PEP - Intro Letter to Parents

PERSONAL EXCELLENCE PROGRAM  (PEP)

Dear Bantry Blue Parent / Guardian Bantry Blues Juvenile Club are introducing a “Personal Excellence Program” for 2015. This program will be open to players from U14s to U18s.{Year of Birth 1997 -2002}  The purpose of this program is to improve each individual players overall athletic ability, which in turn will improve each team within the club. This program will be  age specific, player centered and  conducted under guidance of Donal McGrath.PFCS. The “PEP” will commence with individual fitness assessment so that each player will be able to see their athletic growth during the program. The program will be broken down to different  areas of athletic activity Fundamental Movement Running Mechanics Strength & Conditioning {Core & Resistance Exercises} Plyometrics Speed & Agility We would encourage all players to take part in this program as they will gain immense personal benefit from their involvement. We look forward to your Juvenile Player taking part in this programme. As this is a pilot programme ans places are limited to 20, if your young athlete is interested and committed  please confirm by text to 0866240444 with Players name followed by "YES to PEP" Initial Assessment takes place on Wednesday next 27th Nov in Colaiste Pobail Bheanntrai  at 5pm. Parents are invited to attend to watch assessments and to find out more about the Programme Eddie Wiseman Bantry Blues Juvenile Club

“It’s not how good you are, it’s how good you want to be”

“Strength doesn’t come from what you can do, it comes from over coming the  things you once thought you couldn’t”

for further details click "PEP"

PEP - Tests which will be carried out

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Jump Test: This test record the height the player can reach

Reaction / REactive tests

20m Sprint Tests:Measures an athletes acceleration and raw speed - this test gives an indication of a players ability to accelerate away from a stationary position, reach the ball first and run down an opponent from behind.

Agility Test: The Agility test measurea an Athletes ability to decelerate efficiently and accelerate powerfully when changing direction. Agility is vitally important in avoiding or breaking away from an opponent , this test involves sprinting from a stationary position through a course that involves several directional changes,(both left & right).

Beep Test

Endurance Test:

This test requires the athletes to run a predetermined distance in as fast a time as possible, measuring qualities such as aerobic endurance,running efficiency and mental toughness. These traits are important in Gaelic Games in the dying minutes when players are in fatigue and the games outcome is still up for grabs.

PEP TESTING - Sample Videos

"Personal Excellence Programme"  PEP

Sample Videos showing some of the tests which will be carried out

Smartspeed Videos

Reactive Cutting Drills

Smartspeed NBA Combine testing

SmartSpeed NBA Combine Testing

Jumpmat

Personal Excellence Programme - What is it?

This page is presently under construction

Personal Excellence Program (PEP) "I am simply trying to be better than I was yesterday"

“It’s not how good you are, it’s how good you want to be”

To successfully compete in sport at at high level players need a combination of great football skills and athletisism together with a large dose of mental toughness to make the grade.

Bantry Blues are introducing the Personal Excellence Programme (PEP) to assit our young players acheive their full athletic potential and in turn help the teams which they are all involved with.

This programme will involve testing and recording the athletes results.

Background:Over the last number of years the topic of a winter programme for players had been spoken about to help players stay in shape and ensure that when the return to football came, players would have a certain level of fitness. Programs like this are commonplace across most sporting codes. This year Donal McGrath (PFCS) has come on board to assist with the running of this programme.  Donal has designed the programme so that it is  motivational and fun,dedicated to enhancing how the modern GAA player prepares and performs.Our vision is that each participant reaches their full potential by committing and completing this conditioning programme.

Physical fitness is the ability to perform the basic techniques, engage in physical contests and responds to the signs, sounds and signals experienced during the game with the least possible expenditure of energy. , the importance of integrating skill development with physical fitness development cannot be over emphasised.

Physical Requirements of Gaelic games The understanding of the physical fitness requirements of Gaelic games has changed dramatically over the last 15 years. Both Hurling and Gaelic football are games that require players to perform repeated short quick movements, moving in multiple directions and from a variety of starting positions, with varying amounts of recovery. The requirements for playing Gaelic games differ between Hurling and Gaelic football, and often between players in different positions. Therefore, Coaches should attempt to make the training programmes as relevant to each player as possible, taking into account the requirement for specific positional development. In addition to running, players are also required to jump, catch, kick/strike, hand pass, tackle and use both sides of their bodies to excel at Gaelic games. Coaches must bear in mind that variations exist between the requirements for Hurling and Gaelic football, and between players playing in the different positions on the field.

