RCA Coaches Conference

2010 COACHES CONFERENCE

 

• Conference wrap up, including coaching award winners.

Delta Armouries Hotel  London, Ontario
January 28-30, 2010

• Step 1 - download the schedule (updated Jan. 15) and read info below, including session descriptions.
• Step 2 - ONLINE REGISTRATION now closed (registration still available at the conference desk).
• If you cannot pay by VISA or MasterCard, please contact Michelle Boss

FYI: New session added in the area of Domestic Development initiatives. Also, please note that late registrants may not get their first-choice of "chat sessions" and that the Friday evening awards banquet will be held at Westhaven Golf Club (transportation will be provided for out of town guests).  Also featured at the banquet will be an auction for a HUDSON SINGLE - see specs here

Introduction

Once again, the RCA Coaches Conference will feature sport experts (including Alex Baumann) and rowing experts with national and international experience and success. The workshops cover a variety of topics and are focused on various stages of athlete development. When selecting workshops, we strongly encourage you to consider the athletes that you are coaching and consider the workshop relevance to your coaching practice.
We want to make the workshops as relevant as possible so that you can take new information and use it with the rowers that you are coaching.
You will notice that the headers on the workshop schedule indicate the LTAD stage of the athlete as opposed to the level of certification. Here are some general guidelines to consider when selecting your workshops.

Who am I coaching?

Training to Train/ Learning to Compete athletes

•  High school rowers, novice and/or junior varsity, club rowers in their 1st- 3rd year of rowing....

Learning to Compete/Training to Compete

• High school (Grade 12), junior varsity and varsity university, provincial team , experienced club rowers who are competing successfully at provincial and national championships, CanAmMex or Junior National Team rowers.

Will I get any certification from workshops at this conference?

Once again, we are offering the Level 3 Technical. This is geared toward coaches working with athletes in the Learning to Compete and Training to Compete stage (as described above).  Within this session we are piloting two of the new modules that will be part of the new NCCP that will be phased in within two years.
There are a number of workshops that can be registered with the NCCP database as part of your professional development. Some workshops will provide credit to move from the old NCCP system to the new NCCP system.  This will be clearly outlined in the workshop descriptions.
Due to the fact that we are moving into a new system and the old Level 4/5 program is being phased out, we will not be offering a Level 4 task.  In the next 6 – 8 months, we will be working with the Coaching Association of Canada to transition our curriculum and work with our current Level 4 coaches for appropriate credit for the work that has been done.

Professional Development Credit

As part of a new requirement in the National Coaching Certification Program, coaches will need to participate in professional development to maintain their certification, within a 5 year period. While the policies and database are still being finalized, Rowing Canada Aviron will be issuing certificates for these professional development credits for your personal records. Furthermore, each provincial rowing association will get a list of coaches from their province who have participated at the conference. Once the policy is passed and the tracking of the Professional Development in the NCCP database is up and running, we will submit these records for input.

1.    Fireside Chats with the National Team Coaches
There will be 6 sessions where approximately 10 coaches will have an opportunity to ask questions and have a discussion with one of the National Team Coaches.  Each National Team Coach will have 2 Fireside chat workshops – 1 for coaches working with Training to Train/Learning to Compete Rowers and the other for coaches working with Learning to Compete/Training to Compete rowers.
Coaches must indicate on their registration form if they wish to attend a Fireside Chat and indicate 1st, 2nd or 3rd choice in terms of which National Team Coach they wish to attend. Coaches will be selected on a first come, first serve basis and will be asked to submit their questions or topic at least two weeks before the conference.

2.    RCA Programs – Information Sessions
It is difficult to find time to provide important information about various RCA Programs. In the past, we have tried to put these sessions within the conference but at the expense of additional workshops. Other years, we have had these sessions early in the morning.  This year, we will have a number of information sessions running concurrently that will provide information and updates in the following areas: National Team Programs – Senior A, U23 and Junior National Team, NCCP and Coaching Education, Rules of Racing Updates.

