Athlete Development

Athlete Development

Forget Running. Play More Games.

Aerobic fitness is crucial for team sport players. It helps you produce ‘game-defining’ high-intensity efforts, and to sustain these efforts for the duration of...

Too Little Sleep and an Unhealthy Diet Increase Your Chances of...

There are some skills every young athlete can’t do without. Netballers, for instance, need to know how to catch. And pass. Rugby players on...

EP3 – Stevie Baxter: Cultural Diversity, Motivation, and the Impact of...

In this episode we cover the influence of culture working in such a diverse ethnic city such as Auckland. We chat about the importance of...

Ep 2 – Mike Stanley: Identifying Talent, School Academies, and the...

Today’s guest, Mike Stanley, has enjoyed a wide ranging career in sports, as an athlete, a coach, and an administrator. Mike was a member of...

What can we learn from Isaac Newton?

Sir Isaac Newton, widely recognised as one of the most influential scientists of all time, complied three laws of motion. He used them to...

Why Movement Skill is Essential for Children

One of my favourite Olympic events is the gymnastics. Why? I like the variation in apparatus. The rings, bars, vault, floor, the gymnast does...

The Bright Lights of Winning

There's no denying it. Today, so much of success is measured on winning and so it’s become the focus, chased down at all costs. But...

Why the shoulder is so vulnerable to injury and how to...

It’s been bugging you for a while now. There’s a dull ache in your shoulder and the more you play the sorer it gets. Resting up...

3 essential physical skills for surfing

You love the ocean and the adrenaline-charged feeling of carving fresh lines down a wave. It makes you feel alive. Your joy of surfing began...

Artistic Athletes: create art through your sport

As a swimmer, I’ve been schooled about the importance of ‘rest and recovery’ for years. It has fallen on persistently deaf ears until recently. A year...

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Debunking a common myth: Youth weight training

There are these common generational myths that have been passed down to us and it would be fair to say that we really don’t...

AD Alumni: Anna Steven

We're shining the spotlight on some of Athlete Development's alumni who are doing great things in their chosen sport. Meet sprinter Anna Steven, who...

Preparing for school and club sport

Now that school and club sports teams trainings and games are gearing up again, what can your young athletes do to better prepare for...

Pat Chat: Sleep enhancement for youth athletes

In the second of our three-part series,  AD Academy Programme Manager and Lead Coach Patrick Davenport focuses on the importance of sleep for the...

How can you build psychological safety?

When it comes to pursuing excellence, moving from where we are now to a place that is more effective, how we behave is what...