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Coach Monika says… ‘Stamp Out’ Athlete’s Foot I have addressed this medical/hygiene related topic some time ago, but it is once again on the rise. Most likely due to budget cuts, locker room cleanliness is not a priority in many places. Broken lockers, cold-water showers, and dirty stalls is the perfect recipe for continued …

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Sep 30

Long-term Athlete Development: The Solution or The Problem? – Part III

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Talent Identification versus Talent Selection Coaches often claim to be great talent identifiers when they point to the success of their young athletes 10 and 11 years of age. However, they are really talent selectors, not talent identifiers; and this assumption could be more detrimental to the development of youth athletes in many sports. Talent …

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Aug 31

Tip of the Month – August

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Coach Monika says… Fall is almost here! School and Club try-outs are usually part of the September schedule and parents tend to get as anxious as their athletes over upcoming events. Here are some tips from well-established Sport psychologist, Dr. Patrick Cohn. I have permission to cite part of his post with some modifications on …

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Aug 31

Long Term Athlete Development: The Solution or the Problem? – Part II

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It has been said that we need coaches – great coaches that is! They should be highly qualified, offering knowledge about physical preparation, possess technical knowledge, knowledge about psychology of performance, child maturation process, and the socio-emotional behaviour of children. This aspect is not included in most LTD models; nonetheless, it is critical for the …

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Aug 08

Tip of the Month – July

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Coach Monika says… Grab Your Running Shoes and Bag and Go Plogging! Hallå (Swedish Hello) – The new way to change your aerobic training from Sweden. The country has already proven its excellence in meatballs, unassembled furniture (Ikea), and musicians (ABBA). Now, it brings us ‘Plog or ploggers’, a combination of the Swedish term “plocka …

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Aug 06

Long-term Athlete Development: The Solution or the Problem? – Part I

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Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD) is on the forefront once again for discussion among sport experts. I received an email in May from Jim Kielbaso, IYCA CEO (International Youth Conditioning Association), who shared his thoughts on existing LTD models. Given his permission, I used the posting with modifications and additional information for this Newsletter. Background to LTD …

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Jun 28

The Secret of Healthy Sitting Posture

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As a follow-up to the June Tip of the Month – the impact of incorrect sitting – Surgeon Dr. Gerd Schnack from the Sport and Prevention Center in Zug, Switzerland informs us about impingement on the neck, spine, hips, skeleton, joints, and related muscle groups. Humans are made for walking and running, not sitting, according …

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Jun 28

Tip of the Month – June

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Coach Monika says… Correct and Incorrect Sitting – Things to Bear in Mind Ever watch people in shopping malls or just walking about on the street, busy with their ‘tech gadgets’ oblivious to their surroundings? Medical reports have now identified serious health issues associated with the typical slumped posture adopted while scrolling. I am concerned …

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Jun 01

Tip of the Month – May

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Coach Monika says… Ever experienced neck tension, discomfort/soreness, or even pain after extended smartphone or laptop use? According to medical research, looking at your tablet with a tilted head, a most unfavourable position, leads to muscle tension and soreness in the shoulders and neck, as does prolonged sitting with incorrect posture. Massive tension in …

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Jun 01

Positive Impact of Multi-Sport Experience – Part 4

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Previous articles centered on burnout and dropout, stress, and injuries linked to early specialization. While the topic has been a hot discussion for years, it seemingly has had little impact! Parents and coaches still embrace the ‘win at all cost’ attitude and push kids early on despite existing data or expert opinions and well-reviewed evidence highlighting …

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