 

Session Descriptions

TP-1
What makes a Coach Great:  Experiences from a High Performance Swimmer and Administrator’. 
Alex Baumann, Chief Technical Officer, Own the Podium

As a competitive swimmer for over 14 years, culminating  in the winning of 2 gold medals at the 1984 Olympic Games, Alex will describe the best traits from coaches that helped get him to the podium:  what where the character traits of coaches that helped drive him onward;  what were the legacies that each coach left him with?  Now, as an administrator in Canadian High Performance sport, Alex will also share his observations of what it takes to be a successful coach in the ever more demanding world of Olympic level sport.  An informative and thought provoking discussion on what it takes to be a Winning Coach. 

TA-2 THE SCIENCE AND STRATEGY OF RACING STARTS
Dr. Volker Nolte
The start includes the first 10 – 25 strokes, which accounts for 4 – 10% of all the strokes taken in a 2,000m race. This is a significant part of the overall race. In addition, the start sets a crew up for the whole race: A fast start brings the crew into a psychologically important positive position, while a slow start puts right away pressure on the crew. Therefore, it is vital to train starts and for this, we need to know what to do.
The presentation will study the basics of the start, different ways to start and results from biomechanical research in this area. Based on this information, we will discuss ways what a coach needs to know about starts and how they can be taught.
 
Fireside Chat #1– Al Morrow
This session will be an opportunity for developing club coaches (working with novices or rowers in their 2nd year of rowing) to have informal discussion in a small group setting with 10-12 other coaches. Each coach will be asked to prepare a discussion question in advance and Al will share his experience and expertise with the group. (This session will be on a first come first serve basis. Coaches will get one Fireside chat/conference)

TB-2 Training Program and Design. Ed McNeely
Developing a training program is critical for a rowing coach. This session will cover the process of program design and individualization of training. Aerobic and anaerobic training will be discussed in detail, selection of trainign volume and distribution of the volume across the categories of intensity will be emphasized and the use of appropriate testing to modify and individualize training programs will be introduced.

TC-2  - NEW Physiological Assessment & Monitoring of Rowers, Troy Taylor
Troy Taylor (former Senior Physiologist in Great Britain) will discuss the current assessment & monitoring program utilized by GB rowing with specific normative standards that have been developed for both senior and age group rowers.

TA-3 Selecting Oars for Your Crew– Christine Wilson, Concept 2 (LTAD equipment
There are many components to consider when selecting oars – blade, oar length, shaft and grip. The coach must understand how these features will impact the rower’s ability to row with comfort and effectiveness. Over the years, there have been advances in blade technology. This workshop will help clarify the importance of matching oars/sculls with the rowers that you are coaching.

TB-3 Strength Training
Strength training can improve power prevent injury and help correct technical errors. This session will provide an overview of the roles that strength training plays in a rowing program and provides guidelines for the development of a periodized rowing strength program.

TC-3 Use of Technology at The Victoria High Performance Center (LTAD – T2C and T2W) – Terry Paul

Terry will discuss the application and methodology of various forms of technology at the Victoria Training Center. Access to the Canadian Sport Center, Integrated Support Team (IST) personnel such as sports technologists, physiologists and strength trainers has become a critical part of athlete preparation and monitoring. Terry will also discuss the use of performance analysis tools such as GPS, Speed Coaches and Gold Medal Time standards to monitor and select athletes.

FS#2 – Mike Spracklen
This session will be an opportunity for experienced club or provincial level coaches (working with rowers in 3rd or 4th year of rowing – late stage Learning to Compete and Training to Compete) to have informal discussion in a small group setting with 10-12 other coaches. Each coach will be asked to prepare a discussion question in advance and Mike will share his experience and expertise with the group. (This session will be on a first come first serve basis. Coaches will get one Fireside chat/conference)

TP-4
The Future of High Performance Sport in Canada Alex Baumann, Chief Technical Officer, Own the Podium

As the Chief Technical Officer for Own the Podium, the primary funding partner for High Performance sport in Canada, Alex Baumann is uniquely positioned in Canadian sport to provide a framework and vision  for High Performance sport leading to London 2012.  With the Vancouver 2010 Olympics at our doorstep, focus will soon shift to summer sports on their journey to 2012.  Alex will give his perspective on the direction of  High performance sport, including funding, performance criteria and OTP expectations. 

