AUT Millenium MAGAZINE - Sept-Nov 2018

magazine

FOCUS On CROSS TRAINING HEALTHY ACTIVE KIDS EXERCISE AS MEDICINE SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

BE THE BEST YOU CAN BE

OUR MISSION AUT Millennium is a charitable trust established to help New Zealanders live longer and

healthier

lives and to enjoy and excel in sport through the provision of world-class facilities, services, research and education

2

JUNE - AUGUST 2018

Contents TITLE

PAGE

Message from the CEO, Mike Stanley .............................................................................................4 Friends of AUT Millennium ...........................................................................................................5 AUT Millennium Happenings........................................................................................................ 6 The Pre Breakfast Club ................................................................................................................8 A collection of our Everyday Champions ........................................................................................9 In the gym to swim ................................................................................................................... 10 AUT Millennium scholarship athletes give back to youngsters...........................................................12 Speedo Eco Fabric..................................................................................................................... 14 Jenna’s new adventure............................................................................................................... 15 5 ways swimmers can avoid injury when running ........................................................................... 16 Community Group Fitness Timetable ............................................................................................17 Exercise is medicine: How prescribed exercise helps disease prevention and management ................. 18 Getting in the water with Dad ..................................................................................................... 22 Cadio exercise: The long and short of it ........................................................................................ 24 HealthZone Highlights: Swimmer’s Shoulder ................................................................................ 25 Former Silver Fern growing the game in Hong Kong....................................................................... 26 What do young athletes really need? ........................................................................................... 28 The science of board sports .......................................................................................................30 Minute with a member .............................................................................................................. 32 New Zealand to New York – Stephen’s running journey ................................................................... 33 North Harbour Water Polo Club .................................................................................................. 34 North Harbour Bays Athletics Club .............................................................................................. 35 NorthSport Olympic Weightlifting ............................................................................................... 36 North Shore Swimming .............................................................................................................. 37 Spotlight on the 2018 AUT Millennium Scholarship Athletes ............................................................ 38

SWIM SCHOOL

SKILLS FOR LIFE START HERE

BOOK YOUR FREE ASSESSMENT TODAY! P: 09 477 2074 autmillennium.org.nz/strongswimmers SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

3

Message from the CEO, Mike Stanley Welcome to the latest edition of the AUT Millennium Magazine, which brings you in-depth stories on some of the activities taking place in our community, the people behind them and what’s coming up.

We hope you enjoy it.

Over the 15 year partnership with Nestlé, we have been able to produce a wide range of resources focussed on healthy living – nutrition, exercise and wellbeing. As part of the partnership, we have been running the Nestlé Healthy Active Kids days with primary schools selected from throughout Auckland who enjoy an “AUT Millennium experience day” and learn about healthy eating and the benefits of exercise through activity based sessions. They also get to meet some of the stars training here. The feedback has been fantastic, with the children and their teachers energised and inspired by the experience.

Recently we resigned our partnership with Speedo as Aquatics apparel sponsor, which allows us to stock the most comprehensive range of aquatics apparel and accessories, in store and online. As part of the partnership we are able to provide a 10% discount to members of the Foundation Clubs (North Shore Swimming Club, North Harbour Water Polo, NorthSport Olympic Weightlifting and North Harbour Bays Athletics Club) as well as our Swim School families and Gym members.

Earlier this year we recognised two very important groups of the AUT Millennium community. We hosted an awards evening for our Scholarship Athletes and their families, recognising their achievements and the contribution of those who coach and support them. Not long after, longstanding Gym members were treated to a post-Commonwealth Games champagne breakfast, which saw a great turnout.

4

AUT Millennium makes a significant contribution to the developing best practice in youth athlete development.

For many years now we have run the Athlete Development academy, which helps young athletes master fundamental movement skills and increase their knowledge and understanding in a wide range of topics that influence their performance. Recently the Sir Graeme Avery Speaker Series commenced, which focused on teenage athletes. The sessions featured presentations from experts in nutrition, strength and conditioning and exercise physiology, providing their perspective on how best to prepare teenage athletes for success, while staying healthy and injury free.

SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

Recently, AUT Millennium Athlete Development Director Dr Craig Harrison presented at the United Kingdom Strength and Conditioning Association’s annual conference, alongside other experts in the youth athlete development field. Shortly, Craig and Ken Lynch (High Performance Sport NZ) will represent New Zealand at the Oceania symposium on Long Term Athlete Development in Fiji.

Recently we welcomed Squash NZ and Triathlon NZ, who have chosen AUT Millennium for their head office operations, bringing the number for national sports organisations based on-site to eight.

Surfing, a new sport on the Olympic programme, now also has a presence at AUT Millennium. Dr Oliver Farley has been working with Surfing New Zealand to establish a high performance programme, ensuring our surfers have the best possible support to perform at the highest level. Alongside a coach and sports psychologist, athletes like Paige Hareb and Ella Williams are being exposed to processes and techniques to boost their performance. The hope is the programme will be flourishing in order to help emerging surfers perform consistently on the World Tours and in future Olympic campaigns.

