DMP
Sharks Training Camp – Leeds Met University, 29th / 30th
August 2009
Saturday AM –
Setting the scene
Following a 9.30am
meet a fair distance down the A1, the Sharks had gathered in a small
teaching room located within the extensive and impressively
facilitated Leeds Metropolitan University.
Well, everyone
except Ruth Nash that is, who despite having the shortest distance to
travel, was in fact the only player to arrive late. Named and shamed.
So 9.35am and as
everyone sits around, a faint air of nervousness circulates.....perhaps
at the prospect of what is to come.
Head coach, Jo Hull
soon terminates the silence with a typically competent introduction.
We learn what the plan is for the duration of the camp and perhaps
more importantly we understand what is expected of ourselves and each
other. The mood is energetic yet calm, and as the beginning of a
fresh start in the Premiership looms, Jo's favourite line is echoed
in everyone's ears....It Starts Here.
Session 1 –
Defence
We hit the pitch
for our first training session of the weekend, a 26-strong squad of
players eager to learn and play rugby.
Tackling the
defensive organisation and patterns of play required in this sport is
paramount to success and requires a massive level of commitment and
communication from every team member. In light of this, the first
part of the camp was dedicated to exploring the different defensive
options and how they can best be utilised on the pitch. We also
learned how to tackle an opponent up a steep hill.
Session 2 –
Forwards/Backs Split
After lunch, it was
time for the two units to part company for a while.
The forwards were
the first to frequent Leeds Met's well equipped gym where there was a
Neville awaiting their arrival, eager to put them through their
paces.
All players who did
not already have a Strength and Conditioning programme either through
the EIS (English Institute of Sport) as international players, or
those identified on TASS (talented athlete scholarship scheme) were
screened and led through a rigorous movement analysis. Tracey
Neville, our S&C guru, appointed through the partnership formed
between DMP Sharks and Leeds Met Uni headed up this section of the
day.
Whilst the forwards
showed some grit in the gym, the backs worked hard on some attacking
play, progressing on from the defensive tactics the squad had
employed earlier in the day. Amidst the handling and decision making,
a new level of understanding was born...things were starting to click
into place.
Following an hour
or so, the backs swapped the pitch for the gym and underwent a
similar process to the forwards, whilst the forwards made for the
sportshall in order to practice lineouts. You can get a lot of
lifting done over the space of an hour!
Session 3 -
Saturday Evening
If you're not
already aware, the Sharks are a tight knit group. Bodies on the line,
one in all in....this is what it means to be part of this squad. On
saturday night however, the team bonding was taken to a new level.
One word. Blindfolds.
Headed up by Nikki
O'Donnell, the squad was paired up, half of whom were temporarily
blinded and guided through the hotel corridors, stairs and rooms by
the other half. This was just for starters!
The games, tasks
and challenges continually advanced in difficulty and even saw the
head coach coached through and perform a gymnastics
crab...blindfolded of course!
The exercise was
poignant and a success, trust and effective communication were vital
and this is what we took away, plus a great deal of hilarity of
course.
Session 4 –
Sunday morning endurance and time for something completely different
On this morning,
some would say you could be forgiven for renaming Tracey Neville,
Tracey Devil. A vicious rumour, originating from breakfast, began to
spread. The word on the street was that for every minute we were late
to morning training this would equate to an “extra rep”. There
were a few precious minutes of ignorant bliss as we sauntered across
the athletics track to the astro pitch. Then the sharp shrill shriek
of the devil, i mean Neville, caught the ears of the squad.
“15 seconds hurry
up!”
Lightning! There's
nothing like the prospect of extra running to get a prop moving first
thing.
Three laps of the
pitch later, we were ready to begin the warm up, a session in itself.
After a gruelling
running workout, a bunch of rugby girls attempted to perfect
netball. The result, not even close to a tangled ball of catastrophe.
In fact, there's definitely going to be a team entered in the local
league next season!
Session 5 –
Mauling and breakdown skills
For this, the final
session of the weekend, England A Head Coach, Mike Barnett was kind
enough to travel down and lead the training.
Diving straight
into some rough touch, we discovered early on that this wasn't going
to be a gentle end to what had already been a physically and
psychologically demanding camp. We needed to dig deep and support
each other, a difficult task when simultaneously combined with
knocking seven bells out of your team mates.
Despite the onset
of fatigue, the intensity remained high to the end. We'd been briefed
in the technicalities of the current preferred mauling and breakdown
tactics, then practiced them on each other, and everyone was still
smiling. Well would it have been such a travesty if a few had sadly
passed away? I mean, we are “Sharks 'til we die!”
The Sharks would
like to thank Jo Hull, Sam Jaimeson, Tracey Neville, Alex, John, Mike
Barnett and Leeds Met Uni for making the weekend possible. Much
appreciation in your general direction. A truly successful,
informative and enjoyable experience was had by all.