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.
Wednesday, 5 August 2009
The power of passion
Earlier this week, Sir Bobby Robson sadly lost his long fight against cancer. So many tributes have been paid to him by so many that I could not possibly say anything that has not already been said. However, I would like to explore a little about the word that I heard most used by those who were remembering and paying tribute to him - that word was passion.
Passion, meaning 'great enthusiasm' oozes from people who truly enjoy what they do and in so doing they exhibit an energy and vibrancy that is there for all to see. This is captured prefectly by George Caulkin in The Times when he says "To the end, he carried with him a sense of enchantment; wonder that life had offered him such a rich experience, disbelief that people should love him and venerate him in the way they did......He was defined by energy, enthusiasm and curiosity."
Another individual who showed these characteristics this summer was Ian McGeechan, at 66 a spring chicken compared to Sir Bobby. McGeechan, for many, is the embodiment of all the good things that the British Lions stand for. Despite losing the recent test series against the Springboks, there has been universal acclaim for the way that he has re-established amongst each player what it means to be a Lion and the responsibilities that they have to wear the shirt with pride and to perpetuate the Lions' ethos.
Passion, meaning 'great enthusiasm' oozes from people who truly enjoy what they do and in so doing they exhibit an energy and vibrancy that is there for all to see. This is captured prefectly by George Caulkin in The Times when he says "To the end, he carried with him a sense of enchantment; wonder that life had offered him such a rich experience, disbelief that people should love him and venerate him in the way they did......He was defined by energy, enthusiasm and curiosity."
Another individual who showed these characteristics this summer was Ian McGeechan, at 66 a spring chicken compared to Sir Bobby. McGeechan, for many, is the embodiment of all the good things that the British Lions stand for. Despite losing the recent test series against the Springboks, there has been universal acclaim for the way that he has re-established amongst each player what it means to be a Lion and the responsibilities that they have to wear the shirt with pride and to perpetuate the Lions' ethos.
We therefore have 2 examples of men of 76 and 66 who have retained their boyish enthusiasm for the sports that they truly love. Such was this passion that you get the feeling that they would have done their respective jobs for nothing. They are beacons in a world in which increasingly self interest and money rule and hopefully there will be many young sportspeople starting out on their journeys who will select Sir Bobby Robson and Ian McGeechan as role models because of their enduring passion for their sports and the impact that both men have had on the wider community at large. Both are hugely respected and admired not only in the UK but also overseas and not only by football and rugby people but also by people from all walks of life. What legacies!
Monday, 3 August 2009
Too much too soon!
Rebecca Adlington is a double Olympic Champinon, a world record holder, and last month she received an OBE, and she is not even 21!
This week it is the World Swimming Championships in Rome and she came 4th in the 800m freestyle - her event. Almost a year has past since she became a household name, and is the pressure too much?! Is this media pressure, sport pressure or self induced pressure? Without a crystal ball and getting into Rebecca's head, I guess we will never really know.
For one so young you can certainly appreciate that she must have had to get used to the media spotlight, but how long does that take to get used to, and do you ever get used to it? In a tiny write up in the London Metro she stated "I just need to get away and get back to swimming, and just not do anything else". So what she is saying is that she has lost her focus, and as a result her results in the pool are suffering.
Tom Daly is now a world champion, so it will be interesting to see how he copes, however, I suspect it will be slightly differently as he seems to have always had the spotlight on him! Johnny Wilkson, our much heralded England rugby player said that he always tried to limit the number of things he did outside his sport. Again, was this more maturity, or just Johnny being Johnny? Whatever it was it certainly ensured that he was focused on his game.
Whatever Rebecca decides to do to ensure she gets back on track and doesn't lose her winning habit is up to her. People are different in how they react to pressure, outside challenges and good old stress. Elite athletes are no different, they just need to find out what is not working and fix it - simple! Look at Usain Bolt, he seems to thrive on all the attention, but when it comes to performing on the track, he just gets on and does his thing. If you dig a little deeper you can see how he has managed this and how he has developed mechanisms to cope with the pressure, something extremely valuable and essential for every successful athlete.
I hope that Rebecca's disappointing performance in Rome (her words not mine!) is but a blip on her sporting career. It is how we recover from these blips that make us stronger and show that we are human. You just need to look at David Beckham, Roger Federer, Lewis Hamilton, and of course Dame Kelly Holmes, another double Olympic champion, to show you that you can refocus and achieve even greater success once you regain focus and do what you do best!
The transition from ordinary Rebecca Adlington to Rebecca Adlington swimming sensation seems to be one which has not necessarily been smooth sailing. However, this is often the case with many a successful athlete and Rebecca's future success in her sport is likely to depend on how she rides this current wave of change.
This week it is the World Swimming Championships in Rome and she came 4th in the 800m freestyle - her event. Almost a year has past since she became a household name, and is the pressure too much?! Is this media pressure, sport pressure or self induced pressure? Without a crystal ball and getting into Rebecca's head, I guess we will never really know.
For one so young you can certainly appreciate that she must have had to get used to the media spotlight, but how long does that take to get used to, and do you ever get used to it? In a tiny write up in the London Metro she stated "I just need to get away and get back to swimming, and just not do anything else". So what she is saying is that she has lost her focus, and as a result her results in the pool are suffering.
Tom Daly is now a world champion, so it will be interesting to see how he copes, however, I suspect it will be slightly differently as he seems to have always had the spotlight on him! Johnny Wilkson, our much heralded England rugby player said that he always tried to limit the number of things he did outside his sport. Again, was this more maturity, or just Johnny being Johnny? Whatever it was it certainly ensured that he was focused on his game.