AIMS This programme will assist coaches in Scheduling Record & Analyze training sessions Help in Monitoring Fatigue & Maintaining freshness

A comprehensive, safe and effective fitness program should include three components: Cardiovascular/Aerobic exercise, Muscular Strength/Resistance Training, and Flexibility Exercise. • Aerobic exercise benefits your cardiovascular system and is an important part of weight management. • Resistance training can improve strength and posture, reduce the risk of low-back pain and injury, and is an important component of a weight-management program. • Proper stretching / flexibility exercise is needed to maintain joint range of motion and reduce the risk of injury and muscle soreness.

“Strength doesn’t come from what you can do, it comes from over coming the things you once thought you couldn’t”

Testing http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/fitness/in-depth/fitness/art-20048269?pg=2 ADesign your fitness program Assess your fitness level Assemble your equipment Get started Start slowly and build up gradually Break things up if you have to. Be creative. Be flexible. Monitor your progress:Retake your personal fitness assessment six weeks after you start your program and then again every three to six months.

Testers

Equipment SmartSpeed PT Speed Gates - (Videos) SmartMat 2 Jump System  - Jumpmat is an accurate measuring device for assessing lower body muscle power ….. more

Data Storage & Access: All data will be kept for use by Bantry Blues GAA Club and will not be shared with any other third party Access : Programme Managers,Club coaches & team managers will have access to this information

Special Thanks to: Dr Denis Cotter & the Denis Cotter Local Charties Fund Finbarr O’Shea Donal McGrath Graham Canty

Components of fitness Success in conditioning will largely depend on how the components of fitness can be imbedded into the coaching programme. There are a number of different components of  fitness for Gaelic games. Speed Activities should focus on developing speed over intervals of between 5 and 20 seconds, ensuring that adequate recovery occurs between sprints. Activities designed to develop  reaction time and acceleration using short sprints are appropriate. Stamina (endurance) Before the onset of puberty, it is common for many players to improve, often dramatically,  based on the improvement in their movement skills. Aerobic levels can be developed in teenage players, incorporating a number of different types of  activities. Due to the different developmental stages that players go through during their  teenage years, it is possible to group players based on their development in order to develop  their aerobic capacity. Suppleness (flexibility) Monitoring of flexibility is important amongst teenagers as, due to the large variations in the rate of growth, flexibility can be reduced if appropriate activities are not undertaken. Introducing  dynamic flexibility activities into the warm up, and cool down portions of a coaching session  serves to ensure that the muscles are stretched throughout their full range of motion. Strength Coaches should remember that the basis behind resistance training is to develop their muscular  strength, power and endurance, not to lift ever larger weights, or to build larger muscles.  Strength can be developed using: • Body Weight activities • Medicine Balls/Resistance Bands/Tubes • Machine Weights • Free Weights Before the start of a Training Programme Before starting a coaching programme for any group of players, it is always important to  establish if there are any medical issues that the coach should be aware of. This is especially important when a new player or one who has not undertaken any sort of activity recently is  involved. In this case, a simple medical screening questionnaire can be used in consultation  with a medical professional. This may ensure that adequate medicines and provisions are  available during training or matches, e.g., asthma inhaler etc. Coaches should be mindful of each player’s level of fitness prior to beginning a training  programme and attempt to be as specific to the requirements of each player as possible. Fitness Testing Guide There are probably hundreds of standard fitness tests used, and hundreds more variations of  these. They can range from elaborate and expensive laboratory tests to simple and inexpensive  field tests. Each test also has many advantages and disadvantages that can ultimately  determine which is the most appropriate test to perform. If you are designing your own fitness testing regime, with the information about the relative merits and requirements of each test  that is contained in this guide, you can make an informed choice on the most appropriate test  or tests to use.  Click here to view a fitness testing guide. http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gaa.ie%2Fcontent%2Fdocuments%2Fpublications%2Fplayer_welfare%2FFitness-Testing-Guide.pdf&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHuHf9trVPDvWS-SjXkV42VhSivyA

