Functional Path Training

GAIN Professional Development Community - 2014 Schedule

Don't miss out on this special professional development opportunity. Below is the faculty and the teaching schedule for this year. To apply go to http://thegainnetwork.com/joingain

GAIN VII Theme

Focusing on the Process of Developing Athletes From the First Step to the Podium

The GAIN Faculty

We are very fortunate to have a faculty with a tremendous breath of experiences. These are professionals who have a track record of excellence in their chosen fields. They know how a performance team works, how all aspects of athletic development complement each other and most importantly they understand the process of developing athletes.

AT GAIN we have four main areas of focus 1)Coaching 2)Athletic Development (S&C) 3)Sports Medicine/Rehab 4)Physical Education. Our faculty are the experts in each of these respective focus areas. The goal is foster connections and communication between all these areas to develop the best athlete possible.

Join us and learn from these professionals and interact with other professionals in the GAIN network. Go to http://thegainnetwork.com/joingain and apply now. Don’t miss out.

Coaching

Finn Gundersen - Gunderson Consulting working with MLS Philadelphia Union Development Academy. He was formerly US Skiing Director of Alpine Sport and Education and Headmaster of the famous Burke Mountain Ski Academy in Vermont.

Clay Erro, Best Winning Percentage in Football in Nor Cal Section History at Enterprise High School in Redding California. Now Retired and Consulting on Coaching Excellence.

Vern Gambetta, Founder of GAIN Network, Currently Director of Gambetta Sports Training Systems

Athletic Development

Jim Radcliffe, Head S&C Coach University of Oregon

Gary Winckler, Hall of Fame Track & Field Coach, Former assistant Canadian Olympic Track & Field Coach in 2012 and Head Women’s Track Coach at University of Illinois

Vince Anderson, Texas A&M, Assistant Track & Field Coach Sprints & Hurdles

Nick Garcia, Athletic Development Coach & Assistant Track Coach, Notre Dame High School, Sherman Oaks, California

Steve Magness, Head Cross Country and Assistant Track Coach University of Houston

Nick Folker, Former Aquatic S&C Coach at University of California Berkeley. Now with F.A.A.S.T and BridgeAthletic

Tracy Fober, PT, CSCS, Iron Maven Physical Health & Performance, St Louis Missouri

Sports Medicine/Rehab

Bill Knowles, ATC, CSCS

HPSports - Director of Reconditioning and Athletic Development Philadelphia Union Academy – Major League Soccer Pennsylvania, USA

Ed Ryan, ATC Head Trainer US Women’s Olympic Basketball Team, Formerly Head of Sports Medicine USOC

Randy Ballard, ATC Assistant Trainer, University of Illinois Working With Track & Filed and Volleyball

Joe Przytula, ATC is the current Supervisor of Physical Education and Health, and athletic trainer with Elizabeth Public Schools, Elizabeth New Jersey USA.

Physical Education

Greg Thompson, Elementary Physical Education Teacher Farmington Michigan, Currently Athletic Development and Age Group Head Coach, Livonia City Soccer Club

Steve Myrland, District Performance Coach for Athletics, District Wellness Director Middleton Wisconsin School District

Day One - Tuesday, June 17
1:00 - 3:00	Registration
3:30 - 5:00	Introduction & Orientation
5:00 - 7:00	Dinner
7:00 - 7:30	GAIN Philosophy of Training	Gambetta
7:30 - 8:30	Communication For Effective Coaching	Erro

 

Day Two - Wednesday, June 18

6:30 - 7:45

Movement Madness

Station #1

Running Mechanics

Winckler

Station #2

PE

Myrland

Station #3

Postural Strength Modules

Gambetta

7:45 - 9:30

Breakfast

9:30 - 9:50

Functional Path Concepts

Gambetta

9:50 - 11:00

LTAD - Burke Mountain & Beyond

Gundersen

11:00 - 11:10

Break

11:10 - 12:10

Endurance Training Myths

Magness

12:10 - 1:00

Lunch

Newbies

1:00 - 2:10

Siesta/Individual Meetings

2:10 -3:00

Discussion Groups

Strength Training

3:00 - 3:10

Break

3:10 - 4:00

Discussion Groups

Endurance Training

4:00 - 4:10

Break

4:10 - 4:50

Discussion Groups

PCA/Injury Prevention

4:50 - 5:00

Break

5:00 - 6:00

Practical - Reflex Strength Training

Winckler

6:00 - 7:30

Dinner

7:30 - 8:15

Team Building

Gundersen

8:15 - 8:45

GAIN Talks

Newbies (Separate Session)

1:00 - 2:10

Foundations Physical Competency Assessment

Ballard

2:10 - 2:20

Break

2:20 - 3:30

Foundation of Speed - Sprint Mechanics

Winckler

3:30 - 3:40

Break

3:40 - 4:50

Foundations of Reconditioning

Knowles

4:50 - 5:00

Break

 

