A human brain researcher, a circus director and a rugby coach joined some of the world’s top athletics coaches and scientists at the 6th International Festival of Athletics Coaching (IFAC) in Glasgow, Scotland, 25-27 October.
The varied field of experts provided innovative views on achieving performance excellence to the 289 participants from 24 countries.
Organised by the European Athletic Coaches Association and Scottish Athletics with support from European Athletics, Glasgow Sport and the Dallas Trust, the festival offered 43 sessions of practical workshops and interactive seminars covering all events groups from grassroots and development level up to high performance.
The theme of the festival was ‘The Winning Difference: The Bridge to Excellence’.
Opening the festival with his keynote entitled ‘Preparing to Learn is Preparing to Win’, Vin Walsh, a Professor of Human Brain Research, said sports, including athletics, are among the brain’s most demanding activities.
He went on to discuss the importance and techniques of maximising learning in order to maximise performance.
In the final keynote, Boris Verkovsky from the world-famous ‘Cirque du Soleil’, again touched on the importance of learning and then went into the practicalities of getting the best out of his performers to deliver their remarkable routines, which call for many skills that are similar to those of world-class athletes.
He also spoke about developing a strong team out of a diverse group of people.
Dean Benton of the Brumbies rugby team, known as Australia’s fittest team, gave a keynote entitled “Measuring and Developing the Components of High Performance.'
It included interesting examples highlighting the importance of motor ability testing, recovery and nutrition.
The international list of invited athletics coaches included Belgium’s Jacques Borlée, father and coach to the fastest family in Europe, who shared his knowledge of training and periodisation for the 400m.
American Harry Marra's light-hearted interview-style keynote covered his personal coaching journey that has recently seen his athlete Ashton Eaton (USA) follow up his 2012 Olympic decathlon gold medal with a world championship title and a fellow charge, heptathlete Brianne Theisen-Eaton (CAN), take a silver medal in Moscow.
The ever-popular practical workshops were staged in the indoor athletics facilities at Glasgow’s Emirates Arena.
Here, coaches enjoyed hands-on learning experiences led by world-class coaches such as Yannick Tregaro (Sweden) and Vésteinn Hafsteinsson (Iceland).
Frans Bosch (Netherlands), the internationally renowned biomechanist, presented on high speed biomechanics.
Fellow sports scientist Barry Fudge (Great Britain), physiologist for double Olympic Champion Mo Farah (GBR), led popular presentations on creating a world class endurance environment and on blood-lactate.