Whatever Rebecca decides to do to ensure she gets back on track and doesn't lose her winning habit is up to her. People are different in how they react to pressure, outside challenges and good old stress. Elite athletes are no different, they just need to find out what is not working and fix it - simple! Look at Usain Bolt, he seems to thrive on all the attention, but when it comes to performing on the track, he just gets on and does his thing. If you dig a little deeper you can see how he has managed this and how he has developed mechanisms to cope with the pressure, something extremely valuable and essential for every successful athlete.
I hope that Rebecca's disappointing performance in Rome (her words not mine!) is but a blip on her sporting career. It is how we recover from these blips that make us stronger and show that we are human. You just need to look at David Beckham, Roger Federer, Lewis Hamilton, and of course Dame Kelly Holmes, another double Olympic champion, to show you that you can refocus and achieve even greater success once you regain focus and do what you do best!
The transition from ordinary Rebecca Adlington to Rebecca Adlington swimming sensation seems to be one which has not necessarily been smooth sailing. However, this is often the case with many a successful athlete and Rebecca's future success in her sport is likely to depend on how she rides this current wave of change.
Monday, 27 July 2009
Is Usain Bolt a New Super Hero?
At the Aviva London Grand Prix (Crystal Palace) on the weekend it was Jamaica fever. Usain Bolt fans were dancing and posing along with the sprinting superstar, and this was just before he raced! Little kids were recognising the Jamaican's dressed in their national colours and loving it - amazing! Is this just the power of one man? I don't think so, but at the moment most young aspiring athletes and fans think this guy is something special. In fact I do too!
With the talk of the Jamaican runners having some positive dope tests and the hype of the likely showdown between Tyson Gay and Usain Bolt in Berlin (don't want to jinx either athlete) all eyes are even more so on the Jamaican sprinting team.
Is Bolt a freak of nature? Who knows? But the boy can run! From what I can see he is determined to show the world that not only can he run fast he can entertain and is one of the good guys. I guess if you were going to create a super hero, these qualities are a good start.
Bolt is a good example of an athlete making a positive transition within his sport. He wanted to run the 100metres years ago, but apparently his coach had other ideas. It looks like his coach knew what he was doing as Bolt is now the fastest man in the world in both the 100 and 200metres sprint.
Bolt is true to his name in that runs like a bolt of lightening, however since the return of injured America's top sprinter Tyson Gay and since Beijing, like most athletes at the top of their game, he has had a bulls eye on his back which all the top class sprinters are aiming for.
Will they catch him? Watch this space.
The World Championships in Berlin start on 15th August. I'll be glued - how about you?
With the talk of the Jamaican runners having some positive dope tests and the hype of the likely showdown between Tyson Gay and Usain Bolt in Berlin (don't want to jinx either athlete) all eyes are even more so on the Jamaican sprinting team.
Is Bolt a freak of nature? Who knows? But the boy can run! From what I can see he is determined to show the world that not only can he run fast he can entertain and is one of the good guys. I guess if you were going to create a super hero, these qualities are a good start.
Bolt is a good example of an athlete making a positive transition within his sport. He wanted to run the 100metres years ago, but apparently his coach had other ideas. It looks like his coach knew what he was doing as Bolt is now the fastest man in the world in both the 100 and 200metres sprint.
Bolt is true to his name in that runs like a bolt of lightening, however since the return of injured America's top sprinter Tyson Gay and since Beijing, like most athletes at the top of their game, he has had a bulls eye on his back which all the top class sprinters are aiming for.
Will they catch him? Watch this space.
The World Championships in Berlin start on 15th August. I'll be glued - how about you?
Wednesday, 22 July 2009
Age is but a number
When we think of a professional in any industry what do we think they look like? Business attire, smart, sophisticated, maybe a touch of maturity about them, late 20's or above. Stereo typical yes, but do we still think them? Of course!
Well, in the sporting arena professionals come in all shapes and sizes, and some of them are very young. In the world of sport we forget that a 'professional athlete' is still a 'professional'. They are specialists in a particular sport, experts in their field, they have a certain level of experience, they hone their craft, and that is what they spend the majority of their time doing.
By winning the 10m platform in the Diving World Championships Tom Daley, the British diving sensation, has shown that at the tender age of 15 (Gosh, I now feel very old!)has been able to put disappointment behind him (Beijing Olympics) and excel in his chosen sport. In my view a top quality of a true professional. More mature people are not even able to do this, most of us may have given up, or bottled it. Not Tom - he has obviously gone from strength to strength. Out of losing comes winning. Once you keep at it, honing your craft and following a plan, winning can become a habit. Let's just hope that this is now something Tom can get used to and keep doing it.
Whether you are 15 or 50 years old, it doesn't matter, age is but a number when it comes to being professional!
Well, in the sporting arena professionals come in all shapes and sizes, and some of them are very young. In the world of sport we forget that a 'professional athlete' is still a 'professional'. They are specialists in a particular sport, experts in their field, they have a certain level of experience, they hone their craft, and that is what they spend the majority of their time doing.
By winning the 10m platform in the Diving World Championships Tom Daley, the British diving sensation, has shown that at the tender age of 15 (Gosh, I now feel very old!)has been able to put disappointment behind him (Beijing Olympics) and excel in his chosen sport. In my view a top quality of a true professional. More mature people are not even able to do this, most of us may have given up, or bottled it. Not Tom - he has obviously gone from strength to strength. Out of losing comes winning. Once you keep at it, honing your craft and following a plan, winning can become a habit. Let's just hope that this is now something Tom can get used to and keep doing it.
Whether you are 15 or 50 years old, it doesn't matter, age is but a number when it comes to being professional!
Diving for gold!