During September, AUT Millennium helped host the International Society of Biomechanics in Sport (ISBS) Conference, which attracted over 300 sports scientists from around the world. The conference is an annual event for the presentation of academic research in sport biomechanics. This year’s Conference Chair was AUT University’s Dr Patria Hume, who, along with her organising team, prepared an outstanding programme of presentations and practical sessions spanning four days.

During the conference, Sir Graeme Avery was recognised with the ISBS Honour Award for his contribution to sports biomechanics. When establishing AUT Millennium, Sir Graeme insisted that sports science be integrated with sports practice, resulting in AUT’s University’s Sport Performance Research Institute New Zealand (SPRINZ) as well as the national training centre for high-performance sport and site of High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ) being based here. He is now establishing a similar facility in the Hawke’s Bay. Some of you will have noticed that the very familiar face of Steve Lindsay has been absent for some time. With over 17 years of continuous service to AUT Millennium, Steve took the opportunity of taking his long service leave and with wife Mandy has been touring Italy and Croatia. We wish them both all the very best.

We look forward to seeing you around the facility as the warmer weather returns.

Friends of AUT Millennium

FREIGHT - PACKAGING

WAREHOUSING - OTHER SHIT

FREIGHT - PACKAGING

LOGISTICS

FREIGHT - PACKAGING

LOGISTICS

FREIGHT - PACKAGING

We are truly appreciative to the following local businesses for their support.

WAREHOUSING - OTHER SHIT

WAREHOUSING - OTHER SHIT

WAREHOUSING - OTHER SHIT

Our Friends are very important to us as they understand our vision and mission, and their support enables us to provide world-class facilities to our community and New Zealand’s future sporting stars.

LOGISTICS

LOGISTICS

LOGISTICS

LOGISTICS

As a charitable trust, with the support our valued partners and stakeholders, we have built a diverse and aspirational community in high performance and community sport, research, education, health and wellness.

International Freight Customs Storage and Warehousing International Freight Customs Storage and Warehousing

LOGISTICS

LOGISTICS

SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

5

AUT Millennium Happenings

September - November 2018

The winter months don’t slow down the AUT Millennium community! Between amateur and professional sporting events, Gym challenges and Swim School professional development, it’s been another busy quarter for members and staff alike.

May saw us celebrate the Class of 2018 AUT Millennium Scholarship Athletes. Recipients are promising and high performing athletes from our four foundation clubs; North Harbour Water Polo, North Shore Swimming, NorthSport Olympic Weightlifting and North Harbour Bays Athletics.

The evening featured talks from AUT Millennium CEO Mike Stanley and Olympic and Commonwealth athlete Tracey Lambrechs, who both know the commitment required for top level sport. It was also a chance for the group to mix and network with other athletes from different disciplines, sharing stories about their training and goals for the year.

As one of the host venues of the Pan Pacific Youth Water Polo Championships, AUT Millennium was busy throughout the July school holidays. With over 150 teams from around the Pacific region, the tournament was billed as the largest water polo event in the Southern Hemisphere. North Harbour Water Polo was again a strong performer at the tournament – read about their successes on pg 34.

The U12 Jelly Belly Water Polo and Swimming New Zealand Open Championships were two other significant events held over the past quarter. The success of both of these events, despite being at opposite ends of the competitive spectrum, 6

SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

Tracey Lambrechs speaks to the 2018 AUT Millennium Scholarship Athletes.

is the embodiment of our purpose in action – no matter your age or ability, AUT Millennium exists to help you be the best you can be.

Swim School teachers were embracing this concept during a ‘teach the teacher’ session with Roly Crichton, coach of Paralympic swimming champion Sophie Pascoe. Roly was on-site sharing his experience and insights on how best to connect, teach and empower young swimmers.

Out of the pool, we also hosted the Rod Kennedy Cup

Classic in August, where 49 weightlifters competed to qualify for various national and international events.

NorthSport was represented by eight lifters and three coaches, bringing home two gold medals, three silver and two bronze.

Some paving projects have been completed to help with access around the facility. The access road to Accommodation has been repaired and allocated to medical, parent and athlete parking. The pedestrian pathway linking the back of the facility to Windsor Park and Rangitoto College has been revived, thanks to a widened pathway and freshly-planted native trees.

Before the end of the year, there are several projects to be wrapped up. In preparation for the new athletics season, there are funding applications in place to replace the takeoff boards for the long jump and triple jump areas. We are also looking to replace the tops of the steeplechase hurdles.

Work on the pavilion, stadium doors and padlocks will allow one-key entry for athletics facility users.

A gracious thank you to Constellation Communities Trust for their ongoing funding support.

Roly Crichton spends time with Swim School staff.

