It is, what I can only describe to you as my honour to be able to introduce you to an amazing young sportsman by the name of Hadley Pressley. Hadley is currently taking advice from Linford Christie (amongst other superb trainers!) at Brunel University, where he is working hard for his degree in Sport Science and Coaching.
Hadley is a Sprinter and already at the tender age of 19 a rather promising, almost ‘natural born’, Coach.
Check out Hadley’s Coaching Qualifications to-date: • UKA Level One Athletics Coach (Studying for level two!) • Sports Leader Certificate Level 2 Community Sports Leader • Sports Coach UK Safeguarding and Protecting Children • FA Online Learning Fitness in Football Level 1 • FA Online Learning Coaching Children • FA Online Learning Planning, Preparing and Evaluating Coaching Sessions • FA Online Learning Player and Match Analysis • FA Online Learning Child Protection • FA Online Learning Futsal Laws of the Game • FA Online Learning Laws of the Game • FA Online Learning Soccer Camp Coaches I’m not sure if you’ll remember, but I did briefly mention in a previous article that Hadley and Stephanie Gaynor (another of the Mears Group’s protégées) ran a Coaching day at St.George’s School in Broadstairs. Stephanie kindly attended to help Hadley train the youngsters and to present some workshops of her own. The training day explored sprinting and coaching but also gave the children the opportunity to ask the Mears Future Champions questions about just what it’s like to be a real athlete. The day was a huge success and Hadley told me that Stephanie truly inspired some of the girls to start running on a more serious level.
We are fortunate that Hadley has kindly shared with us the coaching plan that he implemented with Stephanie – Take a look!
When I asked Hadley what impact the Mears Group had had upon his running career so far he responded with the following:
‘If I didn’t have Mears’ support then I can honestly say that I wouldn’t still be running…’
Whilst this is wonderful in so many ways, the sad truth is that many of our potential great athletes are forced to give up their hopes and dreams due to the lack of financial support available to them. Whilst the Mears Group are undoubtedly doing sterling work they simply cannot provide for every promising young athlete in the UK!
Anyway… Moving swiftly on (before I leap onto the soapbox I keep tucked under my desk for just this kind of occasion!)
Several times during my interview with Hadley he returned to the subject of Dwain Chambers.
Hadley on Dwain:
‘Dwain Chambers inspires me because he was a drug cheat and was banned, but after he completed his ban he carried on training and running. Dwain has made sure that he’s the best in England and one of the best in the world and hits to try and get his place back in the GB squad all the time. I feel this is the determination that every athlete needs to make it to the top of a sport, a will power to be the best through pure training and hard work, since coming back from his ban this is what Dwain has done…’
Hadley’s Results from 2010 and 2011:
2010 Kent Indoor Championships 2010 - 200m - 3rd - Bronze Medal 18th April 2010 - National Junior League Cambridge Harriers - 100m, 200m and 4x100m 8th May 2010 - Kent Championships - Under 20`s 200m 9th May 2010 - Kent Championships - Under 20`s 100m - 8th 23rd May 2010 - National Junior League Medway - 100m, 200, and 4x100m 27th June 2010 - National Junior League Dartford - 100m, Long Jump and 4x100m 4th July 2010 - East Kent Street Athletics Finals - 1st Under 20`s
2011 5th Feb 11 Windsor, Slough, Eton and Hounslow AC Winter Series Open Meet - 60m 5th 9th Feb 11 Inter Varsity Match Birmingham - 60m - 5th Hadley’s Personal Info and Stats
Club - Invicta East Kent Events - 60m, 100m and 200m Personal Bests - 60m - 7.55 sec 100m - 11.50 sec 200m - 23.90 sec
2010 saw Hadley win the Thanet Schools Sports Sporting Achievement award and he was also nominated for sports personality of year award for Thanet! Hadley won the Street Athletics East Kent finals for the third year running and made it to the national finals making that achievement three in a row. He made the semi finals of that competition for the second time and only missed out on a final spot by a whisker. Hadley came 8th in the 100m under 20`s Kent Championships final in May and took the bronze in the 200m Indoor Kent Championships in Feb. In 2011 he made the University squad at the Inter Varsity match at Birmingham arena.
Hadley currently trains with Harry King who is an Ex GB coach at Brunel. He uses the fantastic facilities at the University’s High Performance Indoor Centre and recent performances have seen him steadily improve his times.