The Future of Rowing Canada High Performance Rowing. Peter Cookson, HIgh Performance Director, Rowing Canada Aviron

Peter will describe his vision of the future of Canadian High Performance Rowing leading to 2012 and beyond.  How will our National Teams be prepared in the future,  what does the future hold for the High Performance Development Program , Adaptive Rowing and the impact on domestic clubs and university programs will all be covered in this wide ranging discussion.

New RCA Domestic Initiatives and Grants (Thursday - 4:45)

Martin George and Colleen Miller will be discussing initiatives under RCA’s Domestic Development portfolio.

• Martin will outline the simple and low cost steps necessary to integrate adaptive athletes into your club. Clubs interested in introducing adaptive rowing will have the opportunity to apply for 2010 adaptive grants.

• Colleen will share the the High School Initiative that RCA will be rolling out this spring. The is DVD devoted to getting “Rowing into Schools” and “Schools into Rowing”. There is also 2010 grant money available for clubs keen to kick start or increase youth rowing.

 

Friday Workshops

FA-1 General Rigging - Christine Wilson and Michelle Fisher
This session will be a combination of “classroom” and “practical” work. The focus will be methods for basic rigging measurements – span, height, pitch, inboard to maximize effectiveness and comfort to rowers. Some discussion will take place regarding common rowing errors that can be attributed to rigging.

FS #3 – Mike Spracklen
This session will be an opportunity for developing club coaches (working with novices or rowers in their 2nd year of rowing) to have informal discussion in a small group setting with 10-12 other coaches. Each coach will be asked to prepare a discussion question in advance and Mike will share his experience and expertise with the group. (This session will be on a first come first serve basis. Coaches will get one Fireside chat/conference)

FBC-1
Training Category Periodization
Peter Cookson  (RCA High Performance Director) & TBA (Sport Physiologist)

Peter and a sport physiologist will review the use of training categories in the development of rowing fitness with specific reference to the women’s national team program.  Discussion will revolve around questions such as: What volume/frequency of training should be devoted to each of the training categories?; How should these prescriptions change from one training cycle to the next throughout the competitive year; How should these prescriptions be modified for junior developmental athletes?

FA1-2 High School Programs – Gavin McKay and John Ruscitti (training to Train & Learning to Compete)

Gavin and John will share ideas of successful recruitment and athlete retention strategies. The long term athlete development model recognizes that athletes will develop in different ways and over different time periods, so discussions of how to accommodate this in a high school program will be discussed. Success can be defined in different ways and different models of "winning" will be presented. Finally, concrete training and skill development ideas will be presented that can be used immediately both on and off the water in any high school program. Gavin and John will conclude with a discussion of how the National Junior Program can both compliment and elevate a high school program, while still maintaining long term athlete ideals.

FA2-2 READY FOR WHICH REGATTA? – LTAD Competition review Michelle Darvill and Dr. Volker Nolte
A race is only meaningful to a crew, if they actually have a chance to compete on the level of their competition. It is not exciting for a crew to row alone down the course, whether the crew leads the race or rows behind.
Therefore, we will discuss criteria for meaningful races and how coaches can assess their crews and the races to find the proper mix. In this discussion, we will include ideas that are presented in the LTAD, to find also development appropriate races for crews.