To show appreciation for AUT Millennium Gym members, the Gym team hosted two well-attended events. A Champagne Breakfast in June was an opportunity to celebrate and thank loyal, longstanding members. Members heard from CEO Mike Stanley, and Tracey Lambrechs, a well-known face around the Gym, who shared some Commonwealth Games stories with the group. At the end of August, a fondue night was held where over 100 members enjoyed cheese and chocolate while mingling and getting competitive in some fun games. Inside the gym, our members have been having fun tackling the respective fitness challenges recently – rowing, dumbbell holds and the Six Week Challenge with a boxing element.

There have been a few film crews on-site over the past couple of months, so keep an eye on the television to see if you can pick out AUT Millennium and the National Aquatic Centre in the Spark and Powerade commercials!

Keep an eye out for the next AUT Millennium Open Day! Encourage friends and family to come along and get involved in all the Gym has to offer, including trying some group fitness classes, free samples and the chance to chat with our fitness professionals. Our next Open Day is planned for Saturday 20 October.

The following pages are filled with stories about the people who make up the wider AUT Millennium community. We hope you enjoy learning more about the people who you see around the Gym, in the pool, in the clinics and behind the counters. It is people who bring the vibrant, friendly atmosphere to our facility, so don’t be afraid to try something new and say hi to the faces you see day-to-day, week-to-week!

KEY DATES FOR THE COMING QUARTER •

New Zealand Water Polo U12 Tournament of Olympic Hopefuls 21 – 23 September

•

School holidays 29 September – 14 October

•

Swimming New Zealand Short Course Championships 2 – 6 October

In May, longstanding Gym members were acknowledged at a special Champagne Breakfast.

From an operational standpoint, it’s been a busy quarter as well. The kitchen in the Finish Line conference room has had a new fitout and is sporting a sleek finish. We are in the process of replacing all internal spot lights with LED bulbs to aid with the energy efficiency within the facility. We have also added additional sensor lights between the Sports Hall and Accommodation to ensure safety in this area after dark.

•

Surf Lifesaving New Zealand Pool Rescue Championships 12 – 14 October

•

New Zealand Water Polo U16 & U18 National Championships 29 September – 3 October, 5 – 8 October

•

Labour Day 22 OctoberSEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

7

The Pre-Breakfast Club For many of us, Monday morning alarms are the most difficult of the week, especially in winter. It’s dark, cold and much easier to roll over and have another ten minutes in comfort.

Not so for a group of keen runners in the AUT Millennium community. They’re warmed up and ready to go by 6am on Mondays and Wednesdays, working on technique and strength under the watchful eye of experienced coach, Kiri Price. Rain or shine, the group come together and support each other through the sessions, working towards their individual goals, as well as enjoying a post-session group coffee.

For one member, Louise Oliver, the group has helped elevate her trail running. “I recently ran five-minute kilometres in my training run, which I’ve never done before,” Louise shares. “All throughout, I could hear Kiri’s voice in my head – ‘running arms!’ I was very conscious of my style. Kiri’s done more for me in that aspect than anyone ever has, it has done wonders for my running.”

Not originally from Auckland, Louise knew of Kiri through the wider running community, and came to know of the AUT Millennium Running Group through following Kiri online. A dedicated trail runner, Louise appreciates Kiri’s varied approach to training sessions to keep track running interesting. “Sometimes I find road running a bit boring, after being in the bush on the weekends,” she tells. “But Kiri’s sessions on the track are short and sharp, they’re focused on things which really help you in your longer distances.”

Monday sessions usually centre on recovering from weekend training runs or events, and look at runningspecific strength work and stretches. Wednesday sessions can feature anything from drills, intervals, time trials and fartlek training, although the group is currently working towards the Auckland Marathon in October. Coach Kiri encourages people to join the supportive group, as it can benefit all runners, no matter their ability or speed.

“Running on the track has many benefits,” she shares.

“It builds speed, confidence and gives structure to your training week. There’s no distractions or hazards, you know exactly how far you’re running, and you can concentrate on your form.”

Preferring the tranquillity of the forest to road running, Louise enjoys running in the peace of the Waitakeres, Riverhead, and Rotorua’s Redwood Forest. “I live for weekends in the bush,” she says with passion. “You 8

SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

can head into the bush on a Saturday, forgetting the world, and come out a different person. In trail running, you push yourself beyond what you think you’re capable of, and go through such personal growth. You have so much more confidence.”

Louise Oliver

That confidence has been boosted through the camaraderie of the group and Kiri’s support and advice.

“Everyone is here for different reasons,” Louise says.

“There’s no judgement on your ability, or what your goals are. You’re there to better yourself. It’s a great platform to enhance your personal running ability, and everyone is there to support that.” She finds additional motivation in some of the male runners. “I’ll never catch them,” she chuckles, “but it gives me a way to better myself, to measure my improvement.”

Louise recently ran a personal best for a 5km time trial.