At the weekend Tom Daley added the World 10metre championship to the European one that he already holds - and this at the age of 15 making him the youngest platform world champion in history.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown issued a congratulatory statement on Tuesday, hailing Daley as an "inspiration..........to young people right across the country". Role models play a very important role in inspiring people to excel and Tom Daley may already have laid the foundations for a future world champion from the UK without even being aware of it!
However, there will always be people who are jealous of success and who seek to wreck other people's achievements and dreams. World champions are not immune to this, as Daley found on his return from the Beijing Olympics in 2008, when some of his schoolmates were not happy to have a star in their midst. "Everyone started being stupid and calling me names, throwing bits of paper, tipping my pencil case out in front of the whole class. They were calling me 'diver boy' and saying' how much are your legs worth? I'll break them'.
Although it was not 'high level' bullying it was annoying for Daley and he says "When I was annoyed at school I started to get annoyed at diving. Daley subsequently enrolled at a public school, Plymouth College, which appreciates the importance of combining education with sport, and as he says "I'm much happier now I can concentrate on diving".
Prime Minister Gordon Brown issued a congratulatory statement on Tuesday, hailing Daley as an "inspiration..........to young people right across the country". Role models play a very important role in inspiring people to excel and Tom Daley may already have laid the foundations for a future world champion from the UK without even being aware of it!
However, there will always be people who are jealous of success and who seek to wreck other people's achievements and dreams. World champions are not immune to this, as Daley found on his return from the Beijing Olympics in 2008, when some of his schoolmates were not happy to have a star in their midst. "Everyone started being stupid and calling me names, throwing bits of paper, tipping my pencil case out in front of the whole class. They were calling me 'diver boy' and saying' how much are your legs worth? I'll break them'.
Although it was not 'high level' bullying it was annoying for Daley and he says "When I was annoyed at school I started to get annoyed at diving. Daley subsequently enrolled at a public school, Plymouth College, which appreciates the importance of combining education with sport, and as he says "I'm much happier now I can concentrate on diving".
What has enabled Tom Daley to press on and excel, despite the bullies, are characteristics common to all elite athletes such as his undoubted passion for what he is doing and an uncompromising commitment to being the best that he can be. These, combined with the fact that action was taken to deal with something outside of his sport that was beginning to adversely impact on his diving performance, were major contributors to the result that was there for all to see at the weekend in Rome.
Monday, 13 July 2009
Welcome Back Jessica!
Welcome back Jessica!
With a flash of a grin and a top performance at the UK National Championships and the World Trials in Birmingham, Jessica Ennis showed that she is back with full force.
Jessica showed us what champions are made of. After her annus horribilus last year she looks faster, stronger and better than ever. After scoring 3 PB's on the weekend, and making it look rather easy, you can only admire her sheer grit and determination to get back to full fitness and peak performance, she is truly a classy athlete. The focus, dedication, and sheer hardwork she must have put into her training to come back this year after her disappointment at not being able to go the Olympics, through injury, just shows you what professional athletes have to go through to reach the top of their sport.
I am sure that all track and field fans will be looking forward to seeing what she can do in the World Championships in Berlin, and of course beyond.
Go Jessica!
With a flash of a grin and a top performance at the UK National Championships and the World Trials in Birmingham, Jessica Ennis showed that she is back with full force.
Jessica showed us what champions are made of. After her annus horribilus last year she looks faster, stronger and better than ever. After scoring 3 PB's on the weekend, and making it look rather easy, you can only admire her sheer grit and determination to get back to full fitness and peak performance, she is truly a classy athlete. The focus, dedication, and sheer hardwork she must have put into her training to come back this year after her disappointment at not being able to go the Olympics, through injury, just shows you what professional athletes have to go through to reach the top of their sport.
I am sure that all track and field fans will be looking forward to seeing what she can do in the World Championships in Berlin, and of course beyond.
Go Jessica!
Sunday, 5 July 2009
True Grit
The Federer V Roddick final was a thriller for those who wanted Roddick to win and sheer torture for those who wanted history to be made (tennis play who has won the most grand slams) and Roger to regain the No. 1 spot on the ATP tour.
I had the pleasure and privilege of watching the fifth set live and just about left the court with my finger nails in tact! Roddick played his socks off, but Federer, like a dog with his favourite bone, was not going to give up. Such determination is what champions are made of and Roddick unfortunately was on the wrong end of Federer digging dip and showing that it is not just ability, talent and hardwork which dicatates success, but true grit when it really matters.
What next for Federer? Well, the patter of tiny feet awaits and then who knows!
I had the pleasure and privilege of watching the fifth set live and just about left the court with my finger nails in tact! Roddick played his socks off, but Federer, like a dog with his favourite bone, was not going to give up. Such determination is what champions are made of and Roddick unfortunately was on the wrong end of Federer digging dip and showing that it is not just ability, talent and hardwork which dicatates success, but true grit when it really matters.
What next for Federer? Well, the patter of tiny feet awaits and then who knows!
Monday, 29 June 2009
Talent vs Ability
After listening to Hamid Hejazi of Inside Tennis on Radio Wimbledon this morning, it was rather interesting that he chose to use the word ability rather than talent when referring to spotting young tennis players. In my opinion he is absolutely right, to make the distinction between the two and concentrate on spotting ability and not talent in young athletes.
One can have ability that, if not channeled or even identified, will not be turned into a great talent. For example, can you imagine how the history books would read if Roger Federer aged 11 was not able to channel his ability to become what is arguably one of the best ever tennis players? He has taken his athletic ability, his ability to focus , his ability to be precise, and his ability to learn and has grown into one of the best shot makers of the game. We all have the ability to do something, whether or not that is physical or mental. It is what we do with that ability which defines wheter or not we have a talent, hidden or otherwise.
