founded in 1866, have been regarded as one of the custodians of the integrity of rugby and the Corinthian spirit. Perhaps like others in the game who have been found guilty of such heinous offences as eye gouging the 'pressure' of competing in a professional environment, in which the financial stakes are high, was too much. Whatever the circumstances of the offence, committed by members of the Harlequins' club, it shows an inherent weakness in the values and make up of a number of people.
One of the key characteristics of truly top performers is to be of the highest integrity. People who cut corners, cheat or who are unable to play by the rules show a weakness in their personality and a flaw in their character that will be exposed in pressure situations - it looks as though this is what happened here. Such individuals will have an automatic tendency to adopt such default behaviour in other situations too, whether in a professional or personal context, as evidenced by the findings of the appeal panel that Dean Richards and Stephen Brennan (the club physiotherapist) had been involved in the systematic feigning of blood injuries on 4 other occasions.
Sunday, 16 August 2009
Multi event bonanza!
The World Championships for Triathlon, Modern Pentatathlon and Athletics were all on this weekend - a sports enthusiasts dream! The triathlon world championships series took place on the Saturday in Hyde Park, the Modern Pentathlon takes place in Crystal Palace this weekend and the Athletics in Berlin started on Friday.
Sunday saw Jessica Ennis crowned the heptathlon world champion. 3, 5, and 7 eventers to me are slightly crazy. At the triathlon there were athletes getting their feet caught in wheels, going around the course for an extra lap becuase they did not here the final lap bell (surely adding insult to injury!), in the modern pentathlon there were a few thrills and spills in the horse riding, and then finally the heptathlon which, over the two days of competition, was just a joy to watch. Jessica Ennis, one of the UK's brightest starts, was able to finally fulfill her potential and reign supreme.
The stamina, endurance, agility, strength, power, mental strength and focus which all multi-eventers require is amazing. They are truly the most complete athlete. They cannot rely on just brute force, strength, or just speed to make it through. Not only do they have to master the different events, they have to do them over either one, or two days - ouch!
Jessica has shown her true metal by overcoming what must have been a disappointing 2008 when she missed out on going to Beijing due to injury. However, now she has a new bit of bling to show that the hard work has paid off and out of disappointment and failure can come great rewards. Rewards no doubt that are soooo worth the wait!
Sunday saw Jessica Ennis crowned the heptathlon world champion. 3, 5, and 7 eventers to me are slightly crazy. At the triathlon there were athletes getting their feet caught in wheels, going around the course for an extra lap becuase they did not here the final lap bell (surely adding insult to injury!), in the modern pentathlon there were a few thrills and spills in the horse riding, and then finally the heptathlon which, over the two days of competition, was just a joy to watch. Jessica Ennis, one of the UK's brightest starts, was able to finally fulfill her potential and reign supreme.
The stamina, endurance, agility, strength, power, mental strength and focus which all multi-eventers require is amazing. They are truly the most complete athlete. They cannot rely on just brute force, strength, or just speed to make it through. Not only do they have to master the different events, they have to do them over either one, or two days - ouch!
Jessica has shown her true metal by overcoming what must have been a disappointing 2008 when she missed out on going to Beijing due to injury. However, now she has a new bit of bling to show that the hard work has paid off and out of disappointment and failure can come great rewards. Rewards no doubt that are soooo worth the wait!
Monday, 10 August 2009
What doesn't kill you will make you stronger
The title of this blog could not be more apt for the long distance athlete Paula Radcliffe. After years of being a professional athlete she has celebrated huge professional highs, and huge professional lows. Who doesn't remember Paula sitting broken on the side of the road during the marathon at the Athens Olympics in 2000, mind willing but body completely unable to finish the race. She had failed to become the Olympic champion, the one accolade to elude her huge trophy cabinet. Paula is the world record holder at this gruelling event so the girl can run!
Paula is preparing for the World Championships in Berlin. She has been training overseas and has been seemingly quite quiet. She has had many an injury and we hope that she can make a successful comeback in a couple of weeks.
What I think is quite interesting in that even top athletes worry about what people think, and a less than 100% fit Paula competed in the Beijing Olympics and was determined to finish, not just for herself, but for the British public to see that she was not a quitter and avoid repeating what happened to her after Athens, a drubbing in the press which you wouldn't wish on anybody. Her finishing time in Beijing, by her standards, was painfully slow but for her it was a triumph to finish after the disaster that was Athens.
In a recent interview for Sport magazine ( August 7, 2009 issues 123) Sarah Shepherd reveals the woman behind the sportsperson and shows that Paula is one determined woman, who lives to run, and will find a way around any obstacle to allow her to continue to run, even if it means, changing her running style just to overcome problems with her big toe!
After reading the article in 'Sport' I was rather impressed by the quiet determination with which Paula approaches her sport. As a long distance runner, she does much of her training on her own. I guess after doing it for so many years her training regime must be an ingrained habit which if she didn't do would probably seem completely unnatural. I am sure that this is a habit that if you could bottle it you could make millions!
As the athletics' World Championships draw closer, all eyes will be on the British medal hopes, and these will of course include Paula, as long as she lines up at the start.
Paula is preparing for the World Championships in Berlin. She has been training overseas and has been seemingly quite quiet. She has had many an injury and we hope that she can make a successful comeback in a couple of weeks.
What I think is quite interesting in that even top athletes worry about what people think, and a less than 100% fit Paula competed in the Beijing Olympics and was determined to finish, not just for herself, but for the British public to see that she was not a quitter and avoid repeating what happened to her after Athens, a drubbing in the press which you wouldn't wish on anybody. Her finishing time in Beijing, by her standards, was painfully slow but for her it was a triumph to finish after the disaster that was Athens.
In a recent interview for Sport magazine ( August 7, 2009 issues 123) Sarah Shepherd reveals the woman behind the sportsperson and shows that Paula is one determined woman, who lives to run, and will find a way around any obstacle to allow her to continue to run, even if it means, changing her running style just to overcome problems with her big toe!
After reading the article in 'Sport' I was rather impressed by the quiet determination with which Paula approaches her sport. As a long distance runner, she does much of her training on her own. I guess after doing it for so many years her training regime must be an ingrained habit which if she didn't do would probably seem completely unnatural. I am sure that this is a habit that if you could bottle it you could make millions!
As the athletics' World Championships draw closer, all eyes will be on the British medal hopes, and these will of course include Paula, as long as she lines up at the start.
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