Under 19 Talent Squad

The Athletics Australia Under-19 Talent Squad camp was held last weekend at the AIS in Canberra. Since 2007, the camp has provided an excellent opportunity for athletes and coaches to develop a network of support, focusing on transitioning junior athletes into senior athletics.

From Thursday through Sunday 18 September our most brilliant athlete’s born in 1998-99 experienced a host of training and education in a variety of areas. The athletes are guided through; injury prevention, strength and conditioning, nutrition and supplements with an emphasis on ASADA education and also psychology and high performance life skills.

West Australian high jumper, Clare Gibson was on hand for this year’s camp, recording a new training personal best.

“The high-performance training environment creates a great amount of pressure,” Gibson said. “Surrounded by Australia’s top athletes pushing me to jump my best.”

The attention to detail separates these types of camps from the training athletes receive at home. Having the athletes entire support network of coaches, therapists and nutritionists available is incredibly useful.

“There’s no mucking around as such, you have the best of the best around you – national junior coaches and all the biomechanics. That environment allows you to see your capabilities,” she said.

The camp also aims to inspire athletes into pathways leading to international representation. Athletes complete the camp with a thorough understanding of the realities of world-class athletics and the commitment required to succeed.
“More than anything, I’ve come home more motivated and I know that athletics is where I want to be,” the 18-year-old Gibson said.

Commonwealth Games, Olympic Games and all the world championships in between are discussed over the four days. “I know that I have another 10cm before I’m make an Olympic qualifier but so did all the others that have sat in this position before me,” she said.

“I don’t want to look too far ahead but I’m enjoying it all – the joy rather than trying to make a qualifier,” Gibson said. “I’m just really looking forward to jumping for the love of it.”

Sara Mulkearns is the junior high performance manager for Athletics Australia and believes the integration of athletes and their coaches with the resources available ensures that all learn from the experience.

“Opening the athletes and their coaches to the resources of the AIS and the National Junior Coaches can provide them with specialised insight,” Mulkearns said.

“We can sit down with each athlete and coach, watch high quality video - something they may not always have access to - and study the film alongside specialist biomechanists and strength and conditioning coaches to pin-point where they can technically improve,” she said.

The next Under 19 Talent Squad camp will be held this summer in Melbourne in January next year.

With thanks to James Raknes.