One can have ability that, if not channeled or even identified, will not be turned into a great talent. For example, can you imagine how the history books would read if Roger Federer aged 11 was not able to channel his ability to become what is arguably one of the best ever tennis players? He has taken his athletic ability, his ability to focus , his ability to be precise, and his ability to learn and has grown into one of the best shot makers of the game. We all have the ability to do something, whether or not that is physical or mental. It is what we do with that ability which defines wheter or not we have a talent, hidden or otherwise.
Thursday, 18 June 2009
Pressure pot
How do you handle pressure?
Andy Murray normally looks pretty focused out on court. He says that he doesn't feel the pressure now that he goes into this years' Wimbledon as the victor at Queens.
Tim Henman had seemingly the weight of England on his shoulders when he came on court at Wimbledon. Does Murray have the weight of Scotland? Who knows! I think that anybody with blood in their viens is entitled to feel a little pressure going in to a tournament as No. 3 in the world and seeded No.3. Pressure can be good and pressure can be bad. I guess it just depends on how you are made up and how you handle it. I don't think that I am necessarily one of those people who works well under pressure, but I don't crumble when faced with difficult situations. Some athletes thrive on the pressure of competition. Usain Bolt for example seems to take it all in his stride and he rises to the occassion, whereas his compatriot, Asafa Powell, seems to find it difficult to perform his best at the big competitions, even when he is the favourite.
Confidence and self belief have a huge role to play when handling competitive pressure, and I beleive that Andy Murray is at his most confident, and that is worth its weight in gold in the world of sport. Being able to deal with pressure is a quality of top performers and every successful sports person has had to do this in order to win.
Andy Murray has show that he can do this, evidenced by his win at Queens last weekend. Only time will tell if he is able to translate that to the grass of SW19.
Andy Murray normally looks pretty focused out on court. He says that he doesn't feel the pressure now that he goes into this years' Wimbledon as the victor at Queens.
Tim Henman had seemingly the weight of England on his shoulders when he came on court at Wimbledon. Does Murray have the weight of Scotland? Who knows! I think that anybody with blood in their viens is entitled to feel a little pressure going in to a tournament as No. 3 in the world and seeded No.3. Pressure can be good and pressure can be bad. I guess it just depends on how you are made up and how you handle it. I don't think that I am necessarily one of those people who works well under pressure, but I don't crumble when faced with difficult situations. Some athletes thrive on the pressure of competition. Usain Bolt for example seems to take it all in his stride and he rises to the occassion, whereas his compatriot, Asafa Powell, seems to find it difficult to perform his best at the big competitions, even when he is the favourite.
Confidence and self belief have a huge role to play when handling competitive pressure, and I beleive that Andy Murray is at his most confident, and that is worth its weight in gold in the world of sport. Being able to deal with pressure is a quality of top performers and every successful sports person has had to do this in order to win.
Andy Murray has show that he can do this, evidenced by his win at Queens last weekend. Only time will tell if he is able to translate that to the grass of SW19.
Monday, 15 June 2009
So near, yet so far for England
Twenty20 Cricket - the West indies vs England - divided loyalties? Yes. Exciting match? Yes. Do I understand the DL rule? No!
Yesterday the Windies beat England. England had the 1st and managed to score 161 runs off 5 wickets. When the Windies came in to bat the rain came, they subsequently only had 9 overs to make 80 runs. So how did they respond? As only the West Indies know how, the wacked the ball over the place and scored the necessary runs. Being born to West Indian parents in England I must say that I love to see the Windies win in cricket.
Cricket is a funny old sport. When you consider test cricket it can take days to complete an innings, let alone a match, and after all that it can still end in a draw! At the end of the West Indies vs England match the West Indies captain (Reifer) said that they had been relying on Chris Gayle too much and that this time they all stepped up to the plate and did what they had to do. This is exactly what a good team is supposed to do. The West Indies demonstrated that it is the sum of the parts which make up the whole, but of course having a bright star on your team cannot do you any harm.
Yesterday the Windies beat England. England had the 1st and managed to score 161 runs off 5 wickets. When the Windies came in to bat the rain came, they subsequently only had 9 overs to make 80 runs. So how did they respond? As only the West Indies know how, the wacked the ball over the place and scored the necessary runs. Being born to West Indian parents in England I must say that I love to see the Windies win in cricket.
Cricket is a funny old sport. When you consider test cricket it can take days to complete an innings, let alone a match, and after all that it can still end in a draw! At the end of the West Indies vs England match the West Indies captain (Reifer) said that they had been relying on Chris Gayle too much and that this time they all stepped up to the plate and did what they had to do. This is exactly what a good team is supposed to do. The West Indies demonstrated that it is the sum of the parts which make up the whole, but of course having a bright star on your team cannot do you any harm.
Sunday, 14 June 2009
Team spirit and women in sport
Women in sport - a big shout out to all the women playing in the Twenty20. Watching the news last night I was rather flummoxed that after reporting rather extensively on what was going on in the men's game the news caster quickly mentioned that the England women's team had beaten Sri Lanka.
Now for those who follow cricket they will appreciate that the England women are rather handy, they are the current World Champions. I love sport, any sport, but I do have a bug bear about the amount of, or rather lack of sport, that is reported on when it involves women.
Women's cricket has come a long way and we have a great ambassador for the sport in Charlotte Woods (England's captain) to thank for that. The England ladies have a great team spirit and no doubt that team spirit helps them remain so successful.
If, like me, you want to keep up to date with women in sport, why not visit www.sportsister.com.
Now for those who follow cricket they will appreciate that the England women are rather handy, they are the current World Champions. I love sport, any sport, but I do have a bug bear about the amount of, or rather lack of sport, that is reported on when it involves women.
