Stolberg takes Coaching to new heights under Bisetto tutelage

Through fortune or fate, Marty Stolberg found herself shadowing esteemed high jump coach Sandro Bisetto in an Australian Championships showdown for the ages. As the bar was hoisted to 2.37m, she anticipated imminent wisdom but instead came a question – “what do you think he should do?”

With the clock rolling on Joel Baden’s opportunity to set a new Australian record, Bisetto’s act of trust provided the reassurance for Stolberg to take her coaching to the next level. Generous? Maybe. Empowering? Beyond measure.

“It occurred to me that just because I coach juniors, sometimes I assume that what I’m saying isn’t relevant. He completely agreed with what I said and it gave me a lot of confidence to believe that I can do this, and I can move into the senior realm,” Stolberg said.

The moment encapsulates one of 26 mentoring partnerships as part of Athletics Australia’s High Performance Mentoring Program. Brushing over her own expertise and contagious enthusiasm, Stolberg quickly shifts to praising the genius of her senior counterparts.

“I chose Sandro as my number one top pick because he is the high jump guru. We meet up online fortnightly and there is some funding to meet in person at competitions,” Stolberg said.

“The information that not just Sandro but other senior coaches have in their head on programming and training for senior athletes is incredible. I just sit down and start writing things on paper, one day we spent like five hours at a café!”

Having also worked with Sharon Hannan to broaden her knowledge in other events and focus on the development of her Brisbane-based squad and duties at St Peters Lutheran College, Stolberg is a familiar face on the fence of just about any Australian high jump competition – regularly crossing paths with Bisetto including for a stint in Melbourne prior to the Maurie Plant Meet.

“I felt like he was just emptying his brain onto the paper and you can’t buy that, it’s not in any coaching course. Every day I pinch myself and think I’m the luckiest person to be in this Women in High Performance Coaching Program and have access to these mentors,” Stolberg said.

“We went out to Melbourne Uni and got to see how he interacts with his squad and his setup. Even the little things like the plyometrics boxes and hurdles, all those things you can’t do through YouTube or Zoom, it was great to be there physically and see it.”

Describing Bisetto as an empowering mentor with a unique ability to convey complex concepts in simple and achievable terms across their two-year partnership, Stolberg is primed for international experience in 2024 where she will travel to the World Under 20 Championships as a Team Coach – made even sweeter by the selection of her 18-year-old daughter, Toby who owns a 1.83m personal best.

“I remember when I got the call that I was going to be a Team Coach. I was so excited! I looked at Toby and said I have been named as the coach, and I’m going with or without you. If it’s not your year, it’s not your year and we have to comfortable with that,” Stolberg said.

“When she got that personal best and we realised she would be going, it was one of our best mother and daughter, coach and athlete moments. It’s an absolute dream come true and such an honour to be going away with this team.”

Stolberg will begin her duties in the green and gold this week as the team of 68 athletes touch down on the Gold Coast for a training camp before the championships begin in Lima, Peru this August.

By Lachlan Moorhouse, Athletics Australia
Posted 18/06/2024