“I couldn’t believe it,” she says with a laugh. “I burst into tears. Kiri kept saying ‘Lou, you’ve done it!’ but I still didn’t believe I had. In my personal running training, I used to run then walk, run then walk, but I don’t do that now. Kiri just has an amazing way of handling people. I’m now running in a different way, I’m stronger physically and mentally.”

With a plan to run the 60km Kepler Track in December, these breakthroughs have occurred at a great time for Louise. She’s seasoned in pushing through and achieving long distances, having completed the Tarawera Ultra Marathon in the past, and also completing a 70.3 Auckland Ironman after breaking her foot that morning.

Louise’s advice for those who struggle to avoid the snooze button is to focus on that finishing feeling. “A morning running session motivates you. Plus, it’s a beautiful spot, you see some lovely sunrises. A great way to start the day.”

AUT MILLENNIUM RUNNING GROUP • • • •

Mondays & Wednesdays 6-7am FREE for AUT Millennium Gym members $7 for casual sessions $55 for 10 session concession card, available from Main Reception.

A collection of our Everyday Champions @autmillennium #bethebestyoucanbe

@betherelive

@boost_coaching

@bradsmeele

@chanwon_lee

@danieldyet

@jazmyles

@kate.alice.herdman

@keeganpitcher_paraathlete

@stefniko_pt

@tayloredhealthnz

@northenmystics

@RebeccaDubber

Tag @autmillennium on Instagram for a chance to be featured! @triathlonfamily

@tylanathanwong

@northharbourwaterpolo SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

9

In the gym to swim!

It’s common to stick with what you know – comfortable surroundings, familiar processes, and same schedules. But for two AUT Millennium members, challenging themselves and trying something new is all in the aim of supporting their summer goals.

John Porter and Scott Woolf are passionate ocean swimmers who find themselves in the pool during the winter months to maintain their conditioning for summer events. As members of the Adult Swim Squad, they are in the water regularly working on technique and maintaining fitness, but they both know the added value of stepping into the gym – they’ve just had different journeys getting there.

John has been a member of AUT Millennium for so long he doesn’t actually remember when he started. “It’s been a long time,” he laughs. While his main use of the facility has been the pool, he’s always used the gym to complement his swimming. “Swimming is my passion, especially in the ocean, but if that’s all I did, I think I would get a little tired of it,” he says. “Coming to the gym breaks the routine.

It allows me to work other parts of the body which are important in swimming. It keeps me from getting stale or plateauing.”

It was an email reminder from the AUT Millennium team which prompted Scott to realise he wasn’t utilising the Gym as well as he could. “The email essentially said ‘You’ve not been to the gym in ages!’ and offered a few incentives to get back into it,” he recalls. “One of them was a Six Week Challenge, and I knew that would be good for me. You have Gym Instructors with you for six weeks, which was important to me. I’ve joined gyms in the past and had one intro session and not felt comfortable. This gave me the chance to learn, and to allow all their knowledge to stick.”

Quarterly Six Week Challenges are an opportunity for Gym members to boost their fitness, lose weight, learn new exercises and techniques, and try things they ordinarily 10 SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

would pass by. Motivated by the challenge aspect, Scott found himself requesting things he wasn’t comfortable with. “The team were flexible enough to change the programme for me, because I requested more weight work. I hated that the most, so I wanted to do more of that while I had the instructors to guide me.” The challenge notion certainly worked – he not only won the Six Week Challenge by losing the highest percentage of body fat, but also the Gym’s rowing challenge for the month of July.

For John, his most recent change up has been Spin class, after being encouraged to give it a shot by a fellow gymgoer. “He saw me warming up on a bike, and told me there was a Spin class starting in ten minutes,” he recalls. “So he roped me in, and it was 45 minutes of hell, but I loved it!”

While out of his comfort zone, John did identify similarities between Spin and Swim Squad. “There’s an instructor leading you all, and there are people around you, you’re all suffering together. There’s not a lot of chance for talking, but you’re in it together.”

That pull of the social aspect helps motivate John to come to the pool or head to the gym. “I turn up because I know other people are going to turn up,” he tells. “Whether it’s squad swimming or cycling, it helps because I’m with likeminded people.” This extends to Bay2Bay, a group of keen open water swimmers, including John and Scott, who meet weekly to head out into the water around the East Coast Bays. “We’re a group of all ages, males and females, who enjoy swimming out in the ocean,” John says. “We’ll swim from one bay to another, and then grab a coffee or brunch and enjoy each other’s company.” The only prerequisites to joining the Bay2Bay group is the ability to swim at least 2km. “Your pace doesn’t matter,” John encourages. “If you make the effort to turn up, we’ll make you feel welcome, and we’ll stay with you if you’re not comfortable in the ocean.”

GIVE IT A GO! Both Scott and John would encourage any AUT Millennium members to step outside their comfort zone, whether that’s pool members hitting the gym, or gym members taking the plunge in the pool. “Encouragement is the most important thing in getting someone to change their routine,” says John, “and I know, because that’s what happened to me. If I hadn’t have been encouraged to try Spin, I probably wouldn’t have really thought about it.”