Women's cricket has come a long way and we have a great ambassador for the sport in Charlotte Woods (England's captain) to thank for that. The England ladies have a great team spirit and no doubt that team spirit helps them remain so successful.
If, like me, you want to keep up to date with women in sport, why not visit www.sportsister.com.
Sunday, 7 June 2009
Game, set and match!
On Sunday, Federer has achieved what only 5 men before him have, and only one of these is in the modern era, and that was to be the winner of all four grand slams after beating Robin Soderling in the French Open final.
Unfortunately I did not have the pleasure of watching the whole match, however what I did see wasn't bad. What am I talking about?! What I did see was a champion become a champion of champions. Unfortunately for his competitor he made it look , not easy, but par for the course.
As we always do in Sporting Soul we look to dig deeper than just the results of sporting competitions and look behind what makes the wins, losses and draws. Looking at Roger Federer, 27 years old, born in Switzerland (and still living in Switzerland) what do we see? Dedication, discipline, control, persistence, calm, patience, diligence, the list goes on. The more matches you see Federer play you can almost see his brain working out when he is going to pounce on his opponent and play the killer forehand, backhand, volley or ace which will give him a break point. When it doesn't go to plan you can just, only just, see his frustration. He appears relatively calm on court, no grunting or challenging line calls. However, for those in the know will be aware that a few years ago he was a regular breaker of rackets, and sometimes that anger, at himself, raises its ugly head, but all in all he has managed to tame that beast. So, on court he is calm, but he certainly shows his emotions freely when he wins or losses. Who could forget those tears at the Australian Open earlier this year? It is obvious that he is passionate about tennis and what it means to him and the time he gives to the fans also shows how appreciative he is of their support.
Perfect? - No. A complete and supremely professional champion? Absolutely!
Robin Soderling after the match said that he was treated to a master class out there on the red clay of Roland Garros. Well, by watching Federer both on and off the court I certainly think that young sportspeople around the world got more than that.
Congratulations to Roger Federer on his first French Open win - may you have many more. (Well, perhaps not if your name is Murray, Nadal, Djokovic .....!)
Unfortunately I did not have the pleasure of watching the whole match, however what I did see wasn't bad. What am I talking about?! What I did see was a champion become a champion of champions. Unfortunately for his competitor he made it look , not easy, but par for the course.
As we always do in Sporting Soul we look to dig deeper than just the results of sporting competitions and look behind what makes the wins, losses and draws. Looking at Roger Federer, 27 years old, born in Switzerland (and still living in Switzerland) what do we see? Dedication, discipline, control, persistence, calm, patience, diligence, the list goes on. The more matches you see Federer play you can almost see his brain working out when he is going to pounce on his opponent and play the killer forehand, backhand, volley or ace which will give him a break point. When it doesn't go to plan you can just, only just, see his frustration. He appears relatively calm on court, no grunting or challenging line calls. However, for those in the know will be aware that a few years ago he was a regular breaker of rackets, and sometimes that anger, at himself, raises its ugly head, but all in all he has managed to tame that beast. So, on court he is calm, but he certainly shows his emotions freely when he wins or losses. Who could forget those tears at the Australian Open earlier this year? It is obvious that he is passionate about tennis and what it means to him and the time he gives to the fans also shows how appreciative he is of their support.
Perfect? - No. A complete and supremely professional champion? Absolutely!
Robin Soderling after the match said that he was treated to a master class out there on the red clay of Roland Garros. Well, by watching Federer both on and off the court I certainly think that young sportspeople around the world got more than that.
Congratulations to Roger Federer on his first French Open win - may you have many more. (Well, perhaps not if your name is Murray, Nadal, Djokovic .....!)
Monday, 1 June 2009
Oarsome performance at rowing world cup!
Team GB won 9 of 14 gold medals on offer at the weekend, at the opening World Cup rowing regatta of 2009 in Spain, as well as a silver and a bronze. What a magnificent performance in a sport in which we are truly world class.
Together with a number of other sports in which we excel at sitting down - much to the derision of the Aussies in the last Olympics (so we must be doing something right!) - GB Rowing has an excellent and proven talent ID, nurturing and development programme. Evidence of this is the fact that the men's quadruple scull, which won the silver medal behind the Olympic champions from Poland, is the first complete crew to to come out of its formal programme, World Class Start.
At the other end of the spectrum, but equally impressive, is the gold medal won by Katherine Grainger in the women's single scull in her first outing in what is a new event for her. A three-time Olympic silver medallist in the quad sculls Katherine Grainger has been able to successfully transfer her athletic and mental skills to this new discipline with stunning results.
One sensed her tremendous disappointment and frustration at 'only winning another silver medal' in Beijing last year and she has proved to herself that she has the talent to thrive in an individual as well as a team event. I'm sure that she'd be the first to acknowledge however that it would not be possible to do this without a very supportive backroom team who are usually the unsung heroes and who operate as the submerged part of an iceberg.
As the saying goes, 'class is permanent and form is temporary' and our rowers have proved yet again that they have a truly world class culture.
Together with a number of other sports in which we excel at sitting down - much to the derision of the Aussies in the last Olympics (so we must be doing something right!) - GB Rowing has an excellent and proven talent ID, nurturing and development programme. Evidence of this is the fact that the men's quadruple scull, which won the silver medal behind the Olympic champions from Poland, is the first complete crew to to come out of its formal programme, World Class Start.
At the other end of the spectrum, but equally impressive, is the gold medal won by Katherine Grainger in the women's single scull in her first outing in what is a new event for her. A three-time Olympic silver medallist in the quad sculls Katherine Grainger has been able to successfully transfer her athletic and mental skills to this new discipline with stunning results.
