The Search for a Swedish World Champion A Plan to Develop Swedish World Class Squash Players
The Mission Statement This programme will produce a Swedish World Class squash player by 2021
The Plan To identify and recruit young Swedish squash players who show they have the right attitude and commitment. To develop them into World Class performers. To coordinate their development as serious athletes with their education and parents. To develop players as individuals, not as a team. Players who achieve the necessary standard should be committed to representing Sweden in national teams.
Personnel Fredrik Johnson Consultant & Mentor The last Swedish squash player to reach true World Class level and a great example of how to do it. Still producing World Class performances at age group events. John Milton Programme Coordinator Former Swedish National Coach and England High Performance National Coach. Has developed many players from junior stage to world class, including 5 world top 10 ranked players. Consultant coach to the Swedish Squash Federation. Alexander Ovendal Physiological Consultant Based in Stockholm and an expert in working with athletes from various sports to improve their fitness and physiological wellbeing. Current assistant national coach to the Swedish men s team. Johan Jungling Federation Liaison Adviser Former European top 4 ranked junior player and senior national team player. Swedish Squash Federation board member.
The Structure Individual Coach Personal Fitness Trainer Regional/Na tional Coach Nutrition PLAYER + PROGRAMME COORDINATOR Massage Mental trainer Physio
The Long Term Athlete Development It takes 10,000 training hours approximately equivalent to 10 years to reach World Class level. (Malcolm Gladwell, Outliers, 2008) That s 10,000 focused training hours, not just time spent hitting a ball. 1 hour of solo practice is worth 30 minutes of the focused 10,000 hours; 1 hour practicing with another player is worth 45 minutes; 1 hour working with a high level coach is worth 1½ hours.
The Long Term Athlete Development There are 5 different stages of the Long Term Athlete Development FUNdamental Learn to Train Train to Train Train to Compete Train to Win This plan will be working with players in the last 3 stages
The Long Term Athlete Development A player involved in a Long Term Athlete Development scheme will be supported in finding the right balance between training, education and social time a complete holistic environment. Players must learn to take responsibility for themselves and not rely on the programme doing the work for them. The player must possess the qualities of a potential World Class athlete in terms of attitude and commitment.
Training Individual 1 Technical Programme Coordinator Tactical PLAYER Mental Individual coach Physical Lifestyle
Training Individual 2 Technical Tactical The Lifestyle of an athlete is the foundation upon which everything else is built. Mental Physical Lifestyle The programme will mentor the players to take responsibility for every aspect of their career.
Training - Squad Programme Coordinator PLAYER Regional/National Coach Elite Programme Players Regional + National squad training Domestic + International squad training
Experience The only reason to train is to improve performance in competition. Training is set by what is noticed in competition. A player must learn how to train effectively in order to learn how to train to compete. The aim is to develop a player who can compete at the highest level as a senior player in other words, a long term plan.
Experience Tournament experience at junior levels should be measured by the quality of performance rather than outcome results. By the transitional period between junior and senior levels, players should be training to win and maximising their performance in competition. Valuable experience is gained by competing in training and playing.
Competition PLAYER Individual coach Programme Coordinator Domestic Junior Tournaments Domestic Senior Tournaments Domestic League Matches ESF International Tournaments Swedish National Team Events PSA/WISPA Tournaments
Who? Players will be selected on to the programme through interview. Players must show the potential qualities required to be champions: Dedication to put the time in Discipline to do the work Determination to succeed Desire to want to do it The Search for a Swedish World Champion starts with a Winning Programme
Is it the right way? it s the only way