To his fellow Swim Squadders, Scott assures that the Gym community is just as warm and welcoming as the aquatics family. “There’s the same environment between the gym members and staff as there is between the coach and a squad,” he shares. “There’s that respect and a real community feel, and I’ve not had that in other gyms.” John reiterates that every swimmer should give the gym a shot, to add variety and cross training into their weekly routine.

“You could turn up and just swim 1km a few times a week, but you’re not really improving,” he says. “You can improve your swimming with another form of fitness, get stronger and find something which works for you.” Scott adds, “Every swimmer I know is trying to get a little bit better, be it fitness or technique wise, and the Gym is going to support both of those.”

AUT Millennium Gym members have access to both pools on site, and John implores people to get outside their comfort zone. “Obviously it depends on your swimming ability, but in the Swim Squad there’s lanes for different speeds and abilities,” he says. “Improving your swimming, or even learning to swim, is a great challenge. For both body and mind, it’s use it or lose it, so don’t limit yourself.”

For those intimidated by joining a squad, Scott says there’s no reason to stay away. “It’s a comfortable environment at the National Aquatic Centre, and there’s a raft of options, like Deep Water Running, for something different. The key is to remember, you’re not there to win – you’re there to get better and fitter.”

Gym manager Maria Calderon is thrilled to see John trying other forms of group fitness, and how Scott’s taken to being back in the gym environment. “Whenever any member varies their workout and steps out of their comfort zone, it’s great,” she says. “It’s great for our Gym staff to get to know our aquatics members and vice versa! The Gym team are on hand to help in any way, and introduce you to a service you’re not familiar with.”

With summer approaching, both Scott and John are looking forward to new events. The popular Ocean Swim Series has rejigged their lineup, and includes an inaugural event at Omaha which both men are keen on. “Different swims and longer swims are my focus,” says Scott. “I want to do more marathon swims, and events I’ve not completed before.” For John, the ocean is his happy place, and the nature of the open water season brings together multiple motivations. “I’m all about keeping myself fit and healthy, and doing it in a way which suits me. I have my health, an opportunity to compete against myself and a great camaraderie. The ocean is never the same, it’s a lot of fun!”

Scott during ocean swimming season

John at last year’s Blue Lake Swim in Rotorua

For details on the next Six Week Challenge, chat to the Gym team.

Session times for Adult Swim Squad can be found in the Community Group Fitness timetable on page 17.

If you’re interested in joining Scott and John in the ocean this summer, check out http://bay2bay.club

AUT Millennium Scholarship Athletes give back to youngsters

Several times a year, AUT Millennium is awash with brightly coloured t-shirts, noise and fun. Primary schools across Auckland are involved with the Nestlé Healthy Active Kids Programme, which aims to improve nutrition and health knowledge, and promote physical activity amongst school aged children. Some schools visit AUT Millennium as part of their programme, enjoying a day of team building, water safety, kayaking and rock climbing.

A common talking point amongst the children is the wellknown athletes who train at AUT Millennium, the faces of whom adorn the walls of the buildings, some they even see in action during their time onsite. The groups also get up close and personal with emerging athletes thanks to a link with the AUT Millennium Scholarship Programme. As the children settle in for a healthy lunch, they are greeted by some of the athletes from the AUT Millennium Foundation Clubs, who help prepare the salad and protein options for fresh wraps that they share with the kids.

The athletes are grilled by the children, who ask questions on everything from their own nutrition plans, to training loads, and even how often they nap. As the saying goes, working with children can be unpredictable thanks to the curveballs generated by their imaginations. Water polo player Blake Pavlovich was expecting to be talking about his sport but after explaining what he eats on an average day, the children had one question. “They asked if I ever get bored of chicken,” Blake shares. “I thought they might be more interested in what water polo is and the skills needed to play it, but that one made me laugh. It was definitely out of left field!”

Yeonsu Lee, a North Shore Swimming athlete, shared her embarrassing start to swimming lessons after being petrified of water to the point where she didn’t like taking showers as a child. Pole vaulter James Steyn enjoyed watching the youngsters’ reactions when they realised how much training is involved in competitive sport. “They

12 SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

looked almost horrified knowing Yeonsu trains twice a day, six days a week,” he says. “I think they gained an understanding that the reason we are in our respective sports is passion, as opposed to compulsion. It’s important for kids to know because passion will be a consistent driver from the age of five through to retirement.”

The athletes enjoy interacting with the children, quizzing them about nutrition and challenging them to re-think their habits. As the Nestlé Healthy Active Kids Programme has an in-class component, there are some very welleducated answers when the athletes grill the children about food groups. Which foods belong to which food groups, introducing portion sizes and ‘eating the rainbow’ are messages the athletes are keen to share with the children. “Seeing the kids wide-eyed at the nutritional information they were given, and being able to directly correlate it to the lunch they were about to have was pretty awesome,” says James. “As an athlete, it’s rewarding to know you have the chance to inspire kids to eat healthier or pursue a sport they may not have previously considered.”