Aaaaaand… this is how he does it!
Training Hadley trains 6 days a week for around 3 hours a day. Monday - Sand pit Training; circuits or weights Tuesday - Track session; circuits and or weights Wednesday - Track session; Technical running; Plyometrics; circuits and or weights Thursday - Track session; circuits and or weights Friday - Circuits Saturday – Rest Day…Phew!!! Sunday - Hill session; Track session; Plyometrics; weights and or circuits (Gulp)
An Example of Hadley’s training week:
Monday - sandpit (high knee forwards and backwards, shuttle runs, jumps, on spot running, burpees, tuck jumps) and Circuits 3 sets 20 sec each exercise (press ups, sit ups, squats, burpees, high knees, push press, med ball drills.
Tuesday - 6x 200m and 5x 40m and circuits 3 set 20 reps each exercise (press ups, Squats, hamstring lifts, tuck jumps, triceps’ dips)
Wednesday - Hurdle drills, technical runs, plyo`s with med ball, driving out runs, circuits 2x press ups, med ball sit ups, rope jumps, split jumps, bicep curls, burpees, hamstring bridge, high knees, tuck jumps.
Thurday - 4 x 150m and same circuit session as Tuesday
Kent Championships 14th and 15th May 2011 South of England Championships June 18th and 19th 2011 Senior Men League Races May 7th Wimbledon June 4th Brighton July 9th Horsham July 30th Awaiting Details August 13th Canterbury Invicta East Kent Open Meets June 21st 2011 May 17th 2011 April 19th 2011 July 16th 2011 August 16th 2011 Sept 20th 2011
We’d like to thank Hadley for taking the time out from his VERY hectic schedule to talk to us and for his generosity in sharing one of his coaching plans with us. We at mashsport HQ are hoping that he’ll join us in a coaching capacity on one of our Skills Camps in the very near future!
In addition to being a blindin’ sportsman, Hadley is in fact a very nice bloke. We like him, Mears like him and one day he’ll have the whole of Great Britain cheering him on to Gold.
Right To Play's Ride to the Tour London to Nantes, France! 29th June - 2nd July 2011 Four days – 350 grueling miles
Have you heard of the amazing ‘Right to Play’ organisation? No? Well you should have! RTP share so very many of the same principles as mashsport that we’ve simply got to love ‘em! (And so will you…)
Check out a brief overview of Right to Play’s philosophy:
RTP Mission
To improve the lives of children in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the world by using the power of sport and play for development, health and peace.
RTP Vision
To create a healthier and safer world through the power of sport and play.
RTP Values
Right To Play’s values reflect the best practices of sport and play.
(Courtesy of Right to Play)
Respect. (Courtesy of Sacha Baron Cohen aka Ali G)
Ok, now the main purpose of this little article is to draw your attention to one of RTP’s forthcoming events. Our Gomars (Andy Gomarsall MBE) is currently training like a demon in order to successfully cycle his way from London to Nantes to raise shed loads of money for RTP. (Good job Gomars has been keeping himself in great shape coaching the mashsport rugby Skills Camps!) As you may be aware however, he’ll be punishing a whole different set of muscle groups during this awesome fundraising venture. If you should happen to see Andy out and about training on his bike then please do give him a wave and encourage him along!
The big ride will be setting off from the home of Harlequins R.F.C. (The Stoop) and is going to be led out by our very own Gomars who will be one of the two hundred riders expected to participate.
Good and very good.
PS Gomars will also be taking part in this year’s London Marathon!
(I’ll try and prise out of him the details of his training schedule for your general perusal).
PPS If you would like to be one of those two hundred London to Nantes Superstars then hop over the RTP website and get yourself signed up now!
Results of the inaugural mashsport Friday Night Lights 7's Rugby Schoolboy Elite Tournament:
Colston's School (Bristol) took the Cup title defeating Sedbergh School 34-5....
Whitgift School (Croydon) hoisted the Plate competition beating Brighton College 31-14.
In the Vase final St Edward's (Oxford) beat Bromsgrove School 34-15.
Colston's Alex Haynes was awarded the Player of the Tournament after scoring a hattrick of tries in the final. What a star!
Congratulations not only to all of the above but to every team who took part on Friday, as far as we are concerned at mashsport HQ you are all WINNERS!
To read the full tournament report click on the brightly coloured rugby ball below why dontcha? You can't miss it! Look!