Spotlight on U20 to senior transition during coach symposium in Oregon

The coach symposium during the World U20 Championships in Oregon (© World Athletics Media Academy MCayden Marlar)

How to guide the transition from world-class U20 to elite senior athlete was the focus of the coach symposium – ‘The Bridge to Sustainable Excellence’ – held during the World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon 26.

More than 120 coaches and 181 online viewers from around the world gathered on the final day of competition (9 August) to hear from leading experts in athletics and to share ideas and build community.

Keynote addresses from World Athletics President Sebastian Coe and Coaches’ Commission Chair Frank Dick kicked off the four-hour programme that featured talks by Peter Thompson, Kim Cousins and Jim Radcliffe. The day concluded with a panel discussion between the speakers and four-time Olympic medallist turned coach and broadcaster Ato Boldon. The symposium and panel were moderated by Olympic sprinter Barbara Petráhn, a member of the Coaches’ Commission.

International coach Thompson opened the talks with a session on career management – ‘Saving the talent, navigating the “danger zone” (ages 19-22)’.

Olympic and Paralympic coach Cousins then gave a talk titled ‘Are you prepared to win? Planning and periodisation for winning performance’.

When asked why these symposiums are integral and what it means for her to be involved, Cousins said: “I love coaches' education. Coaches before me taught me.

“These coaching symposiums allow us to come together from all over the world, to share information, to share scenarios, and to share stories. If we can help each other grow, it only makes a sport grow in itself. It’s an incredible honour to be able to share information and talk with folks around the world, and celebrate track and field.”

Kim Cousins speaks during the coach symposium in Oregon (© World Athletics Media Academy MCayden Marlar)

The final talk of the day, by biomechanics expert Radcliffe, was on the ever-growing world of AI and its role in track and field: ‘AI-powered biomechanics in the field – smartphone analysis for technical precision?’

“When you think about all the different coaches throughout the world, or even throughout the US, the one thing, especially about track and field, is there's a certain approach to everything in terms of how it's coached, how it's planned,” he said. “So, the more people that can share their views on it and the different ways they go about getting to the same goal and objective, is just helpful for everybody.

“All the coaching education is basically giving people more understanding – whether they agree with it or whether they disagree with it, it's still understanding, which leads to more control over how athletes can develop and perform.”

The panel, titled ‘The modern athlete blueprint: scaling sustainable elite careers’, was full of lively discussion. It was driven by questions and comments from the various coaches in attendance, highlighting the information sharing and community-driven coaching education that is the beating heart of the symposium.

With a blend of in-person and online learning through the Education Hub, development is central to the World Athletics vision for the global growth of athletics.

This commitment is implemented through a range of innovative programmes and activities that align with the World Plan for Athletics 2022-2030 and Pioneering Change 2024-2027.

Nicole Montello for the World Athletics Media Academy