“When I heard that I was going to be helping kids gain a good understanding of nutrition, I was so excited to participate,” says Yeonsu. “I didn’t have that at a younger age and I think it’s so important for kids to know about healthy eating to help them in the future.” Blake remembers a similar day during his time at primary school. “We had the Life Education van come to school,” he recalls. “I remember enjoying the day, and it did start a discussion at home about nutrition.” The Nestlé Healthy Active Kids programme has the same intention, with educational resources delivered to schools to integrate nutrition and physical activity concepts in an engaging, age-appropriate way.

For the Scholarship athletes, it’s not only the chance to educate youngsters about the importance of good

nutrition and keeping active which appeals to them, they also see it as a way to pay forward the support they receive from AUT Millennium. “Without these facilities, I wouldn’t be able to play water polo to the level I do,” says Blake. “Having access to the Gym allows me to fit in more training, and because it’s right next to the pool, there’s less excuses!” James enjoys the collegiality developed between the athletes and staff members. “We spend a big portion of our lives here, it basically becomes your second home,” he says. “It’s good to be inspired when you’re here, and the scholarship has highlighted the support network available at AUT Millennium.”

For the rest of 2018, Blake is focusing on the under 18 national championships with North Harbour Water Polo, and hoping to make the New Zealand Schoolboys team. Yeonsu recently competed at Nationals at the

National Aquatic Centre, and is in a rebuild phase for the coming year. With it being off season for athletics, James is focusing on domestic pole vault season starting in November, working towards the national and Oceania championships and also the 2019 World University Games.

For more about the Nestlé Healthy Active Kids programme, or if you are a primary school teacher interested in your class attending a Nestlé Healthy Active Kids education outside the classroom day at AUT Millennium visit www.healthyactivekids.co.nz. You can also check out this video to see what the kids get up to when they’re at AUT Millennium, visit www.autmillennium.org.nz/healthyactive-kids-aut-millennium To learn more about the AUT Millennium Scholarship programme, visit www.autmillennium.org.nz/ scholarship-programme

13 Blake, nutrition student Mia David Roldan and Yeonsu ready to serve lunch at a Nestlé Healthy Active Kids SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018 Day.

Eco Fabric The plight of our oceans is becoming increasingly visible in the media. Without action, by 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish.

Earlier in the year, Speedo held an ocean clean in honour of World Oceans Day. Celebrating their 90th anniversary, the Speedo team wanted to show their dedication to preserving the oceans for generations of water babies to come.

Rob Hicking, Brand Director for Speedo International, said: “Our 90th birthday is a very special one to us, it signifies what a long way we have come since Speedo’s conception in 1928. For us, this year is all about celebrating the people who have come along the journey with us, who share our passion for the water and telling their stories. It is also about giving back and using our position to highlight the global issue of plastic pollution in our world’s oceans, and doing something positive about it.”

Speedo has been using sustainable materials in their fabrics since 2015, namely 100% regenerated ECONYL® nylon. Currently, at least 15% of Speedo’s global collections feature ECONYL® and REPET yarn. These are innovative regenerated fibres produced by turning waste from fishing nets and other materials into first grade nylon fabric. Plans are in place to increase use of this product to at least 26% of the Speedo range globally by 2019.

14 SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018 SHOP.AUTMILLENNIUM.ORG.NZ

Locally, Speedo Pacific designers have worked hard to develop an alternative and exclusive ECO Fabric, which at a higher level of chlorine resistance, is designed to better suit the Australian and New Zealand climates.

Speedo ECO Fabric is sustainably made from reclaimed and recycled plastic water bottles that would otherwise go to landfill. The bottles are compacted, shredded, reconstituted and finally spun into PET flakes that are then woven to create yarn. This process reduces carbon dioxide emissions in manufacturing by up to 20% when compared to production of non-recycled yarn. The yarn is knitted into soft, durable and chlorine-resistant swimwear – the great quality you expect from Speedo.

Continuing their mission to have a positive impact on the planet, we are celebrating the New Zealand launch of Speedo’s latest range – the Virtual Bloom Cross-Training range. Designed to be worn both in & out of the water for your workouts, the Speedo Virtual Bloom range is constructed from the Speedo ECO Fabric, that’s soft on your skin and good for the environment.

As New Zealand’s only Speedo concept store, AUT Millennium’s Speedo Shop offers the widest range of Speedo swimsuits for all ages and stages, as well as training aids and accessories such as goggles and caps.

Shop online or in store.

Jenna’s new adventure Many of our Swim School families will be sad to learn that Jenna Caine is leaving AUT Millennium, starting an exciting new chapter in the UK. We met with her to reflect on her contribution to the Swim School over the past five years.