FB-2 & FB-3 - Principles of Technique, video analysis and effective coaching using drills - Mike Thompson & Allison Dobb
The RCA Performance Coach Technique Module (pilot) continues the development of coaches working at the Train to Compete [T2C] stage of the LTADM.  Included in the topics of discussion are  Biomechanics, Skill Error Detection and Correction Techniques, Application of RADAR, Sequencing the Stroke, Technical Look-Fors, Advanced Form  Skill Analysis, the Relationship of Rigging to Technique and the Relationship of Strength Training to Technique..  The forum will be Coach-Centered and Activity-Based.  Participating Coaches are asked to bring along a sample video of athletes or crews with which they have recently worked. This workshop is a pilot for the new RCA Performance Coach module. Coaches will receive credit in the current Level 3 program as well as in the upcoming program.

FC-2  Rowing Energy Neutral – Ed McNeely
Training adaptations require energy but at the same time many rowers, lightweight and heavyweight, try to optimize their body composition to perform at their best. This session will discuss methods of optimizing body composition and decreasing bodyweight without sacrificing performance. Topics covered will include nutrient timing, maintaining metabolic rate and calculating energy expenditure of training sessions.

Fireside Chat #4 – Peter Cookson
This session will be an opportunity for experienced club or provincial level coaches (working with rowers in 3rd or 4th year of rowing – late stage Learning to Compete and Training to Compete) to have informal discussion in a small group setting with 10-12 other coaches. Each coach will be asked to prepare a discussion question in advance and Peter will share his experience and expertise with the group. (This session will be on a first come first serve basis. Coaches will get one Fireside chat/conference)

FA1-3 Losing Weight, Making Weight and Rowing Fast Dr. Peter Lemon
Attempting to make weight in rowing is an age-old tradition with potential complications related to both performance and even health.  In this session, we will discuss what to do and what not to do (with specific examples), focusing on a scientific approach in an attempt to maximize performance while minimizing any health risk to the athlete. 

FA2-3  Movement Screen  Chuck McDiarmid and John Wetzstein         
 (RCA Coach old to new credit)
The ability to control your body and perform basic movements is essential for every sport. Weakness and muscle imbalances can lead to chronic injuries that can cost you a season and detract from the enjoyment of the sport. Prior to starting your off season strength training everyone should go through a basic movement screen that will help them choose their starting level and appropriate exercises to help them maximize their progress. This presentation will teach you how to administer a low equipment movement screen and interpret the results. This is a hands-on workshop. Wear clothing suitable for activity as everyone will be expected to participate as both a participant and test administrator.

FC-3  Ceiling Effect and Individualizing Training  Ed McNeely
Every athlete has something that is limiting their performance by determining what it is and training the right physiological variables at the right time athletes can break through plateaus and  make the most of their training time. This practical session will work through the process of determining which physiological variables are trainable at any given time and how to make program adjustments to individualize training programs.

FP- 4 - Rowing and Racing in Difficult Conditions Al Morrow
At most rowing sites and even most regattas, challenging conditions are often faced by rowers. At the 2009 World Championships this was particularly the case on all 8 days of racing, particularly on the final day. This workshop will present several ideas and tips from rowers and coaches that I have learned to better cope with all these challenges.

Saturday sessions

SA1-1 Coaching the Coxswain – Lesley Thompson
An interactive session covering strategies and tips for coaching basic and advanced coxing skills. Topics include coxing skills for racing, running practice sessions, communication, and motivation. Session participants are also invited to send in questions they wish to see covered

SA2 -1 & SA2-2 DIY  Boat Repair Clinic – Hudson Boatworks
The workshop will be divided into two sections:  How to repair minor hull damage and how to fix a paint chip on your boat.  The first half hour will be a tour of the Hudson Boatworks workshop operation where participants will see how a boat is made from its inception to completion.
All participants will be involved with both aspects of the workshop as approximately 1.5 hours will be spent on each.  Snacks will be provided to you at hotel. Please meet in lobby at 8:00 am.

