Athletic Performance Internship

Athletic Performance Internship at Brumbies

This was the biggest decision that I made in 2012.
I had this opportunity through Brumbies - University Canberra (UC) connection as UC has become Brumbies' main sponsor.

As Japanese, having experience at Super 15 franchise is tremendous opportunity. Knowledge in sport science I have learned at UC has becomes integral part of me to understand what the purpose is and the reason of why. Thanks lectures at UC for giving me a great chance to learn sport science.
Brumbies coaching staffs has been described as one of the best coaching staffs and the quality, therefore the program has been well recognized in AUS.

The details they have faced at each day and things I can see what's happening, have been an incredible learning opportunity. I am fortunate to continue the internship 2012-2013 season which hopefully I will be able to gain more detailed information about how the coaching structure effectively work and what makes difference between a great program and a good program.

I have worked under Dean Benton's performance unit as the intern and his open approach, players first thinking and carefully detailed his planning (which I want to know more about) in my point of view, are the good surprises that I see the most of days at Brumbies' performance gym.

There are a few inputs who played in Japan, as well as players who can speak Japanese in this current squad. As 2 Japanese players have gained contract from S15 teams in 2013, Japanese domestic players should start aiming for the special opportunity in their mind. The top league in Japan becomes a part of resources for AUS rugby, as well as NZ, SA and a few European countries which may be the one way of making Japanese or Japanese national team stronger.
Next Challenge Japanese has to face, will be a coaching export. How Japanese coaches can gain a contract from oversea's teams? Players & Coaches, we are all in the world rugby scene, so why not, Japanese coach should develop their aspiration to become premier coach in overseas. That's what I am thinking and what I'm aiming for.

I had an opportunity to sit on bench at S15 match last season.
I have never expected it happens in any ways in my whole life. My next long term goal is to reach the level as real staff member in the future  and experiencing as close feeling as this. 

Thanks always  Dean san, Gavin san, Ben san who have allowed me to learn so many aspect of athletic performance in 2012.
I'll keep learning and being hungry in the learning environment.

How can I make players more athletic?
The challenge officially has been started in 2012.

 

Rugby Coaching at Radford

Rugby Coaching - Radford College


Another challenge I faced in this 2012 season was that I also involved in Radford College 1st XV rugby team as ass-coach.

I had been coaching past 3 seasons at Radford College where I met so many young rugby players who have a passion to improve and desire to steal a win against stronger oppositions.

If there was regret in my performance as rugby coach in 2012, it would be a fact that I could watch only 1 game for Radford boy's game. I had no option but missing the games due to Uni-North 1st grade coaching duty I had. However, I managed to teach the boys 1/week in gym and 1/week on field which I could see the boy's improvement throughout the season.
However, boys struggled this season and the fact that I can not watch their game was a frustration I had.

The biggest reason of why I love to coach them at Radford were, boys are really good, smart, and keen to improve, and also Richard Browning who has been the 1st XV head coach for a long time. His approach to players is totally different to what I have experienced as player and as coach. His feed forward positive approach was something that kept me in the team.



How can coach/teacher grow young people in very positive manner?
I guess, things I learned in the college would lead me to right direction to the answer.
He has not missed the opportunity for boys to improve and it is not just about rugby skills & knowledge but their personal development.
How young boys like them becomes responsible person who has strong pride in their heart, therefore becomes more gentle and a kind for others in their future lives.

It is not same learning curve as I felt at uni-north but definitely he was my role model in the way he faced to boys.




When to say something, when not, knowing this is just a great skills to have as a coach.
What approach is the most appropriate for different age grade and different setting? Things I have learned in this school is not just skills & knowledge as coach but good human being.

Huge thanks to boys & parents, Richard and Radford College for 2012 season.

I have to keep developing the skills as coach.

Rugby Coaching at Uni-North Owls

Rugby Coaching - Uni-North

In 2012, I had a massive challenge in ACT as rugby coach.

It was my first time challenge as 1st grade ass-coach in ACT Premier rugby union competition.
As a coach, I have to look back what I could have done better for boys & the club as we were just a few point behind from semi-final at the end of season which uni-north club has not achieved recent years.
Richard's influential approach which shocked a few coaches as well as players in a good manner at the beginning of season was really effective to individualize uni-north rugby club in ACT rugby competition.

How can we attract players?
How can we maintain our strong 1st grade appearance consistently?
He showed me the one of answers from his approach which differentiates this club from other well resourced clubs in playing style, club philosophy, strategy, tactics etc......

Without doubt, he influenced me a lot in many ways.
I hope he does not mind being my mentor for my future challenge.

To conclude as a coach at Uni-North club in 2012, APPRECIATION is the word that I would like to use for anyone who involved in this club in 2012 season.
Without boys' help, I would not be able to manage the training routine, game performance well above outsider's expectation. Thanks for leadership group who stood up for the team.
I also have to acknowledge the club committee, coaches/managers at each grade who allowed me to coach a half of season as acting head coach.