Passion. It’s a word Jenna Caine uses frequently when talking about her job as a swim teacher, but it’s clear it’s more than just a word. It emanates from her. She’s animated when speaking about how much she loves being in the water with young children, or seeing older students develop their technique. And when she’s asked about what she’ll miss when she leaves AUT Millennium Swim School, there’s genuine feeling in her response.

“I’m going to miss the little moments, like kids coming up and giving me hugs and high fives as they’re passing by,” she says, a large smile on her face. Over the last five years, Jenna has become a significant member of the AUT Millennium team. She has touched the lives of many families, some who have specifically requested Jenna to teach each of their children, a sign of her ability as a teacher and the strong connection she has with young swimmers.

Jenna’s new adventure is taking her to London, where she has been accepted with a scholarship to study a Bachelor of Early Childhood at the University of East London.

Literally a world away from swim teaching on the North Shore, she knows her path to this new direction was paved by her time as a swim teacher. “I have totally found my passion here,” she says, “and it’s working with preschoolers. I love my job, but felt like it was time for a new adventure, and early childhood teaching allows me to keep that bond and connection with kids which I’ve loved here.”

She is deeply appreciative of the support her parents have given her as a swim teacher and their encouragement towards her new career.

Jenna, who learned to swim early growing up in South Africa, and joined several squads in her youth, had never considered becoming a swimming teacher until an AUT Millennium lifeguard, suggested using her skills to help others. She came to meet the team, had a trial session, and loved it. “I immediately took to it,” she recalls. “There was such excitement in the kids’ faces. Their eyes light up when the see all the fun they can have in the pool, and I loved that.” Qualified through the Swimming New Zealand Swim Teacher Award, and also an accredited Evidence Gatherer, she has taught at all levels, including private lessons and adult learn-to-swim sessions. She also completed a Halberg disability course, which taught her to adapt her teaching methods to children with a variety of disabilities.

A self-confessed ‘in-the-water’ teacher, Jenna loves being able to connect with children and grow their confidence in the water. “You have to show the children that you’re there for them, and build trust,” she says. “It’s that bond which will help them understand that water is not scary. When I’m in the water, I can use my own body to demonstrate, and I can use my imagination a lot more.”

Jenna is a firm believer that children should learn to swim early. “Drowning statistics are so scary,” she says.

“Getting kids in the water when they’re young allows them to understand and respect the water. Even if they don’t enjoy it as they get older, at least they’ll have water safety knowledge.” Her experience teaching adults supports this.

“Adults know how dangerous the water can be, they’re more aware of that, so they are much more tense and anxious. With children, you can use your imagination and a lot more distraction techniques to calm them down and build the trust that you’re there for them.”

Rachael Jones, AUT Millennium Swim School Manager, says Jenna will be missed by children, parents and the whole AUT Millennium team. “She has added so much value to our team, in the Swim School and the Schools Programme as well. She is the definition of a team player with a reliable, can-do attitude.” Rachael has seen Jenna flourish into an excellent teacher. “She began with primary-aged children, moved into pre-schoolers and babies, and now she can teach any level, including squads,” Rachael tells.

“She upskilled to become one of our best supervisors, and she has an amazing amount of patience with children. She is firm but fair, and she can pass on her knowledge just as effectively to anxious new pre-schoolers, confident teens or beginner adults.”

Jenna is incredibly proud to have been involved in many children’s swimming journeys. “There are some children who I taught as babies who are now excelling in the higher classes,” she shares. “It’s really cool to sit back and say ‘I had their first lesson, I started that journey’.” She is grateful for the bonds and friendships she’s been able build with parents as well, and has a special message for them. “It’s been amazing to be part of your family, and help your child become who they are today, in some way,” she says warmly. “Thank you for trusting me with your child. I am really going to miss you all!”

We know we speak on behalf of all Swim School families when we extend our warm and sincere thanks to Jenna for all she has contributed to AUT Millennium, and wish her all the best for her new career!

SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

15

5 WAYS

SWIMMERS CAN AVOID INJURY WHEN RUNNING Swimming and running are different exercises that require unique strengths and muscles to perform effectively.

Whether you’re a recreational swimmer or former champion, moving from the pool to the pavement can be a difficult transition. Arguably the biggest difference between each activity is its impact on the body. Swimming is a non-impact sport, meaning that bones and joints are not exposed to the repetitive stresses that occur when running. Inadequate bone density and muscle conditioning are primary reasons that many swimmers become injured when they first start running.

To help ensure your journey on to the land is safe and enjoyable, Kelly Sheerin, Sports Performance Clinics Manager and AUT Lecturer, has put together five top tips for swimmers transitioning to running.

1. START SMALL This is quite possibly the hardest tip for competitive individuals. Even if you are capable of swimming more than 5km in a single session, it doesn’t mean your body is ready to do the same for running. Allowing your body to adapt to new impact is vital for sustained, injury-free practice.

“In the early stages, don’t look to maintain your swimming fitness through running,” Kelly says. “Ease in slowly with small runs under 3km.” After four to six weeks start to increase the distance. A slow start to running means less chance of injury. Kelly explains “It’s the same as going the other way, if you’ve decided to start swimming when you’re a runner. You’re not going to start doing back-to-back 5km swims.”

