Dr. Craig Harrison
Craig’s passion is helping athletes become the best that they can be. In February 2014, Craig completed his PhD, with a focus on athlete development, at AUT University and lead Athlete Development from 2010 to 2019.
Stone Skipping and Youth Sport: What can it teach us?
When I was 12 we took a family vacation to New Zealand’s South Island. We flew into Christchurch, picked up a rental car and...
Talk less. Listen more. The Importance of Family Support in Athlete...
“They didn’t really push me. They didn’t force me to do anything. But they still supported me in everything I did”. - World Champion...
Four Ways to Develop Better Athletes
The best coaches take the time to understand their athletes so that they can provide the best environment to help them succeed.
1) Understand your...
Learning About Movement: The Squat
Previously I’ve introduced the concept of fundamental movement skills as a critical cog in the athlete development wheel.
The requirements of physical sports performance are unpinned...
Why every young athlete should train less and play more
When I reflect on my fondest sporting memories of my childhood, not one involved organised trainings or games I participated in.
Instead, my best times...
Why the youth athlete is much more vulnerable to injury
Over half of school age children participate in at least 3 hours of organised sport each week.
For many young athletes it is considerably more....
Make sport fun.
What is fun? And why is it so important?
Enjoyment is the number one reason athletes play sport. Yet creating an environment that is enjoyable...
Reduce injuries by focusing on what matters most
Old school thinking says that, to make the top, athletes must do two things: work hard and train more than everyone else.
One of those...
Talent Identification: How we’re failing youth athletes
Early specialisation. It exists when a young athlete concentrates all of their efforts on a single sport, year round. And more and more, sports...
MOST POPULAR
5 Reasons Why Competition is Good (and bad) for your Child
What does the word ‘competition’ bring to mind? Is all competition a good thing? How do you distinguish between helpful competition and that which...
50 Questions Every Youth Athlete Should Ask Themselves
Asking good questions is an excellent way to assess your performance and become more in tune with what to focus on to get better.
At...
Implementing a set programme into your swim sessions
Training sets and fitness goals are a great way to improve your current swimming ability. More often than not, I see people swimming lap...
Weight training and cardio – together or separate?
Which should I do first - cardio or weights? Is doing cardio better than lifting weights for me? These are two questions I’ve found...
How to use a pull buoy in your swim training
When you are at the pool you might see people in the water using a range of equipment, and wonder what the benefits are...
