2016 was a fantastic year for the juniors at the THSG with every pupil seeing an improvement in performance across the year. Working both on and off the course we have supplied the juniors with a purpose lead program to coach and train them through differing ability levels. All juniors have embraced our growth mindset here at the THSG and shown great determination and passion to improve.
As ever we are always looking to improve our programme and going into 2017 we have an exciting announcement. We are adding to our team here at the THSG and building a relationship between ourselves and Carbon Conditioning which is a local company that specialises in science led strength and conditioning in young athletes. Jon Hughes who is the director of Carbon Conditioning has over 10 years experience working with young athletes in all sports, including rugby, cycling and ice hockey. Jon is an accredited coach with the United Kingdom Strength and Conditioning Association (UKSCA) and has a PhD in exercise physiology. Jon is currently a programme director of an MSc in Strength and Conditioning, much of this role has seen Jon involved in collaborative research projects with many professional sports clubs in the UK, Spain and Czech Republic that have been investigating training strategies in academy level athletes and how best to inform their training whilst minimising the risk of injury from over training.
The golf swing as a movement is one of the most explosive actions in sport, golf fitness has certainly become more of a focus professionally over the last 5 years with players like Rory Mcilroy leading the way.
Why is strength conditioning important in young athletes?? Enhancing the physical abilities of athletes during childhood and adolescence will maximise athletic success at an adult age. There exist critical windows of opportunity when youth athletes are more sensitive to training-induced adaptation. These windows are linked to periods of naturally occurring accelerated adaptation of physical systems. A strategic approach to youth athlete development will therefore consider maturational status. Strength and Conditioning training is important to limit dysfunctional movement patterns that compound the occurrence of injury. Most soft tissue injuries seen in golf (lower back, hamstring, tendons) can be avoided by adhering to injury risk reduction strategies, which include strengthening stabilising muscles.
We strongly believe that this type of relationship with a professional like Jon will help us deliver a more thorough approach in our coaching.
We plan to use Jon and his company to help develop basic movement patterns in all our juniors that will help them not just in the sport they play but in their every day lifestyle as they grow. A key area that we will focus on with our juniors is injury prevention, which is at the forefront of our minds.
Jon’s sessions are practical and fun and will run alongside our Saturday & Sundays sessions at 11am-12-30pm, the cost of these sessions are £10 per child. He will also work alongside the THSG in our performance days throughout the year.
Forging this type of relationship is a very exciting venture for the THSG. Jon and his team will provide a key link in what is a highly important area of improving performance and preventing injury in the game.
To find out more about our Junior program please visit our website by clicking here