Day Three - Thursday, June 19
6:30 - 7:45	Movement Madness
Station #1	Warm-up	Radcliffe
Station #2	PE	Myrland
Station #3	Reflex Strength Training	Winckler
7:45 - 9:30	Breakfast
9:30 - 10:40	Fundamentals of Acceleration Mechanics	Anderson
10:40 - 10:50	Break
10:50 - 12:00	Athlete Development at Notre Dame High School	Garcia
12:00 - 1:00	Lunch
1:00 - 2:10	Siesta/Individual Meetings
2:10 - 3:20	Agility - Practical Pointers & Progressions	Radcliffe
3:20 - 3:30	Break
3:30 - 4:40	Advance Concepts of Reconditioning	Knowles
4:40 - 4:50	Break
4:50 - 6:00	Practical - Reconditioning	Knowles
6:00 - 7:30	Dinner
7:30 - 8:00	Developing Leaders	Gundersen
8:00 - 8:30	GAIN Talks

 

Day Four - Friday, June 20
6:30 - 7:45	Movement Madness
Station #1	Hurdle Mobility	Radcliffe
Station #2	PE	Thompson
Station #3	Foundational Movements	Fober
7:45 - 9:30	Breakfast
9:30 - 10:40	Application of The Bondarchuk Method	Garcia
10:40 - 10:50	Break
10:50 - 12:00	Speed & Power Development - Special Considerations	Radcliffe
12:00 - 1:00	Lunch
1:00 - 2:10	Siesta/Individual Meetings
2:10 - 2:20	Break
2:20 - 3:30	Building A Framework For Monitoring & Performance	Ballard
3:30 - 3:40	Break
3:40 - 4:50	Developing Endurance - Nuts & Bolts	Magness
4:50 - 5:00	Break
5:00 - 6:00	Practical - Training Observation	Garcia
6:00 - 7:30	Dinner
7:30 - 8:15	Role of the Parent in Athlete Development	Gundersen
8:15 - 8:45	GAIN Talks

 

Saturday, June 21
6:30 - 7:30	Movement Madness
Station #1	Shoulder Basics	Fober
Station #2	Plyo Progressions	Radcliffe
7:30 - 9:00	Breakfast
9:00 - 10:00	Designing an Effective Training Session	Gambetta
10:00 - 10:10	Break
10:10 - 11:30	PE - The Foundation of Athlete Development	Thompson
11:30 - 11:50	Foundational Concepts of Athletic Development	Gambetta
12:00 - 12:20	Coaching Wrap-up	Erro

Be Humble

Foundational Beliefs #12 Be Humble

 

Last but not least be humble. Humility certainly is a virtue that has become scarce in sport today. Be thankful for what you have and learn to appreciate the athletes you coach no matter what level of ability. Coaching is so special, it is a real privilege to be able to help people grow and excel to reach their potential. Just the process is humbling in itself because there is so much that is out of our hands. That should serve as a reminder to do our part and do it well. One of my best friends and coaching colleague Jim Radcliffe says that coaches should be back stage not onstage. I could not say it better. Put the spotlight on the athlete and take satisfaction in your contribution to their success. Let the results of your coaching speak for themselves. If you are coaching for the attention, fame and fortune then I suggest you go to Hollywood.

 

Be Passionate and Enthusiastic

Foundational Beliefs #11 Be Passionate and Enthusiastic

To me passion and enthusiasm underscores everything I do as a coach. It conveys belief in what I do. Passion is a powerful fuel. Enthusiasm is important but it must be real, not a phony front. There is no excuse for not having passion and enthusiasm. They come from the heart. Be real and genuine and it will reflect in your athletes.

A Little More on Simplicity in Coaching

 

Sport performance occurs in an information rich, dynamic environment that requires complex coordination patterns to produce optimum performance. Along with that we need to understand that the body is self-organizing – it will find a way to get the job done if we put it in position to do so - The implication being to use more implicit learning and let the sport or the event be the teacher at certain times in the process. We can do that in practice by not always trying to replicate the game but instead distorting it so that the game is “easy.”

The following are some systematic athletic development concepts on which I base my training. They are very simple and straightforward and they can be made as complex as necessary.

Dynamic postural alignment and dynamic balance are the foundation for all training

Train movements not muscles

Train fundamental movement skills before sport specific skills

Train postural strength before extremity strength

Train body weight before external resistance

Train joint integrity before joint mobility

Train strength before strength endurance and power before power endurance

Train speed before speed endurance

Train to build work capacity appropriate for your sport or event

Train sport appropriate - You are what you train to be

 

Less Is More - Simplicity Yields Complexity

Foundational Beliefs #10 Less Is More - Simplicity Yields Complexity

As coaches very early on most of us were taught K.I.S.S. – Keep it Simple Simon. Sounds good but how many actually follow it? Simplicity yields complexity. You start with the basics and progress systematically by achieving mastery of each step. Throughout my coaching career I have seen a clear difference between good and great coaches, those coaches who were able to sustain excellence and those whose careers resembled shooting stars – SIMPLICITY. In one session you could see the trend of their program, there was a constant emphasis on the essentials, nothing very complicated. It was mindful repetition of basics presented in different packages. More is not better. They focused on the need to do and stayed away from the nice to do. There is simple message to being a better coach it is: Be a simplifier not a complexifier.

