International Learning and Sharing from Juniors to High
Performance
A LIFETIME OF LESSONS LEARNT By
Bill Sweetenham
A family affair - excellence in life produces excellence in sport
Learning to teach … an exercise in coaching and teaching the fitness of the body to match the fitness of the mind
Sell the product and the brand name Invincible in attitude - superior in skill
Life is not fair
Appreciate every moment
Build invincible teams and superior skills
The journey and process must have an outcome and reward
Groups develop squads and squads develop teams
Educate and apply the ability to chase, fight, lead, win and repeat winning Friendly on the surface, deadly below
Don Gambril …”love the girls and challenge the boys”
Great training partners enhance potential
Winning partnerships … the key ingredient for world level success
Superior skills, invincible attitudes and winning teams
Appreciate the heart and mind of the athlete, and applaud the
Annamarie Verstappen
Coach the person, train the event, develop and re-direct skills
Coaching will always be an art and the addition of critical sports science is most valued when it can make the coach a better artist
1983 - the first “skins” - AIS
No room for comfort zones, complacency or plateauing.
Take risks, dare to be different, take the untrodden path.
Attitude is everything
Misinformation … a tool to be wary of
Good athletes know what great athletes don’t
Great minds don’t always think alike, but they get the job done
Athletic talent … a great investment, but make sure they are on your side
Run where others dare to walk, have great self belief and conviction, know
It’s not the size of the team, it’s the quality within it
Superior in skills, invincible in attitude
Visionary leadership - 1983 skin suit, Offshore Training Centre, 4 entries/event/country in European Championships, womens fast
track system, Bob Treffene model, non-competitive national
Lifetime Lessons Learnt
These are but a few of the unwritten ground rules for international coaching:
•Family first.
•Coach and teach every day as if it was your first day.
•Know the heart and mind of the athlete, staff, opposition and competition.
•It is not what you know, it is how you think.
•Time at task.
•Skill perfection always before skill acquisition.
•Build teams where the athletes you coach are identifiable due to superior skill and attitudes.
•Learn from the best and set a path where others will want to follow - don’t follow.
•Win every day.
•Make all those you work with feel special, enthused, appreciated and valued without pampering or indulging.
THANK YOU
Doug Strike Rohan Taylor
David Wilson Matt Brown
Matthew Brown Georgie Parkes
Tim Ford Martin Roberts
Paul Sims Paul Sansby
Scott Hamlet Michael Bohl
Greg Fasala Gary Lord
Ron McKeon David Orbell
Duncan Todd Fenella Ng
Anne-maree Monk Mark Erickson
Craig Boetcher Michael Piper
Michelle Morris Glenn Beringen
