Development Squad oversubscribed
Despite having a number of regular attendees at squad missing, we have found ourselves oversubscribed for the next development squad on March 23rd. This means that, unfortunately, we are unable to meet all the requests for wildcards. Since the purposes of the squad are to promote excellence we have decided to select the wildcards who have shown the best form results in recent competitions and, accordingly, the squad list is as follows:
- Olivia Watson Brentwood
- Monica Dowling Brentwood
- Zara Phillips (wc) Brentwood
- Trinity Kelly Cangaroos
- Taranne Kendon Cangaroos
- Sydney Kelly (wc) Cangaroos
- Evie Joseph Comets
- James Able Comets
- Georgia Berry Comets
- Evie Stokes-Shinn Dimensions
- Austin Pannell Dragons
- Olivia Collier (wc) Flight
- Sam Hodgkinson Hi-Tension
- Lily Patrick (wc) Hi-Tension
- Hannah Hodgkinson (wc) Hi-Tension
- Thomas Verdicchio Levitation
- Shannon Waterman Loughton Flyers
- Elise Das Mid Suffolk
- Caitlin Houston Pegasus
- Lucy Bevan Pegasus
- Joe Harris Recoil
- Kendra Sherlock Recoil
- Lauren Bembrick-Taylor Recoil
- Carys Verdicchio (wc) Rotations
- Kathryn (Katie) Marson Rotations
- Jasmine Samson Sprung Loaded
- Reece Norden Sprung Loaded
- Luke Dewe Sprung Loaded
- Amelia Edbrooke (wc) Sprung Loaded
- Freya Grundy (wc) Waveney GC
- Haidee Spence Waveney GC
Programme for 23rd March
- 09.45 Arrive
- 10.00 Welcome and introduction
- 10.15 Floor warm up (Directed)
- 10.30 Trampoline warm up (Directed)
- 11.00 Jump drills
- 11.30 Creating a SATNAV to improve routine performance
- 12.30 Lunch
- 13.00 Floor warm up (Own choice)
- 13.10 Trampoline warm up (Own choice)
- 13.30 Training to own programme including 30 minutes ‘Perpetual Motion.’
- 14.45 Session review
- 14.50 Equipment away
- 15.00 Depart
Squad Survey
After the last squad we set up a short on-line survey and asked those attending to respond to a range of questions intended to inform the Squad Coaches on how squads are (i) being received and (ii) could be improved.
Both coaches and gymnasts were asked to respond, in total 13 of 28 gymnasts did so, and 9 of approximately 15 coaches (excluding those related to the squad and its operation) – so approximately 50%. The summary results are:
| Questions | Options | Coach | Gymnast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Responses by: | 9 | 13 | |
| Have the squad sessions helped you to make changes? | Yes | 8 | 13 |
| No | 1 | 0 | |
| Which area of approach has been affected? | Attitude | 2 | 7 |
| Technique | 6 | 7 | |
| Training Method | 7 | 11 | |
| Skipped question | 1 | 0 | |
| What has changed? | Text responses | 8 | 12 |
| Skipped question | 1 | 1 | |
| Do you believe the change is sustainable? | Yes | 8 | 12 |
| No | 0 | 0 | |
| Skipped question | 1 | 1 | |
| Please suggest improvements | Text responses | 6 | 7 |
| Skipped question | 3 | 6 | |
| Name | Given | 6 | 9 |
| Not given | 3 | 4 | |
| Club | Given | 6 | 9 |
| Not given | 3 | 4 |
Some written responses to specific questions (summarized/truncated in some cases) are:
| Question: | Coaches | Gymnasts |
|---|---|---|
| What has changed? | More attention to basics, technical criteria at an earlier development stage. More emphasis on lower grade coaches within the club to adhere to these principals.Changes to the organisation of club squad sessions.Insisting not just on good technique, but aiming towards excellence. We use drills every session now with the whole club.Hoping to introduce the perpetual training to some of our sessions. Adding conditioning to the circuit also more work on the control of jumping. I will use more of Jack’s drills/exercises with all my club classes (I already used some from reading his articles on the Brentwood website but it’s much better so see them for real!) After last Sunday I will be putting even more emphasis on balance than before too. [truncated] I believe that my training method and technique has changed in small ways, helped by picking up information from the higher level coaches around at the squad sessions. After both the squad sessions I have attended, I have come away feeling inspired and wanting to put into place things I have learnt. Very focused on take-offs now – what is happening in the bed as much as what happens in the air. Introduced the perpetual motion concept for our elite gymnasts which seems to be working well.