Big Big Learning Curve in this year as person as coach.

What could I have done better?
How can I transfer this experience to future setting?

The only answer I know is to keep challenging.

Performance Update of Uni-North 1st grade

Rugby Coaching

R16 Vs Gungahlin at Nicoles was tough for us.

We had the first shut down game in this season, 0-35.

This season goes for 3 more games and still we possess slight chance for final stage ticket.

One great things happened today was that Alexander brothers played together (Ben & Hugh).

Ben san was in heavy duty from Wallabies and Brumbies, and could have a week off, if he decided to.

Thanks, Ben san. 

Your friendly approach in this club as well as personal coaching in scrum session has been a great help for boys in this club.

Learning process is always happening for me.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/alexanders-reunited-for-uninorths-20120727-22zqk.html

Rugby Boys from Japan in 2012

Rugby Boys from Japan in 2012

In the past 3-4 years, I have met a few Japanese players every season.
One is from University team, & others are from Senior team.

As I posted previously, I have involved a coaching job at Uni-North club and this season, we received 4 Japanese players from Japan. (3 stayed only couple of months)
I would like to put up some their effort during competition here.



They showed quality of performance and staying a just couple of months was too short for them to show what they can actually do on the field.

Against Queanbeyan game, they managed to fight against a few Brumbies Squad members which I'm sure that it would be a part of great experiences they had in Australia.


The youngest one who stayed whole season, will head to Scotland to play rugby for a couple of months before he moves back to Japanese university rugby training. He was the one who showed the greatest adaptation to situation.
Of course, he knew that he was going to stay here for a year, hence he must have managed his life well as well as developing his skills and physicality in rugby.




Hope the decision the young boy did make, will become more common in Japan.
Very brave decision and he has lived here very strong and tough with his new friends and coaches.

Performance Update of Uni-North 1st grade

Rugby Coaching

Yesterday, we had a massive defensive game against current 5th place Queanbeyan.
We are currently sitting at the 4th place which is minimum requirement for getting into final stage at the end of the season.

It was my third time first grade game as acting head coach while current head coach "Richard Shuttleworth" who has influenced me many aspects of coaching pedagogy, is away.
The three weeks made me much stronger and tougher as Japanese coach in Australia.

Also I realised how much player's willingness is important to team's outcome.
It changes attitude toward the game and a trust between players are necessary to function as a team.

I would like to thank to players, staffs and coaches who contribute countless and thoughtful effort to this team.

Players in the Uni-North owls team successfully managed the three games and now we have two weeks bye before five games toward the end of regular season in 2012 ACT Premiership Competition.

What can I do better?
How can I do it better?

My endless challenge.

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/owls-put-up-defensive-wall-20120630-21a4z.html

New Tools and GPS

New Tool & GPS Testing

I was encouraged to buy Macbook Pro for rugby coaching game analysis.
From this week, using these tools to provide game feedback to players.

I'm not sure how players react to it or how much information I can put in but this is a challenge that I love to face.

Technology seems to me a quite hard to use as I have been saying that I am analog person.
However, I have decided to expose myself a little more to digital world.

Maybe too late, but may be not. Who knows.

Richard took GPS testing with Uni-North Boys about decision making in rugby.
How a field size effects to player's decision making.
When we accelerate and decelerate before contact zone etc.......
So many things learn in this age, My brain can not stop working.

http://www.rfu.com/news/2012/december/newsarticles/051212_shuttleworth


These are my websites that I have tried to use, please check them.

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/hitoshi-ipponsugi/42/362/721
http://about.me/ipponsugi

I guess this is a result of taking this subjects.

Keith have kindly introduced these technologies to me during this semester and I finally realized that I need to face to this.

Again, not sure how long it lasts but 2012 is a good year to start new way of coaching.


Let's use it!!

Performance Update of Uni-North 1st grade

Rugby Coaching

This is update post for thier performance.
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/owls-win-with-firsthalf-flurry-20120428-1xs3z.html

This season has been a fantastic challenge for me to work with them.
I would like to transfer skills that I have learned from this unit for communication between players and myself, including game feedback.

What can I do?
How can I do it better?

Many fantastic challenges.

Japanese Rugby 2011, Performance Analysis Presentation

Rugby Union Performance Analysis

At early this year, I presented my research work at conference which I have never expected to happen in my whole life.
Life has a full of taste if we keep trying hard on what we do.
As a undergraduate student, it was one of my greatest challenges I have ever made in academic world.
Thanks Keane, for giving me the great challenge and helping me to present this research during your busy time period.



I analysed a performance in Japanese rugby union team in 2011, including rugby world cup in NZ.
By doing performance analysis in rugby union, I found interesting fact and knowledge that I might be able to transfer for my future coaching.

I am really not sure whether I can ever make this happen or not but it is worth to try again in my future.

