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Coaching at Scottish - A warm welcome from
coaching coordinator Edwin Massey
 Welcome
all new and returning athletes to the 2009 season. To help you reach your
potential have you ever considered training under the guidance of a coach?
For new athletes, Scottish has a range of experienced coaches who can
teach you the basics of training and injury prevention, help you to tailor
your training to your needs, and help you achieve your goals. Scottish
also has coaches who will help to ensure that our elite athletes can
perform at their best on race day. Achieve your best in 2009 - training
with a coach means the results will speak for themselves. Contact me on tha.mass@gmail.com
or 0211801420 to discuss your needs and I will put you in touch with a
coach to help you. Cheers, Edwin.
Scottish
coaching
This page contains club members we are
currently aware of who are prepared to offer coaching (at various levels) to others. The write-ups mention something of
their coaching philosophy, style and preferences.
In addition, below the list of club volunteers are some links to some material internally generated in Scottish and also to
some training programmes on the Internet. No guarantees come with the internet training programmes. Look them over and see
if they have something that might work for you, and if you have a coach, please discuss them with your coach!
Scottish coaching contacts
Scottish is really pleased to announce two new coaches for the 2009 season, Peter Lee and Rees Buck. Both have excellent competitive records, are well qualified and are interested in giving something back to the sport.
 Rees
Buck
is a competitive athlete who currently coaches several of
Scottish's top senior and junior male runners. His coaching philosophy comes
from a background of 20 years of track, road and XC racing, which includes
five years on a university athletics scholarship to the US and four-times New Zealand representation at the World XC Champs.
He holds level 1 coaching
accreditation with Athletics New Zealand.
Rees
mostly works with athletes who are established competitors who are looking
for coaching advice, support, a training partner.
Contact Rees on (04)
4782424 Rees@ReesBuck.com
Peter
Lee
I'm interested in coaching athletes at all levels. I gained a great deal
from my time as a runner and I'm only too willing to help anyone to develop
their potential.
Background: Wellington
title holder 10,000 m on track 1981 and Marathon
1980; Fletcher Marathon winner 1982;
Kawaguchi
ko marathon winner, Japan
1982; NZ representative Penang Marathon Malaysia 1982;
Marathon
PB 2:17:12. Level 2 coaching certificate
NZAAA. Happy to help runners at any level
 Steve Plowman has been running
competitively for 34 years and coaching for 25 years. He is a former
nationally ranked 800m runner, whose career highlights include beating
former world 5000m record holder and Olympic silver medallist Dick Quax
and racing against former world mile record holder John Walker. He has won
at every distance from 200m to the marathon and is a former Oceania
Masters 3000m steeplechase champion.
He
uses a mix of the methods he learned from world-renowned coach Arthur
Lydiard, who was Steve’s coach for several years, with those of US-based
Professor David L Costill, one of the world’s leading physiologists. Steve
assists runners of all abilities - from absolute beginners to athletes who
have won national titles and overseas races. His schedules aim to find a
balance that suits the individual – in order for the runner to achieve his
or her personal goals. He believes enjoyment, hard work, variety, adequate
rest, perseverance and consistency are the keys to successful running. “I
am motivated," says Steve, "by my runners’ smiles at the end of
a PB race or a personally outstanding effort - that’s one of the real
buzzes I get from coaching.”
Senior woman Aubrey Begley: "I have been coached
by Steve for a little over two years during which I have experienced
improvements in my running ability I didn’t imagine possible. Steve
continues to send me monthly schedules with daily training distance and
effort indicated. Steve’s coaching is based on Lydiard principles and he
takes a long-term approach to achieving running goals. When I first got in
contact with Steve, we sat down and discussed some specific long-term goals
for me to focus on and work toward. Steve readily accommodates specific race
requests into the schedules and offers sound advice and motivation. He
strongly advises his runners to 'listen to their bodies' and use a
commonsense approach to training and racing. I am really enjoying my running
and am very grateful to Steve for his time and expertise – he is a
fantastic coach."
Steve
has a full complement of runners currently but places do become
available periodically. Please contact Steve or the coaching co-ordinator,
Edwin Massey, for availability.
Steve
can be contacted on 380-8776; or by email at stevep@paradise.net.nz
 Don Dalgliesh’s
coaching philosophy is based around two basic maxims:
1. The word is "training," not "straining," and
2. Training is like getting a sun tan ie a little bit each day is better than a lot every three or four days.
Don’s coaching credentials are very impressive and include more than 40 years of practical experience.
"I coach because this is a way I can put back something into the
sport that I have enjoyed so much, and I get my motivation from the pleasure and enjoyment my athletes get from achieving
their goals.
My methodology is a mixture of ideas, mainly from Arthur Lydiard, Ron Clarke and Roger Robinson, tested by practical
application, but I am still learning and adapting from talking to athletes and coaches."
Don’s coaching pedigree
: He was active at club level for more than 40 years and can claim a victory over Rod
Dixon
over 10 miles on the road! Don has coached many Athletics New Zealand and
New Zealand
Secondary Schools
titleholders from 800 metres upwards, including several NZ representatives at World championship and several athletes who have
obtained scholarships to American universities. He has
a BBS majoring in sports coaching and management from
Massey
University
and a level 3 Middle Distance qualification from Athletics New Zealand. He has a large squad, mainly college age, both male
and female, from elite down to beginners, from any club, and also coaches by email for athletes outside
Wellington.
