Jul 29, 2014

Last season brought a whole new experience for the girls of the MB1 team Hockey Club Castricum. Playing in the National Super B league for 15-16 year olds for the first time they were overrun in the first games of the season. They turned to their Castricum Rugby Club neighbours for advise and found rugbycoach and SAQ Advanced Trainer Martin Slagt ready to kick-start their movement development. Martin remembers "The hockey club contacted me for an eight week program till Christmas and I was confident I could boost their performance". "I know how well hockey girls can adapt from rugby clinics I run at schools in the Netherlands, so I was up for the challenge". The program was an instant success with the quality of movement of the girls improving and with renewed energy they re-entered the competition.

Martin: "We decided to continue in the New Year and I could extent the program and mix more hockey elements into it. Switching from hockey - sprinting for position - hockey became the natural next step". The season ended very positive with a solid position in the league but more important the big lesson for the girls that investing in yourself and doing extra work pays-off.

Martin Slagt who had coached the National Under 18 selection to an European Championship the season before enjoyed the hockey experience too. "I always mix in SAQ elements in my rugby programs, so why not hockey?". "The enthusiasm of the girls and their open minded approach to all the new and strange movement patterns I threw at them was a great experience. It was also good to detail an eight month SAQ program".

Key to the success were the hockey specific SAQ resources, the I-Diploma education and the use of video feedback.

The collaboration between the rugbycoach and the hockey club will continue. For next season Martin Slagt will work with two more youth teams. He will also educate other hockey coaches and organise SAQ programs as integral part of the work of all the youth teams. This is an important step for the hockey club developing their players and programs.

Train de Trainer, bij Cas R.C.

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