SB-1 Rigging Effectively for Individuals -  Siobhan McLaughlin & Volker Nolte
 
Knowing the basic biomechanics of rowing and rigging can help a coach decide when and if adjustments based on individual needs are going to be useful.  Areas to be covered include improving technique when working within a crew context or small boats, and determining if rigging adjustments are necessary for race strategy, weather and day to day performance.

SC-1 – RADAR – Chuck McDiarmid & Phil Marsall
McDiarmid (BC) and Phil Marshall (Ontario) will be discuss how the RADAR program has evolved over the last 12 months. Areas that will be discussed will include Evolution of RADAR, Ontario's adoption and implementation of RADAR and a review of results at the 2009 NRC regatta examining performance of athletes assessed with RADAR.

SC-1  Percentage Calculation  - A New Method  - Ming-Chai Tsang
Who says  you can’t challenge the status quo? Ming asks the question of coaches. “Are you using an accurate way of calculating boat speed percentages? “ The workshop will visit and explore the errors in the current method of calculating speed percentage.  A new method will be presented and data using these two methods will be compared.

FS#5 – Al Morrow
This session will be an opportunity for experienced club or provincial level coaches (working with rowers in 3rd or 4th year of rowing – late stage Learning to Compete and Training to Compete) to have informal discussion in a small group setting with 10-12 other coaches. Each coach will be asked to prepare a discussion question in advance and Al will share his experience and expertise with the group. (This session will be on a first come first serve basis. Coaches will get one Fireside chat/conference)

SA1-2 & SC-2 Building a Team of Coaches  John Armitage, Carol Love and Volker Nolte
An important aspect to the success of a club rests on coaching. The number of coaches that a club has and the quality of the coaching is critical to the growth and retention of rowers. Furthermore, how the coaches work together sets a club  spirit that can promote strong programs. John Armitage, Carol Love and Volker Nolte have been successful in this area for many years. They will share some of their best practices and methods to build a strong coaching team.

SB-2 & 3 Selection – Al Morrow
This workshop will provide a combination of selection case studies and small group discussion to help the coach understand how to run crew and team selection. This will include the discussion of concepts such as fair, objective, valid, reliable, and economical.  This pilot module will give the coach credit for Level 3 technical and in the new RCA Performance Coach workshop.

SA-3 Masters- Old Bones Training  Dr. Volker Nolte
Newer experience and research reveals that adult rowers can perform on very high levels. Only think about the outstanding performances of Sir Stephen Redgrave who won his fifth consecutive Olympic Gold Medal at the age of 39 years. Also, it is presented that statistical data is misleading that shows a performance decline starting at the age of 25 years. It is now rather suggested that a person could still perform on a world class level when in their fifties.
We will discuss the different findings in literature regarding aging and performance and will set the parameters to train ‘old bones’ appropriately.

FS#6 – Terry Paul
This session will be an opportunity for experienced club or provincial level coaches (working with rowers in their 1st season to 3rd year – Training to Train to early stage Learning to Compete) to have informal discussion in a small group setting with 10-12 other coaches. Each coach will be asked to prepare a discussion question in advance and Terry will share his experience and expertise with the group. (This session will be on a first come first serve basis. Coaches will get one Fireside chat/conference)

SC-3 Critical Success Factors for Healthy Club, School and University Rowing Programs Panel and Round Table
This session will bring together a panel of experts who are well known in Canada for consistently running successful programs. This programs include the  recruitment and retention of rowers, coaches and support as well as achieving good results. What are the common elements in these programs? Experts will share their experiences on a panel and then sit with coaches do discuss methods to develop successful programs.

SP- 4 Final Preparation for the Race – Mike Spracklen
Races can be either won or lost in the final build up to an important event.  Whilst a big increase in boat speed is unlikely if preparation prior to the final period has been thorough,  races are won or lost by the smallest of margins and it is a wise coach who stretches athletic capabilities and who "leaves not stone unturned". The taper is more than just a reduction  in work load but a greater  concentration on increasing boat speed  as well as athlete confidence.  In this session the focus is on race strategy and sessions that contribute to performance in the race .