| The coach has improved our warm up session by including the warm ups we did on Sunday. We now use training diaries on a regular basis. The squad training has helped me focus more on my technique and it makes me want to improve myself as much as I can.At the training we did the perpetual motion system that kept me busy in between goes. The log books have been helpful cos I could write down what I’ve done and what I need to improve on. So at the next training sessions I know what I need to think about.Direction and the ability to control my take off into moves.I do drills, which I learnt from squad, every training session and this has improved the accuracy of my straight bouncing. Use of Perpetual Motion at clubs squad sessions. Warm ups have become more focused on straight bouncing and control rather than doing what we want, I find it useful because I have a better idea of how to prepare for the session. I have started to use the perpetual motion hour rota and it’s made me work harder. We are using more drills in our warm up and they are improving. The squad sessions have helped me focus more on my moves and where my body should actually be on certain moves. I liked the way that even our basic moves were shown how to perform better, I loved seeing the really good trampolinists and feel inspired to be able to do the same skills and moves as them Thinking about the best way to bounce, positioning of arms. I now know what I want out of my training and it all ha a purpose also it’s good seeing other gymnasts that want the same thing I think my attitude towards trampolining has changed, and towards what I want to do. Also, I think I have improved some of my moves and I liked doing the Perpetual Motion Hour as a training method |
| Please suggest improvements | More written handouts to take back to clubs to ensure nothing is forgotten and all the information gets handed on.Introduce other HPC coaches into the delivery team and encourage club coaches to bring other coaches from their club to support their own performers so they can circulate either with jack and Paul or just to listen in to other coaches for a spread of ideas.I can’t fault how the day is run! Well organised, useful and appropriate coach feedback. I think 4 per bed is an ideal number. I think that selection should be made from top end D’s and all C’s. As our coaching improves the ages should naturally get younger. Having wild cards is a must in order to ‘raise the game’ as a region.Nothing yet has changed though I have taken away ideas for further thought before making a change, holding for an alternative reference or discarding. There are changes I would like to make, as in better use of time between goes. Though this will be a very hard thing to change as teaching older jumpers who have become set in their ways. Will try and see how it goes. There seemed to be a large range of ability and the numbers I thought were also on the high side. [Truncated] The squad sessions are good as they are they differ each time we come which allows us to take back to our club different things each time , I know that all our gymnasts have loved the sessions and found them helpful. That’s difficult as I thought the whole day was brilliant and really useful! The only thing is personally I would like to be able to bring more of my trampolinists to have input from the squad coaches rather than just 1, as it was really hard to choose 1 & they would all benefit, but I can see that’s not really viable. Alternatively is there any way a squad coach could possibly come to my club and do a 1 off session for all my competition squad children (& all my coaches)?? | There were quite a lot of interruptions which sometimes made it difficult to focus.There are no improvements that could be made in my opinion.I think it would be more useful if we spent less time working on basic things such as straight jumping and maybe just give a note about it to coaches during the session as it is hard to keep focused doing things like this. Additionally last squad session I think there were slightly too many people there as when there is 5 people on a trampoline you didn’t get a chance to do a lot. But overall it is a useful session especially in terms of coaching points.I would like it if I got some advice from other coaches from different clubs. One of our coaches was involved in the squad, we didn’t get enough coaching time. [Truncated] I just hope that I will be able to keep coming even though I’m not a grade C and because I learnt so much there. I like the way they are done now I’ve been to them since they started and enjoyed each one. |
We would like to thank all those of you who took the time to respond and to assure you that in planning the upcoming squad, we will be conscious of the comments and trying to take them into account as much as is feasible. The questionnaire is now closed to further responses, a new one will be opened after the next squad.
Last Updated on March 13, 2014 by dave