One sensed her tremendous disappointment and frustration at 'only winning another silver medal' in Beijing last year and she has proved to herself that she has the talent to thrive in an individual as well as a team event. I'm sure that she'd be the first to acknowledge however that it would not be possible to do this without a very supportive backroom team who are usually the unsung heroes and who operate as the submerged part of an iceberg.
As the saying goes, 'class is permanent and form is temporary' and our rowers have proved yet again that they have a truly world class culture.
Sunday, 31 May 2009
Lewis Hamilton - My Story
Lewis Hamilton is one of my favourite young sporting people at the moment. For one so young he has achieved so much.
However, certainly for this F1 season, things are not all going his way. He is certainly having to overcome some serious challenges this year and it will be interesting to see how he fairs come the end of the season.
I am currently reading his book "Lewis Hamilton - My Story" (2007). By his own admission this book is not an autobiography, but an inspirational book about how he achieved his success and a book to reveal a little more about the young man behind the wheel. In other words, the book will give you an insight into the real person behind the sports person.
Being able to see the real person behind the sportsperson is something that as the general public we don't often get to see. Often we see the sports men and women and think that the persona they display in the sporting arena, is the same as their persona in everyday life. More often than not, this is not the case. Also, more often than not an athlete's sporting persona is something that they don't necessarily want to be known for, they want to perhaps been seen as more than a once dimensional character. I certainly know from the athletes I have met and worked with, that there is definitely much to be seen behind the face of our sporting heroes and heroines, some surprising and some not so surprising. But most of all it is important to know that they really are just like you and me, but have applied themselves in the most extraordinary way in the sporting arena.
I have yet to finish Lewis's book, but at the moment I am finding it an interesting read. I will let you know what I really think when I have finished!
If you are Hamilton fan, he has released a special edition of his story, click here to view.
And not to be out done, by someone is almost half my age, check out my attempts at raching below - Just to avoid confusion I am the one on the left!
However, certainly for this F1 season, things are not all going his way. He is certainly having to overcome some serious challenges this year and it will be interesting to see how he fairs come the end of the season.
I am currently reading his book "Lewis Hamilton - My Story" (2007). By his own admission this book is not an autobiography, but an inspirational book about how he achieved his success and a book to reveal a little more about the young man behind the wheel. In other words, the book will give you an insight into the real person behind the sports person.
Being able to see the real person behind the sportsperson is something that as the general public we don't often get to see. Often we see the sports men and women and think that the persona they display in the sporting arena, is the same as their persona in everyday life. More often than not, this is not the case. Also, more often than not an athlete's sporting persona is something that they don't necessarily want to be known for, they want to perhaps been seen as more than a once dimensional character. I certainly know from the athletes I have met and worked with, that there is definitely much to be seen behind the face of our sporting heroes and heroines, some surprising and some not so surprising. But most of all it is important to know that they really are just like you and me, but have applied themselves in the most extraordinary way in the sporting arena.
I have yet to finish Lewis's book, but at the moment I am finding it an interesting read. I will let you know what I really think when I have finished!
If you are Hamilton fan, he has released a special edition of his story, click here to view.
And not to be out done, by someone is almost half my age, check out my attempts at raching below - Just to avoid confusion I am the one on the left!
Sunday, 24 May 2009
Everyone look at Laura! – a name to remember, perhaps?!
It was the WAG British Championships on the bank holiday weekend and I certainly was watching Laura. Now why was I looking at Laura? Well – I have known Laura all her life, in fact I have known Laura even before she was born! She is the daughter of a family friend and boy is she a pocket rocket.
I have always loved gymnastics, and Laura is a great young gymnast. I cannot believe the amount of power and grace she can generate from that tiny frame. She was competing against the best that
Talking of our Olympic champion, I was able to watch her Olympic parallel bars routine and wow! Speed, accuracy and sheer audacious moves, just made some of the other competitors, though good, seem almost pedestrian.
Team Heathrow were a solid team and everyone performed well, no one fell off the beam (how they even stay on it just standing up amazes me!) and only one fall off the bars. This fall was unfortunately by Laura, who luckily was not hurt seriously, but it was rather a spectacular one. Whilst Dad was videoing her performance I heard the sharp intake of breath as she came off the bars and then heard it release as she got up, dusted herself off and eventually gave us a smile. We later found out that her hand grip got caught on the top bar, just as she was about to dismount, so she was unable to release at the right moment, and thus came off in the most bizarre position - she was as shocked as everyone else that she came off!
How any parent endures such drama is beyond me, I am just a family friend and I was literally holding my breath every time she went up in to the air. I was sat next to Laura’s Dad, Grandma and Aunt, with Mum going paler by the minute in the row behind me. I just can’t imagine what was going through their minds.
Despite this Laura’s team (Team Heathrow) managed to take 2nd place overall, just 1 point behind Team Liverpool – good job!
For such a young team I thought that they showed great poise and support for each other during the competition and the crowd was brilliant. You can never under estimate how the crowd support makes a difference to the competitors. Squeals of delight came from the audience (and that was just me!) when dismounts were planted squarely and lots of “c’mon Laura’s!” I must say I did have a slight ringing in my ears after the event was over, whether that was from the exuberant spectators behind me, or Laura’s Aunt I will never know!
An enjoyable day was had by all, even Laura, so who knows she might even be following in the footsteps of Miss Tweddle come 2012.
To take your own look at Laura, click here.
Monday, 18 May 2009
A gale blows through the Windies!
It probably comes as no surpise that the Windies lost their 2nd consecutive test match in the UK by an innings earlier today when only last week their captain, Chris Gayle, was reported to have said that he wanted to focus on the short form of the game, ie limited overs, having just flown back from the 20:20 IPL in South Africa.
