National Conference for Leaders of Strength and Conditioning in Schools
Thursday 20 June at Leonardo Royal Hotel, Oxford
Dates & Venues
The majority of schools have added provision for physical conditioning to support their sports programmes over recent years. It has become the norm, rather than the exception, and is clearly here to stay. However, the role of the conditioning coach and its interface with the sports programme, is still emerging and varies widely between schools. Access to athletes fluctuates, making priorities difficult to establish. Deciding which pupils have access to these programmes, and when they are delivered, is a constant challenge: potentially conflicting priorities with performance pathways complicate the matter further.
This conference will bring together conditioning professionals from schools of all types, to consider how this important provision can be embedded into sports programmes, and what the most effective use of time and resources should be. It will also consider how conditioners can impact more widely upon all children. Leading practitioners will present contemporary content to enable school coaches to have maximum impact upon their environment. There will also be an opportunity to discuss common challenges and approaches in the company of like-minded contemporaries.
Programme
9.30am
Conference assembles
10.00am
The Role of the School Strength and Conditioning Coach
Neil Rollings, Former Chairman, PADSIS
10.30am
Contemporary Conditioning for Elite Student Athletes
Nathan Bullock, Head of Strength and Conditioning, Loughborough University
11.15am
Refreshment Break
11.30am
Building an Athletic Development Programme in a School
Dr Adam Grainger, Lead Academy Athletic Development Coach, Ulster Rugby
12.15pm
Discussion Forum: Issues in School Conditioning
12.45pm
Lunch
1.30pm
The Unique Challenges of Working with Female Athletes
Dr Ffion Thompson, Women’s Head of Athletic Development, Wales Lacrosse
2.15pm
Managing Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation
Liz Robson, Head of Physiotherapy, Return2Play
2.45pm
Refreshment Break
3.00pm
Phasing, Testing and Monitoring
Dr Adam Grainger
3.30pm
Conference Disperses
Prices
1 PLACE £209 (+VAT)
2 PLACES £309 (+VAT)
Prices include lunch, refreshments and resources. Excludes VAT.
Speakers
Nathan Bullock
Nathan is Head of Strength and Conditioning at Loughborough University, overseeing the work of a team of ten coaches across all sports. He leads the conditioning programme of the Lightning Netball team, having previously directly supported the University’s Basketball, Tennis and Athletics programmes. Prior to this, he worked with Premier League Manchester City Football Club and the Welsh Rugby Union.
Dr Adam Grainger
Adam is currently a Lead Academy Athletic Development Coach at Ulster Rugby, having previously worked for 12 years in English Premiership Rugby. He is also a consultant for Kitman Labs. He was Head of Strength and Conditioning in University College Dublin’s Sports Scholarship programme and Performance Director at Hockey Ireland through the Tokyo Olympic cycle. Adam was Chair of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Science Sport and Performance Division for four years, is a BASES Fellow and ISESA Board member
Dr Ffion Thompson
Ffion is currently a postdoctoral researcher at Leeds Beckett University, investigating youth athletic development, leading modules on the Science of Sport Performance course and involved within the Centre for Child and Adolescent Physical Literacy. She is Women’s Head of Physical Development at Wales Lacrosse and was previously strength and conditioning coach at Wasps Superleague Netball. She also works with sports scholars in schools, as Head of Strength and Conditioning at Queen Ethelburga’s College.
Liz Robson
Liz Robson is currently Head of Physiotherapy and Concussion Clinical Specialist at Return2Play. She manages a team who provide a comprehensive specialist practice supporting the treatment and rehabilitation of adolescent athletes across a broad spectrum of sporting disciplines. She has provided physiotherapy at the Women’s Rugby World Cup and was Head Physiotherapist for the Canada Cup ski competition. She is also a Level IV Strength and Conditioning Coach
Neil Rollings
Neil was Director of Sport in four independent schools, over a 21-year career. He now works with schools in UK and overseas, developing sports programmes and appointing Directors of Sport. He is a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on a Fit and Healthy Childhood, was Chairman of the Professional Association of Directors of Sport in Independent Schools, and is Course Director of the University of Buckingham MA programme in Leading School Sport.