Little Athletics NSW Sunday Coaching School

A Level 5 track & field coach with strong links to Little Athletics, John’s career has spanned more than 35 years. He has worked with many of Australia’s leading athletes and coaches across sports as diverse as track and field, soccer, swimming, AFL, rugby league, tennis, cricket, and Olympic bobsleigh.  Some of John’s accomplishments include:   • Sprints and relay coach for the Australian track and field team at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games • Head fitness coach and High-Performance Manager for Essendon Football Club (AFL) 1998 – 2008. • High-Performance Manager of Greater Western Sydney Giants Football Club (AFL) 2010 – 2014. • Australian fitness coach for two International Rules Series – Australia and Ireland (AFL) • Head Conditioner with the Socceroos in 2006 in a friendly competition in Kuwait • High-Performance Coach for AFL All-Stars Team 2010. • Strength and Conditioning coach in the Indian Cricket League 2009 • Academy Director – GWS Giants Football Club (AFL) 2015 – 2019 • Director QESS – Exercise Physiology Services (Sydney & Melbourne) from 2015.

Brett Green is a Level 5 throws and Level 3 Middle/Long distance coach who has been coaching for more than 35 years. During this time he has coached numerous athletes to Commonwealth Youth, World Junior, World Youth and Commonwealth Games. He is currently the Head of Helensvale State High Track And Field Academy (whose alumni includes World & Olympic 100m hurdles champion Sally Pearson and Commonwealth Games Marathon Champion Michael Shelley). Brett is also the Papua New Guinea Head Athletics Coach, the Queensland team coach for Throws, and the Queensland Target Talent Program throws coordinator. This conversation was recorded during a live Zoom session on Sunday, 27 September 2020.

James is an Athletics Australia Level 4 Distance Coach who has been coaching since September 1992. Over twenty-eight years he has coached many State and National Champions. 2016 was amazing year for James, having four athletes represent Australia on five occasions. This culminated in Milly Clark (marathon) and Jenny Blundell (1500m) competing at the Rio Olympics. This conversation was recorded during a live Zoom session on Sunday, 23 August 2020.

Dr Di Huxley is a leading expert in coaching, teaching, and health & fitness. Developing, coaching and mentoring others in these areas has been Di’s lifelong passion and career pathway. She has a Doctorate in elite athlete development, a Masters of Coach education (University of Sydney), and has lectured in coaching, fitness and sport science at numerous tertiary institutions. She is also a Level 5 Middle & Long Distance Coach with Athletics Australia. As a Manager for multiple Australian Teams (including Paralympic, Olympic and Commonwealth Games & World Track and Field Championships), and as a High Performance Coach at the Australian (AIS), New South Wales (NSWIS) and Tasmanian (TIS) Institutes of Sport, Di has successfully coached, supported and guided many elite athletes through both the highs and lows of their sporting careers. An internationally-regarded researcher in the development of athletes from grassroots to elite level, her publications include an analysis of Olympic and World Championship track and field athletes’ experiences during the specialising and investment stages of development;  a study of the key factors and influences in the development of Australian Olympic and World Championship Track and Field athletes, and an examination of the training profiles and injuries in elite youth track and field athletes.

Matt Rawlings was named the 2019/20 Athletics NSW International Para Coach of the Year, following a tremendous season during which he placed athletes on a number of international teams. Sprinter Tamsin Colley, although only 17, competed at her second senior global meet. Following her Paralympic debut in Rio, she made the final of the T36 200m at the 2019 World Para-Athletics Championships in Dubai. Matt also coached six athletes to the 2019 INAS Global Games held in Brisbane in October. This squad included Stephanie Schweitzer who was making her sixth appearance for Australia at an INAS Championship event. Schweitzer debuted in Brazil at the 2007 INAS Athletics World Championships as a 14-year-old and has been coached by Matt since. Matt is also the Athletics NSW Target Talent Program para-athletics coach. This conversation was recorded during a live Zoom session on Sunday, 26 July 2020.

Ranell is a 25 + year internationally acclaimed Sport & Fitness Industry leader and an award-winning presenter.

Founder of the Academy of Sport Speed Australia (ASSA) and Running with Ranell (RWR), she is a specialist Running and Strength coach for Sprint and Running sport athletes.

Ranell has a Masters degree in High Performance Coaching and a Bachelor degree in Sport Science and Coaching as well as being an ASCA L2 Professional Coach and a L3 ATFCA Coach.  Ranell is a regular presenter at Strength & Conditioning and Fitness Conventions and has delivered her Running courses and Athlete clinics across Australia, the UK and Asia.

An elite masters athlete in her own right, Ranell has won 6 World Championship Medals, holds multiple State, National and Oceania titles in the Sprint events and is a previous World Record holder in the 4 x 100m relay.

In 2019 Ranell was awarded the ‘ASCA Performance Development Coach of the Year’,  having produced more sub 7-sec, 60-yard dash performances in NSW Baseball’s history (U16 & U18 players) and in her work as S&C Coach of the Premiership winning GWS Fury Premier League U23’s Netball team. Ranell is the creator of the ASSA Speed system which develops both physical and technical competencies for speed, minimising injuries & maximising performance.

Recorded during a live Zoom session on Sunday, 12 July 2020.

Penny is a Level 5 Coach. Known for both her running and hurdles coaching, Penny has been a regular National Team Coach since 1996. Penny finished off 2019 by successfully coaching Steve Solomon (400m), Carley Thomas (800m) and Bella O’Grady (400m) to Doha World Championships and was recently awarded the Athletics Australia Junior Athlete Coach of the Year. Recorded during a live Zoom session on Sunday, 28 June 2020.

Ian Hatfield is master in the distance running area. He developed Ryan Gregson from a Little Athlete into an international athlete. He also coached 2019 World No. 1 professional surfer Sally Fitzgibbons when she was a champion middle distance runner in her teenage years. Ian currently coaches 2019 National 1500m title-holder Chloe Tighe, and is the Middle & Long Distance Coach for the Athletics NSW Target Talent Program. Recorded during a live Zoom session on Sunday, 14 June 2020.

The recent performances by Matt’s leading athlete, Nicola McDermott, have been exceptional. In 2019 she commenced the year with a high jump PB of 1.91m and closed the year with a new best of 1.96m, elevating her to equal number three in Australian history. McDermott’s clearance at 1.96m was the equal best by an Australian for 25 years. Matt was named a finalist for Coach of the Year in the 2019 Sport NSW Awards and was recently awarded the Athletics NSW Country Coach of the Year. Recorded during a live Zoom session on Sunday, 31 May 2020.