He believes in concentrating on building speed
while athletes are young as you can always build stamina later in life. Restricting young athletes to low distance enables
them to participate in other sports as well until they decide which sport they wish to specialize in.
He believes that swimming and cycling form a valuable part of training, enabling athletes to maintain fitness while unable
to run. Also, these extra forms of training give variety to an athlete's training programme. To contact Don, please ring
473-9414 or email dondalgliesh@xtra.co.nz
 John
and Maryanne Palmer work
closely together when formulating training programmes for athletes. Their programmes are directed at those people wishing to
take the first steps in preparing for either their first half or full marathon, and then continuing further if desired.
Below are listed some of their ideals with regard to programmes:
1. To produce schedules specifically geared to the individual
2. To promote cross training and recovery sessions
3. To be involved with all aspects of training, including nutrition, psychology and physiology
4. To encourage the social and fun aspects associated with group training
To contact either John or Maryanne, phone 479-2130 or email palmer.palace@xtra.co.nz
 Matt Dravitzki believes that reaching your potential in distance running is about three
things:
1. Consistency – training regularly for 6-7 days a week, week-in and week-out.
2. Balance – a balance in your training between long running, quality, hill work and R&R. This also requires a balance
in your life style.
3. Enjoyment – if you don’t enjoy it, don’t do it!
To contact Matt please either ring 479-2425 or email matthew_dravitzki@westpac.co.nz
 Todd Stevens uses his personal experiences from 20 years of competitive running and 15
years as captain of the club’s senior men’s A team to formulate his coaching programmes.
His approach to coaching is based on the Lydiard system and he believes in building a strong aerobic fitness base through
long Sunday runs, a long mid-week run on the hills and a 20-30 minute tempo session each week.
Todd also believes that running needs to be fun. A good programme finds a balance between doing the hard work necessary to
achieve the goals and enjoying the training.
Todd has a particular interest in assisting the “average” club member to achieve their goals, be it a sub-1 hour 30 half
marathon, a sub-3 hour 30 full marathon, or indeed just to complete a marathon. He likes constructing training programmes to
incorporate other activities – for example, a weekly indoor netball game or a mountain-bike ride.
Vaile Mexted on Todd as his coach:
“I was hesitant about approaching Todd at first, but I’m incredibly glad now that I did.
"The specific benefits that I have found from being coached by Todd are:
Pure and simple performance improvement: achieving numerous PBs and achieving the potential I always thought was there.
Training and advice from an ex-national champ: someone who has raced just about every race in the country, has stories and
advice of days that have gone well as well as days that have gone not so well.
Advice from someone who has fitted in a large training volume around a real job and a family.
A structured program: doing the right training on the right day for the right reason. Regular contact: A real aid to
motivation - on the bad days I still know I need to get out as big brother will know I haven’t. And finally, refinement:
Being able to adjust my program depending on how the previous week has gone, whether I am injured or if I have work
commitments .
"I have gained, and am still gaining, a
tremendous amount with Todd’s assistance. If you want to take your running to the next level, and are willing to put in the
effort, I would definitely recommend Todd as a coach.”
Todd is happy to speak to anyone regarding any assistance that he may be able to give. Please just think first about your
medium- and long-term goals and how much time you are able to commit to training each week before contacting Todd on
479-5374 or via email at todd.stevens@nz.pwc.com
 Peter Wrigley's main interest is in the development of junior athletes, giving them the
skills and knowledge to develop their talents and achieve performances that reflect the efforts in their training. He
believes that junior athletes are the grass roots of our sport and their training is vital to growth at all levels and not
just the elite.
He has a vast knowledge of the junior levels and would like to pass on his experience to any young athletes who want to
improve their performances.
Peter can be contacted at any of the club runs or any time during business days on 388-8288 or via pwriggles@paradise.net.nz
 James Hurring is able to offer advice on technique and style and general encouragement
for race walking. He has walked for a number of years at the regional/national level but now only walks for general fitness.
At this stage, he's not available to supply full training programmes, but he can give input into what needs to be included
in one.
James can be reached by email at HurringJF@hotmail.com
 Rupert Watson is a Feldenkrais Practitioner who runs regular classes and occasional
workshops that can improve running and walking technique for athletes of all levels.
"My professional life as a Feldenkrais
Practitioner means I help people to do what they want, through improving their abilities and capacities in movement. This
applies to people wanting to improve particular skills as well as people trying to gain more overall comfort in life. In
running it means a way to help runners move more smoothly and efficiently and reduce the risk of injury. This often involves
helping people sense how they can use more of themselves in the running action.
"Regular Feldenkrais classes will help anyone in sport, as so much focus is on better coordination of the upper and lower
body. But it is good to do specific workshops as well.
"One on one sessions are good too, and I give club members a generous discount ($40 instead of $60). I do regular classes
(movement basics) at Ghuznee Health Associates during the week, and also at the Wellington Performing Arts Centre and
Parliament.
"One of my best moments in the work was having Jonathon Wyatt come to a series I gave at Freyburg several years ago. He
got a lot out of the lessons, and I think that was the first year he won the world mountain running crown. Nonetheless, I get
my biggest kicks out of helping people with serious “structural” problems live a more normal and satisfying life."
Phones
are 027 585 3822 and 06 308 9686; email watson@slingshot.co.nz;
website www.movewithease.co.nz
Other coaching resources
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