The pace of our activity increases as we edge towards the end of the year. Last weekend saw the second visit to Exeter and Newquay in Cornwall where our new Rugby Wheels programme was delivered by Paul Jenkins and Mike Spence – well supported by Adam Simmons from West Country Hawks – a big thank you to all three. At the other end of the country in Derby almost 20 participants joined the first Rugby Wheels session delivered there by Rob Tarr who it is great to see back in action – thanks Rob! Everyone went away from Derby with big smiles and waiting eagerly for the next session which is just what we want to see from this. The local TV channels in the West Country and the Midlands have been picking up on these sessions and thanks to Onshore and Simon Whittam for getting in there. Jo Arnold and her team also supported the Disability Awareness week at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham and a big thank you to all the players who joined in with this.
This past week has also been a big one for the performance team and the GB squad. Performance Director Lorraine Brown, Head Coach Paul Shaw, Physiologist Tom Paulson and I took part in the Mission 2016 annual review by UK Sport. This was a full day event where we were grilled on the 16 elements which form the evaluation process for our performance and resting on this was the review of our funding. I am pleased to report that it went very well, helped considerably by the fact that this year the team met and exceeded its performance target. We did identify a number of areas where we need to increase our focus and efforts but this is ongoing work. Overall this has been a very good year for the team. We have a largely new squad, and with a couple of exceptions also a new staff, but there is a real sense that we are now building a performance pathway which will enable us to start performing at the very top level. The work going on at the Peter Harrison centre is really looking to be world class and our investment there is already proving its worth. Lorraine and Paul have recently returned from a recce to the USA and have been able to work with our international partners to put together an exciting camp and competition programme for 2014 which will see the squad in Palm Beach Florida in January followed by a joint training camp with Canada in Ontario. Next year will be a tough year as we work towards the World Championships in Denmark in August, but everyone is focused and the youth, energy and enthusiasm in the squad gives everyone a real lift.
We have another great week ahead with the DMG on Wednesday where amongst other things we are looking for one or two candidates to join the group working on the new club structure which has to be completed by the summer. This will be followed by a meeting with all of the club coaches where Lorraine and Paul will be setting out their plans for the year ahead and consulting with coaches. In the background we are also working with Sports Coach UK and should be in a position to hold a full Coach Conference in 2014 where we will be able to present the coach pathway and coach accreditation system. Jo Arnold and her team are at the Sheffield Spinal Unit on Tuesday and I am at Loughborough on Wednesday where with Lorraine I am looking at how we might develop further our partnership, and I am at Tigers on Thursday where I will meet up with Matt Hampson and discuss future developments.
Have a good week.
David Pond