Terminology Cardiovascular/Aerobic Exercise Cardiovascular exercise also called cardio respiratory exercise, or just 'cardio' involves movement that gets your heart rate up to improve oxygen consumption by the body. It is an essential part of every exercise program to get in shape, keep you healthy and fit, lose weight or maintain weight, lower cholesterol, and help to prevent other diseases and disorders. Muscular Strength Training Health Benefits You do not need to be a bodybuilder to benefit from strength training. A well-designed strength-training program can provide the following benefits: • Increased strength of bones, muscles and connective tissues (the tendons and ligaments). • Increased muscle mass—most adults loose about one-half pound of muscle per year after the age of 25, largely due to decreased activity. Muscle tissue is partly responsible for the number of calories burned at rest (the basal metabolic rate, or BMR). As muscle mass increases, BMR increases, making it easier to maintain a healthy body weight. • Enhanced quality of life—as general strength increases, the performance of daily routines (carrying groceries, working in the garden) will be less taxing. Strength Training Options Strength training can be done at home or in the gym. Consider these four options when strength training. 1. Body weight. You can do many exercises with little or no equipment — use your body weight instead. Try push-ups, pull-ups, abdominal crunches and squats for the lower body. 2. Resistance tubing. Resistance tubing is inexpensive, lightweight tubing that provides resistance when stretched. You can choose from many types of resistance tubes in nearly any sporting goods store. 3. Free weights. Barbells and dumbbells are classic strength training tools. You can also try homemade weights, such as soup cans or milk jugs filled with water or sand. 4. Weight machines. Most fitness centers offer various resistance machines. You can also invest in weight machines for use at home. Proper body alignment is an important component of strength training. When standing, feet should be shoulder width apart with knees slightly bent. Movement should be slow and controlled. If you're not sure whether you're doing a particular exercise correctly, ask a personal trainer or other fitness specialist for help. • Proper breathing techniques are essential when training. Never hold your breath. Inhale at the beginning of the lift and exhale during the release of each weight. • You may sit or stand while participating in resistance training. Never use a resistance that is so heavy that it cannot be lifted at least eight repetitions per set. Heavy resistance can be dangerous and damage the skeletal and joint structures. • Pick up a light weight and do a warm up set of the exercise of your choice, aiming for about 10 to 16 repetitions. For set 2, increase your weight by 5 or more pounds and perform your goal number of repetitions (8-12). If you can do more than your desired number of reps, increase the weight for your 3rd set. In general, you should be lifting enough weight that you can ONLY do the desired reps; you should be struggling by the last rep, but still able to finish it with good form. Flexibility A big part of beginning a physical activity program is getting used to the feel of using your muscles, and flexibility can be a great place to start. Just as with other kinds of physical activity, it's best to start slowly and increase your efforts gradually. Regular stretching is important to increase flexibility and restore joint motion. Flexibility is important because it helps protect muscles against pulls and tears, since short, tight muscles may be more likely to be overstretched and become injured. Recommendations • It is recommended to stretch daily, even if you are not working out that day. It is essential that you stretch when you do work out. Stretching will help relieve soreness and prevent injury. • Always warm up before stretching. A warm muscle stretches much more efficiently and with less risk of injury than a cold muscle. A great way to warm up your muscles is to do 5-10 minutes of low impact cardiovascular activity (i.e. Walking, biking etc.). • Hold stretches for 30 seconds without bouncing or jerking. Tip: Use a towel to bridge the distance between your hands if you cannot comfortably connect them. Helpful Tips • Ease yourself into the stretch, relax, and don't push or bounce. You should feel a stretch in the muscle but not pain. • Exhale as you do the stretch. While you are holding the stretch, inhale deeply. • Try closing your eyes while stretching. It helps you relax and reduces self-consciousness and the urge to compete. Overcoming Barriers • Many technological advances and conveniences have made our lives easier and less active. Many personal variables including physiological, behavioral, and psychological factors, may affect our plans to become more physically active. Understanding common barriers to physical activity and creating strategies to overcome them may help you make physical activity part of your daily life. • Are you finding it difficult to get out of bed in the morning for your daily walk? Are you making up excuses to skip the gym on the way home? Even the most dedicated exercisers occasionally get bored with their routines. Waning motivation, cutting workouts short and not having your old enthusiasm all are signs of a stale exercise regimen. Try something new and exciting! Here are thirty days of fun fitness ideas to keep you moving, motivated, and having fun!