Gayle claims that he was misquoted but the impact of the publicity surrounding his alleged statements probably did as much harm to the Windies' cause as did the inclement and cold weather at Durham. Whilst the weather conditions clearly favoured the home side it was disappointing to see through their body language how indifferent most of the Windies' team were especially since they had battled manfully in the Caribbean to win the Wisden Trophy.
In such conditions it can hardly have helped their cause to have doubts about their captain's commitment to test cricket. It is essential that the leader of any team sends out positive vibes, especially in challenging circumstances, and does not allow negative feelings or doubts to surface which will deflect the team from their primary goal.
Gayle claims that he was misquoted but the impact of the publicity surrounding his alleged statements probably did as much harm to the Windies' cause as did the inclement and cold weather at Durham. Whilst the weather conditions clearly favoured the home side it was disappointing to see through their body language how indifferent most of the Windies' team were especially since they had battled manfully in the Caribbean to win the Wisden Trophy.
In such conditions it can hardly have helped their cause to have doubts about their captain's commitment to test cricket. It is essential that the leader of any team sends out positive vibes, especially in challenging circumstances, and does not allow negative feelings or doubts to surface which will deflect the team from their primary goal.
A winning mentality
The premiership of both football and rugby were settled last Saturday with Manchester Utd and Leicester Tigers being the respective winners. Both clubs have been at or near to the top of their sports for the last 15years or more so what is it that separates them from the majority of other clubs in their sports?
What is noticeable is that both clubs have the abilty to win matches in the last 15minutes of matches and /or win close matches when not at their best. It is a mark of all top performing teams that they play with the same intensity for the full length of a game and 'never know when they are beaten'.
Opposition know that when they are playing against such teams that they have to be at their absolute best to win and so it also places extra pressure on them. In order to compete, they often expend a lot of energy in the first half of matches and then are unable to sustain the same level of intensity in the second half. It's almost as if Man utd and Leicester Tigers have an extra player on their side. He is called Winning Mentality and he helps to create an aura of invincibility.
In the last month, Man Utd have often been behind in games but have snatched victory from the jaws of deafeat when one of their players has produced a moment of inspiration. Similarly, Leicester Tigers have won 3 big matches recently in the last minute of the game, by way of a penalty shoot out and by 1 point respectively. I would suggest that this is not an acident for either club.
A winning mentality is about self belief and in such tight situations, either consciously or sub consciously, they have the ability to incorporate what Sir Clive Woodward called TCUP - Think Clearly Under Pressure. This is built on an individual and team/club confidence but one with firm foundations that is borne out of previous experiences and full confidence in their preparation and team mates. It permeates the whole club and spurs them on to stay at the top and to be the best. It is this that gives them a competitive edge and why they have been able to have such consistent success.
What is noticeable is that both clubs have the abilty to win matches in the last 15minutes of matches and /or win close matches when not at their best. It is a mark of all top performing teams that they play with the same intensity for the full length of a game and 'never know when they are beaten'.
Opposition know that when they are playing against such teams that they have to be at their absolute best to win and so it also places extra pressure on them. In order to compete, they often expend a lot of energy in the first half of matches and then are unable to sustain the same level of intensity in the second half. It's almost as if Man utd and Leicester Tigers have an extra player on their side. He is called Winning Mentality and he helps to create an aura of invincibility.
In the last month, Man Utd have often been behind in games but have snatched victory from the jaws of deafeat when one of their players has produced a moment of inspiration. Similarly, Leicester Tigers have won 3 big matches recently in the last minute of the game, by way of a penalty shoot out and by 1 point respectively. I would suggest that this is not an acident for either club.
A winning mentality is about self belief and in such tight situations, either consciously or sub consciously, they have the ability to incorporate what Sir Clive Woodward called TCUP - Think Clearly Under Pressure. This is built on an individual and team/club confidence but one with firm foundations that is borne out of previous experiences and full confidence in their preparation and team mates. It permeates the whole club and spurs them on to stay at the top and to be the best. It is this that gives them a competitive edge and why they have been able to have such consistent success.
Sunday, 17 May 2009
Rafa vs Fed
Is Rafael Nadal to Roger Federer what kryptonite is to Superman?
Nadal and Federer now have one of those rivalries which may become like McEnroe vs Borg or Agassi vs Sampras. Ranked world number 1 and 2 respectively they have become the titans of tennis today.
The Madrid Masters will see them go head to head yet again, but this time on clay in Spain. Would you bet against Nadal?!
Looking back at Federer's record you could say that he was having a bad year, but he is still the no. 2 player in the world. He was beaten in the Australian Open final by none other than Nadal and today he will look to get than monkey off his back and beat Nadal on Nadal's favourite surface.
I don't know about you, but when I watch Federer I just wish that I could play like that. To me his game is grace and poise which has to be a natural talent which he has honed to perfection.
It is definitely a new phase for Federer at the moment, he is newly married, baby on the way and he is not winning everything that there is to win. I guess it was always going to be tough to improve upon what almost seemed like a perfect game. I believe that he has not had a coach for such a long time, and we all know how important it is, regardless how good you are, to have someone guiding and supporting you. I am not saying that Federer doesn't have this, but he didn't have this in the traditional way. It will be interesting to see who ends up the victor at the end of today.
PS. Since writing this post, Federer has beaten Nadal in the Madrid Masters. Perhaps Superman has found a cure for kryptonite?!
Nadal and Federer now have one of those rivalries which may become like McEnroe vs Borg or Agassi vs Sampras. Ranked world number 1 and 2 respectively they have become the titans of tennis today.
The Madrid Masters will see them go head to head yet again, but this time on clay in Spain. Would you bet against Nadal?!
