On Sunday ten of the county’s elite Under 15, Under 17 and Under 20 long jumpers attended the first Sussex Athletics Network Masterclass at Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre. England Athletic’s Elspeth Turner introduced the session leader, Surrey coach and ex-international long jumper, John Shepherd. Shepherd has fine pedigree and has recently coached athletes such as Lorraine Ugen, JJ Jegede, Elliot Safo and Oliver Newport. He is currently working with rising young multi-eventer, Pippa Earley.
Sussex Coaches had been were invited to attend and interact in the session and there was a good turnout, both from coaches with athletes attending and others involved int eh local coach development programme.
The session began with an introduction to pre-training warm-up drills and conditioning. The drills all focused on a running and long jump positions, introducing the athletes to new ideas to establish correct muscle memory. The session incorporated run-up drills, starting with the separate elements near to the take-off board and then working further back with more strides and emphasis on the shortened strides at the end of the run-up and position near the board. Discussion centred around spatial awareness and the ability to adjust the run-up near to take off and avoid fouls.
The focus moved to position in the air at the start of the take-off and then the different hang and hitch-kick techniques in the air. The session finished with various jumps and balance work off the plyometric boxes. The athletes and attending coaches were continually encouraged to give feedback and ask questions so that they all learned from one another’s comments and observations of the athletes’ performances in the various exercises.
The athletes taking part in the session were Caroline Wirth, Emma Garry, Scott Devlin, Andrew Price, Matthew Smith, Sol Deller, Amber Anning, Lauren Lethbridge, Georgia Coleshill and Marina Reid-Martin.
This new format of hands-on masterclass/workshop was very well received and the next one in the series will be on Sunday 6th March when John Powell will work with Sussex’s leading young sprinters, along with the coaches in the county.
by Fiona Newport