During our Thailand visit, there was Thailand 7's competition and managed to see Japan 7's team.
I also had a few surprises in the venue.
1, I met a female referee who I met at the conference. Hope she will be leading Thailand referees in the future.
2, Japan played against Laos that Mr. Matsuo from JRFU has coached for.


3, Toda referee was here as one of the referees. While I was playing for Shokki Shuttles about 7 years ago in Japan, he was one of referees that we got quite a lot. Thanks Toda san, had a good chat.


Ipponsugi, H., and Wheeler, K. W. (2012) Attacking effectiveness of Japanese fast paced rugby in 2011, The Journal of Sports Science and Health (Supplement): (S42 - S54).

http://www.canberra.edu.au/faculties/health/courses/sport-studies/sport-studies-staff-profiles/wheeler-keane

Expert Padagogue "John Wooden"

Expert Padagogue

This week's coaching pedagogy lecture was about USA bascketball coach "John Wooden". http://www.coachwooden.com/

There are a few quotes of  John R. Wooden that I felt very important for my coaching.

1, Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best that you are capable of becoming

2, What you are as a person is far more improtant than what you are as basketball player

3, You haven't taught until they have learned

I personaly need to re-visit this website to see what the details are and what I can learn from his journey.

Every sports has principles of attack and defence.
Each unit I study at here UC has principle of something.

My journey is to look for the principle of coaching and how I can use this for helping young player to become confident as player and person.

Again, I am still far away from the expert pedagogues.
Keep challenging.

Kiama 7's with Uni-North Selects

Kiama 7's

At the beginning of 2012 season, we head to Kiama to play Kiama 7's competition.

In AUS, 7's is a part of pre-season training/trial game or possibly team bonding trip that rugby club can utilize. Especially, players in Canberra, including me do not play in a situation where sunny & warm weather with beach near rugby field.
Play a game and head to beach as recovery ? fun ? was our routine.



We succeeded to move on to knock out stage where we faced champion team "Kiama in" which was formed by all Fijian players.
Despite of audience's expectation, we defend really well and a quick counter attack with enough support which increased our chance of off-loading pass was effective enough to threaten the big Fijian units. Unfortunately, we lost the game by a little point but this competition (7's game) opened up boys' attacking sense to identify a space, also reaction ability from other supporters to attack the gap with the ball carrier to complete a lime-break was happened a lot during the game.

Supporters around the ground would be surprised by our performance and I am sure they enjoyed that fact about smaller guys from Canberra almost killed big Fijian power house.

As a coach, we had a little preparation but throughout the competition, players adopted well the situation where a space they have to cover/attack is massive and well sensed team can threaten defense line without hesitation. We headed to home with a great achievement and feeling.

I personally really enjoyed this environment where all challenges were accepted and players had no hesitation to give a shoot.
7s sharpens up player's decision making and as training process goes, this will be a great way to develop player's fitness and awareness of space and support.

Great competition with good weather!!

Coaching Feed forward/back

Does augmented feedback degrade learning?

There are so many types of information from coaches to players available these days as coaches are becoming more educated and academically well developed. However, is the more feedback we provide, the better coach we become?  An article Keith showed during lecture questioned my deep into my heart. As a foreign rugby coach in this big sporting country, I have been dealing with language as the most of second language speakers would experience in any situations of our lives in foreign country.

Richard A. Schmidt's article described that augmented feedback as extrinsic feedback is beneficial but the effect was based on presence of feedback.
What if there was no feedback for players, during rugby union game where coaches are not allow to communicate to players, except half-time.
Can they still play better in the game situation without the feedback?
He described two variables of learning outcome, learning effects(permanent) & performance effects(temporary) and the most of feedback effects were performance based effects which was said more temporary.
Therefore, during training phase, players need to expose themselves to the situation where feedback are not present. How can we provide situation where players can learn and develop their playing literature in their head and heart without having frequent feedback?

Bandwidth feedback maybe the one I can use. Set area of performance level, skill level or decision making where I can allow players to make mistake and if they made mistake outside of the area, provide feedback for them. Therefore, as training goes, the frequency of feedback should be reduced and players will be more independent to run the session. Also it reported that more stable for acquisition phase and produced more effective performance in later so for junior developmental players, at early stage, providing specific feedback for motor learning development might be better option.

Augmented feedback tends to provide information to players, what was wrong and how to fix it which have never happened during rugby union match. If the augmented feedback is the best of player's information source, it better be for enhancing specific performance in acquisition phase, otherwise, the feedback might degrade player's learning.

This was one information I got it as unit learning outcome.

Less is better?
How can I make the situation happening?
I require more experience and learning from experts.

Starting Blog

Starting Blog

I finally decided to start this blog for passing unit of Coaching Pedagogy at Univercity of Canberra.
The post will be based on what I studied in the unit and write down how I can use the idea and knowledge to my actual coaching situation.

Taking slow step forward and sometimes allowing myself to step backward are current my situation.

I will keep my eyes open for opportunities I will have in this unit and hope I can be better coach at the end of this unit.