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Writer's pictureKevin Shields

Supporting Performance and Avoiding Burnout (Be like exploration-exploitation, belonging-security, respect-choices)

Updated: Oct 11

(This post is a collection of thoughts I shared through weekly training plans from September 2024 with the athletes I coach. Enjoy.)


Individual’s Right to Enact their Story


Here is a quote from my former running coach, Pete Grinbergs, whose undergraduate thesis is titled “The Deception, The Promise of Sport.” 


The challenge is to respect the strengths of the competitive environment as well as the individual’s right to enact his[/her] story, to find personal meaning within the athletic contest. We are also challenged not to be just technicians of the sport. If we leave our sensitive, growing, eager, fragile human natures at home, what is it that we bring to the task of coaching? How does it affect our athletes, ourselves?


Pete is talking about the coach-athlete partnership within the sports network. When training is co-created and responsive to the dynamic sports environment, the result is a more meaningful sports experience and heightened performance.


 

Celebrate the Messy, Beautiful Journey of Getting Better





Full Instagram Post: HERE


 

Movement and Agility Training:


There is a significant difference between change of direction drills and agility training. Agility requires the perception of the environment and quick, reactive decision-making. I use inventive games like Nordic Handball in my coaching to train agility. It is surprising how important agility is to skiing performance—from downhills, passing, avoiding crashes and adjustments of technique to environmental conditions. This short video explains why we should use inventive games for agility training. HERE

“[To] actually train agility, the athlete needs to respond to a stimulus. It has to be reactive".



I wrote two articles about the benefits of agility games for cross-country skiers.



 

Avoiding Burnout


Image: SIRC Blog


Good decisions that guard our health are essential for athletes throughout the year. However, the fall school term places additional stresses on varsity athletes. A strategy to reduce stress and decrease the chance of fatigue, sickness or burnout is to establish a consistent routine for training (and other activities).


 

Exploration and Exploitation: continuous improvement and staying at your best.


From James Clear’s newsletter (JAMESCLEAR.COM)

1 Question For You

Exploration is how you discover what works. 

Persistence is how you make the most of what already works. 

What does your situation require? More exploration or more persistence?


Find the space within your practice for exploration and exploitation. Persist in your practice.


End


 

The First Lap Coaching:

Are you interested in sustaining athlete participation for individual and community health and sport development? We are re-thinking how we design and deliver sports programs to build community and engage athletes.


Ready to elevate your club’s programs and make a lasting impact on your athletes? Click kevin@canadianwintersports.com to contact Kevin today and ask for a free consultation.


Let’s work together to create engaging and effective programs that foster athlete growth, and commitment and sustain participation.



All the best,


Kevin


Kevin Shields

Master of Coaching, University of Alberta

BEd, Nipissing University

BSc (Kinesiology), University of Waterloo


 





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