Never Take No For Answer

Foundational Beliefs #9 Never Take No For Answer

It may sound negative or contrary but I have always refused to take no for an answer. I learned early on not to listen to the naysayers and those who said I could not do something. Telling me no or I could not do something only served to strengthen my resolve. I would not be writing this blog if listened to the priest who gave me an F in ninth grade English (some may argue he was right). I could cite numerous other examples. If someone tells you no or tells you can’t do something, go back re-examine what you are doing, reframe your arguments and come back and try again.

Always Ask Why?

Foundational Beliefs #8 Always Ask Why?

It is too easy to focus on what you do, that is what everyone does. I learned early in my coaching career that if I did not know why then ultimately what I was doing was not going to be very effective. It is not good enough that something works or something failed, I want to know why it worked or failed. That affords me the opportunity to repeat it if it worked or not use it again if it failed. There are some things that I have done for years that I know works, that have stood the test of time, and I don’t why. But that does not mean that I am not still trying to find out why. Just the process of trying to find out why has refined and fine-tuned them. I guess ultimately it is curiosity that drives me, I find the more I see the world with a child’s eye the more I see and the more I ask why? As Gertrude Stein said: “The answer is there is no answer” but that is not a good reason to stop asking why.

Embrace The Difference – Nobody Is The Same

Foundational Beliefs #7 Embrace The Difference – Nobody Is The Same

 

Recognize that no two athletes are the same. They may be in the same sport, in the same event or play the same position, no matter – they are different. It is the difference that makes coaching so interesting. The differences can be very overt or very subtle but as coaches we must take them into account if we want to be effective. Remember one size does not fit all. The key is to get them all to the competition ready to compete and produce on the day. When you coach large numbers it seems like an impossible task, but it can be done. Group the athletes, know their personalities, learning styles, and recoverability and adjust accordingly. It is all about the difference.

 

Use All Dimensions Of Communication

Foundational Beliefs #6 Use All Dimensions Of Communication

Coaches are usually great at talking, but talking is only one dimension of communication. A wise man once said you have two eyes, two ears and one mouth for a reason. It is easy to talk, but that is not necessarily communication. Are they listening? Are you delivering a clear concise message that they are listening to that will elicit the desired response or behavior? Explore listening more. As a coaching improvement exercise today try listening twice as much as you speak. I think you will be surprised at what you learn. I was! When you do speak, make it count. The message should be filled with words that elicit action. Make it short and on point. Explore watching, you can see a lot by watching. Don’t forget body language. Without saying a word you can convey happiness, approval, anger or displeasure. In some ways as coaches we have to be good actors. I know the hardest thing for me to learn has been a so-called ”poker face.” I am still working on that. Sometimes just being there is enough. After a tough loss or a disappointing performance it is better to say nothing and offer a handshake or a pat on the back, rather than letting  your emotions speak and saying things you will regret later. In today’s world unfortunately a significant portion of communication is in writing via email or text messaging. These mediums are fraught with problems and potential pitfalls. I have become very careful sending emails that are responses to anything significant, a missed practice, a violation of team rules or a poor performance. If I use email in these situations then I hand write it first and let it sit for at least an hour, preferably longer, then reread to make sure the message is clear, then and only then send it. Emails and texts are poor substitutes for face-to-face interaction. Make sure that you master all dimensions of communication to be an effective coach. It will make coaching a more enjoyable and rewarding experience.

Relentlessly Pursue Personal & Professional Growth and Learning

Foundational Beliefs #5 Relentlessly Pursue Personal & Professional Growth and Learning

In my opinion you must continually work at getting better both personally and professionally. I was taught that you never know enough. Neither of my parents graduated from high school, they instilled in me very early early that learning was the key to success. I am constantly reading books and research articles and dialoging with other professionals. One of the main reasons I started GAIN was to share a vision of what true professional development is all about. I have been fortunate to have great mentors who taught and guided me. In addition I am very fortunate to have a group of colleague whom I call “influencers” that I know I can turn to for advice or to critically assess my work or ideas. One of my mentors Dr. Joe Vigil taught me that in a career you could have one experience many times or have a variety of experiences. I have chosen the later and do not regret it. The former is more comfortable but does not offer the opportunities for growth. It is also important to go outside coaching and sport science for knowledge. Search far and wide to broaden your horizons. Leave no stone unturned, keep searching there has to be better ways.