Looking back at Federer's record you could say that he was having a bad year, but he is still the no. 2 player in the world. He was beaten in the Australian Open final by none other than Nadal and today he will look to get than monkey off his back and beat Nadal on Nadal's favourite surface.
I don't know about you, but when I watch Federer I just wish that I could play like that. To me his game is grace and poise which has to be a natural talent which he has honed to perfection.
It is definitely a new phase for Federer at the moment, he is newly married, baby on the way and he is not winning everything that there is to win. I guess it was always going to be tough to improve upon what almost seemed like a perfect game. I believe that he has not had a coach for such a long time, and we all know how important it is, regardless how good you are, to have someone guiding and supporting you. I am not saying that Federer doesn't have this, but he didn't have this in the traditional way. It will be interesting to see who ends up the victor at the end of today.
PS. Since writing this post, Federer has beaten Nadal in the Madrid Masters. Perhaps Superman has found a cure for kryptonite?!
Friday, 15 May 2009
Talent alone is not enough
How often have we heard that 'talent alone is not enough' and yet many sports continue to recruit individuals who may have the athletic talent but not the emotional talent to go with it.
In a recent interview, Martin Johnson, aka Johno, the England Rugby Team Manager says “What you do, how you behave and what you are is as important as what happens in that 80 minutes,” Johnson says. “We want guys who even if they have a bad game, we know everything they are doing is going in the right direction, the character, the work ethic. We just know they are good people.
You ask me what the best teams had, the '95 grand slam with England, the Clive [Woodward] years, Leicester? Mostly it was good characters, strong characters, honest people. There are people who try to kid themselves in life but you can't do that in rugby - not to yourself, not to your team-mates. If they are good people, you can ride out those bumps in the road".
Who would you rather have in your team when the going gets tough, a highly talented individual who performs really well against easy opposition or in a low profile event but who 'underperforms' on the big stage or an honest and determined individual who gives their all every time they are asked to perform?
Really top managers and coaches can identify what it takes to be a top performer and are highly skilled in choosing people with a range of talents (and increasingly people from different cutures), to not only draw the best out of the individual but also mould teams that perform to a consistently high standard. Although he often polarises opinions, you don't have to look further than Sir Alex Ferguson for someone who clearly understands that the 'character' of the person behind the public persona is what counts in creating a high performance culture. It is not luck that has kept him at the very top of his profession for over 20years.
In a recent interview, Martin Johnson, aka Johno, the England Rugby Team Manager says “What you do, how you behave and what you are is as important as what happens in that 80 minutes,” Johnson says. “We want guys who even if they have a bad game, we know everything they are doing is going in the right direction, the character, the work ethic. We just know they are good people.
You ask me what the best teams had, the '95 grand slam with England, the Clive [Woodward] years, Leicester? Mostly it was good characters, strong characters, honest people. There are people who try to kid themselves in life but you can't do that in rugby - not to yourself, not to your team-mates. If they are good people, you can ride out those bumps in the road".
Who would you rather have in your team when the going gets tough, a highly talented individual who performs really well against easy opposition or in a low profile event but who 'underperforms' on the big stage or an honest and determined individual who gives their all every time they are asked to perform?
Really top managers and coaches can identify what it takes to be a top performer and are highly skilled in choosing people with a range of talents (and increasingly people from different cutures), to not only draw the best out of the individual but also mould teams that perform to a consistently high standard. Although he often polarises opinions, you don't have to look further than Sir Alex Ferguson for someone who clearly understands that the 'character' of the person behind the public persona is what counts in creating a high performance culture. It is not luck that has kept him at the very top of his profession for over 20years.
Coppell for parliament?
As Steve Coppell announced his decision this week to resign as manager of Reading FC, following their failure to gain promotion back to the Premier League the season after they were relegated,
several things struck me.
He presented himself with great dignity and exceptionally well even turning down a kiss from one of the ladies from the media as an incentive for him to change his mind! He was open and honest with his answers and expressed his desire to continue his football education and learn from others.
Even more impressive perhaps, in an age where it is fashionable to blame others for their shortcomings, is that he took personal responsibility for Reading's failure to win promotion. As he said 'my sole intention was to gain promotion and that was the only reason that I stayed after last year's relegation. A manager is judged by results and we had enough firepower and opportunity'.
Compare this to the MP's expenses' scandal, which has hit the press in recent days, whereby MPs from all parties are seeking to justify their actions because they were not against the 'rules'. Can they truly not see how foolish they are in seeking to blame the system? A heartfelt apology rather than one that is designed to score political points, as evidenced by one government minister belatedly parading her cheque in front of the media for unpaid capital gains tax would be much more honourable.
MPs could learn a lot from Steve Coppell in the way that he took personal responsibility which is one of the qualities that true professionals have in abundance and which separates the truly great from the rest.
several things struck me.
He presented himself with great dignity and exceptionally well even turning down a kiss from one of the ladies from the media as an incentive for him to change his mind! He was open and honest with his answers and expressed his desire to continue his football education and learn from others.
Even more impressive perhaps, in an age where it is fashionable to blame others for their shortcomings, is that he took personal responsibility for Reading's failure to win promotion. As he said 'my sole intention was to gain promotion and that was the only reason that I stayed after last year's relegation. A manager is judged by results and we had enough firepower and opportunity'.
Compare this to the MP's expenses' scandal, which has hit the press in recent days, whereby MPs from all parties are seeking to justify their actions because they were not against the 'rules'. Can they truly not see how foolish they are in seeking to blame the system? A heartfelt apology rather than one that is designed to score political points, as evidenced by one government minister belatedly parading her cheque in front of the media for unpaid capital gains tax would be much more honourable.
MPs could learn a lot from Steve Coppell in the way that he took personal responsibility which is one of the qualities that true professionals have in abundance and which separates the truly great from the rest.
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