Andrea Hudy, PhD(c)

ICYMI: Edition 3 of the Insights & Impact Report showcases the recent joint-CBA outcomes for players. Read the full report: https://bit.ly/4dOQ5rb

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Help your athletes find the right hydration solutions based on individual performance and recovery needs with this essential Gatorade hydration portfolio chart. 

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Have your practice drills become stale and unproductive? Players not motivated by the drills selected? This common problem can be addressed by creating or selecting more useful, dynamic, game-like, and engaging activities for players.

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As an S&C Coach you don’t “coach” strength or conditioning, you “coach” movement. Movement can be loaded or unloaded and performed across various velocity, distance, and time domains with specific volume parameters and work:rest ratios to stimulate adaptations in strength and/or conditioning. Never forget your job is to coach movement.

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Youth Soccer Directors who hire top coaches... Work through these 7 specific questions ⬇️ 1/ How Do They Understand Development? Determine if your definitions of development align. Do they focus on long-term vision and player potential, or do they emphasize winning and infrastructure? Coaches should believe in every player’s potential and commit to a long-term process. 2/ What Is Their Coaching Philosophy? Assess if the coach has a well-crafted philosophy and can articulate the what and how. Their philosophy should be developmental and tailored to the age group they will coach. You need teachers who can convey the club’s vision in a way that resonates with specific players and parents. 3/ Are They Open to Being Developed Themselves? Identify if the coach is motivated to learn or set in their ways. Younger coaches might lack experience but can compensate with enthusiasm for personal development. Coaches passionate about their growth will push the club’s development forward. 4/ Why Do They Want to Coach at Your Club? Ensure their personal motivations align with the club’s long-term vision. Coaches should view the job as an end in itself, not merely a stepping stone. Ego-centric motivations can lead to apathy and derail club’s progress over time. 5/ Do They Seem Enthusiastic and Motivated to Do a Good Job? Look for dependable people who bring positive energy daily. Coaches need to create environments that kids want to return to, with enthusiasm that enhances the teaching of the club’s vision. Find those who see coaching as a vocation rather than just a job. 6/ Was the Feedback Overwhelmingly Positive from Their Previous Coaching Stops? Thoroughly investigate their past to identify any red flags. Contact people not on their reference list, especially former players who weren’t stars. Finding coaches who add value to everyone requires a close look at their previous roles. 7/ What’s Your Gut Feel? Trust your instincts. While the previous questions guide you, your gut feeling is crucial. Hiring is never completely objective, so follow your instincts when they push you one way or another. Be excited about every person you hire. ___ In Summary... Your organization is only as strong as your people. As a director, you set the vision and course for the entire club. So use the 7 Q's to bring in the right people in and Keep the wrong fits out. What problems have you come against hiring new coaches? Let us know in the comments.

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Latest National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Strength and Conditioning Journal podcast talks to Ian Bonder, MS, CSCS(D), RSCC lead author of 'Time-Saving Versus Time-Efficient Training Terminology, Methods, and Prescription'. Link below. Please share with anyone you believe might be interested. Link: https://lnkd.in/e5yR3z-Y #nsca #strengthandconditioning

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Good vs. Bad variability is a key area of interest for me considering the role biomechanics has within sporting environments. By analyzing these metrics, coaches can identify areas for improvement, optimize training strategies, and enhance overall performance while minimizing injury risk. Understanding the balance between these types of variability fosters a more nuanced approach to athlete development and skill acquisition. In a sport like baseball, ball velocity at release is one metric that may be of interest when evaluating the effectiveness of a pitch or ones ability to generate speed and power. Analyzing the stability of this variable provides insights into how well a pitcher can execute their mechanics. The UCM analysis (jacobian method) divides motor variability into two key components: Variance Projected onto the Uncontrolled Manifold (VUCM): the variability in joint movements that does not detrimentally impact the ball velocity at release. This “good variability” allows pitchers to adapt their mechanics while maintaining consistent performance outcomes. High levels of VUCM indicate a robust motor repertoire that supports effective pitch execution. Variance Orthogonal to the Uncontrolled Manifold (VORT): the variability that negatively affects ball velocity at release, representing “bad variability.” Movements that increase VORT can lead to inconsistencies in pitch mechanics, such as changes in arm angle or timing, ultimately compromising the pitcher’s ability to maintain a stable release velocity. In analyzing the stability of ball velocity at release, the UCM analysis examined joint angles, including the shoulder, elbow, and wrist, to assess their coordination in stabilizing ball velocity at release using simulated data based on realistic ranges gathered from available data. The Index of Synergy calculated from these variables provides insights into the effectiveness of each pitcher's mechanics, revealing how well they can maintain velocity despite natural variations in their movements. VUCM (blue) shows the level of good variability for each pitcher across pitches, suggesting how each utilizes flexible motor patterns without destabilizing their movement. VORT (red) indicates bad variability, where excessive values could imply instability. IOS (purple) shows the ratio of VUCM to VORT, indicating when each pitcher’s movements are stabilized. IOS values above 1 indicate that good variability (VUCM) exceeds bad variability (VORT), which signifies well-stabilized pitching movements. The fluctuations with the IOS values may be good or bad which will need further analysis. This can also be related to pitch type, fatigue, etc. New and seminal papers below! https://lnkd.in/drGjDgag https://lnkd.in/e4GZR-KF https://lnkd.in/e6wuYdVK https://lnkd.in/e4RnVUAv

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I wonder if you perform a needs analysis for the sport you work with and then follow strength and conditioning principles you could create an optimal program without having to buy a book that is "strength training for a specific sport" #strengthandconditioning #sportsperformance #strengthtraining

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As an athletic director, it's essential to remember the wisdom of Coach K: “A common mistake among those who work in sport is spending a disproportional amount of time on “x’s and o’s” as compared to time spent learning about people.” This quote is a powerful reminder that success in sports isn't just about strategies and tactics. Building strong relationships, understanding the needs and motivations of your team, and fostering a positive culture are equally crucial. As leaders, we must balance our focus between the game plan and the people who execute it. Investing in our athletes, coaches, and staff will ultimately lead to greater success on and off the field. #Leadership #SportsManagement #AthleticDirector #CoachK #mikekrzyzewski #krzyzewski #youngleaders #Athletics #OADA #NIAAA #OSAA

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Optimizing athlete performance requires a deep understanding of cognitive metrics. Here's a detailed breakdown to help assess an athletes cognitive performance.

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Cognitive baseline analysis starts with the “Big Three” metrics: reaction time, variation, and accuracy. Evaluating these collectively offers a comprehensive view of an athlete’s cognitive performance, helping identify areas for improvement and adaptation.

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“Reverse engineering, sometimes referred to as back engineering, is a process in which products are deconstructed to extract design information from them, so that they may be recreated (22,36).” “Reverse engineering is similarly adopted in systems biology (36) and likely extends to the field of strength and conditioning. In this regard, practitioners will design a series of training programs following a periodized and systematic approach, all of which stemmed from future-related competition or performance-related goals (9,16,26,30),” Very insightful paper providing a framework for reverse engineering agility by Chris Bishop and colleagues. https://lnkd.in/grcGKckW

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