2. WORK ON FORM The biomechanics needed for running efficiently have almost nothing in common with swimming. Running is 2.5 times your body weight in load with every step, so when you compare that to swimming, where the only loading occurs during a start or flip turn, it’s not surprising that problems can arise. “The closest stimulus to running while swimming is pushing off the wall, where you tuck down heavily like a spring,” explains Kelly. “You don’t want to compress like a spring when you run, you want to stay relatively rigid”. Working on correct form is essential.

Remain mindful of staying tall, keeping the core tight and avoid sinking into each step. “As someone who has never run seriously, it’s really important to actually learn to run 16 SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

properly,” Kelly advises.

3. MAKE A PLAN Making a plan for your running will help to achieve two things. It allows you to effectively schedule the time in your routine and gives you oversight of recovery, an essential part of starting any new exercise. A 2.5km run or 15 minute jog is not too little in the beginning. If your body feels good after running these distances then you can start to progress after three to six weeks. “If training is done well in the beginning then you can take the reins off and run more,” says Kelly, “but done poorly in the first six weeks, it will create months of drama.” Taking the time to plan will help to establish goals that are not short sighted.

Aim at a mid-term goal that isn’t tied to performance.

“Being a competent, injury-free runner in three months is a great example of a mid-term goal,” advises Kelly.

4. MAINTAIN VARIETY Cross training, varied terrain and resistance training are all very important for swimmers who want to start running.

An often overlooked training mode for runners, lifting weights helps to build strength in the muscles required to cope with the repetitive forces of running. “Good muscle strength is going to be protective against a whole number of things,” encourages Kelly. Exploring alternative terrain, such as sand or hills, also helps to increase the range of movement for the body and improve overall functionality of the lower limbs. Deep Water Running also has a variety of attributes to help facilitate recovery without highimpact.

5. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY Niggles are normal but ongoing pain is cause for concern.

Running smart is important when you’re first starting out.

“It takes a few months to develop bone density,” Kelly explains. It’s vital that individuals listen to their bodies and adjust the training plan accordingly, which includes seeking professional advice for technique or injury. Kelly explains that “we often think about our fitness and our muscles, but you also have to let your bones adapt.

Swimmers, and even cyclists, come from a non-weight bearing activity, so you need to allow time for your body to recover from those stimuli.”

Community Group Fitness Make the most of our group fitness classes at AUT Millennium!

COMMUNITY GROUP FITNESS TIMETABLE Monday 6.00am 7.00am

Tuesday

Track Running

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Track Running

6.00am-7.00am

6.00am-7.00am

8.00am 9.00am 10.00am 10.30am

Deep Water Running

Deep Water Running

Deep Water Running**

10.45am-11.30am

11.30am

1.00pm

Deep Water Running

9.30am-10.30am 9.30am-10.30am 9.30am-10.30am 9.30am-10.30am

11.00am

12.00pm

Deep Water Running

Adult Swim Squad

Adult Swim Squad

12.15pm-1.00pm

6.00pm 7.00pm

DWR & Adult Swim Squad

6.30pm-7.30pm

12.15pm-1.00pm

Swim Squad

12.15pm-1.00pm

DWR & Adult Swim Squad

6.30pm-7.30pm

Deep Water Running (DWR):

What we do in this class: AUT Millennium Deep Water Running (DWR) is an enjoyable and challenging activity suitable for all fitness levels.

Originally developed for running athletes rehabilitating from injury or wanting to improve aerobic capacity, the popular sessions are now enjoyed by all ages, from youth through to the elderly. You will learn proper running technique in the sessions which are designed and led by qualified running coach Kiri Price. With 150 marathons to her name, Kiri can help you be the best runner you can be. ** A lower intensity session suitable for beginners, recovery and rehabilitation.

Adult Swim Squad:

What we do in this class: AUT Millennium Adult Swim Squad will help you refine swimming technique, improve aerobic capacity and build aquatic confidence. The classes cater to a range of ability levels and are led by expert coaches who are committed to helping new members feel comfortable and included. Whether you’re building up for your first ocean swim, are a seasoned professional or simply want to shake up your fitness regime, our squad is an ideal option. Distances covered in a session range from 800m - 2.5km depending on your own ability.

Track Running:

What we do in this class: Join our passionate running coach, Kiri Price, for a 60-minute track running session. With 150 marathons to her name, Kiri uses her expertise to guide members through every class. Monday is a running-specific strength workout combined with easy running. This session is great for strengthening muscle. Please note this may be held on the Indoor Running Track if raining. Wednesday is a speed work session catered to a range of abilities. This class is held rain, hail or shine!

T (09) 477 2024 E aquatics@autmillennium.org.nz W www.autmillennium.org.nz/aquatics

Exercise is medicine: How prescribed exercise helps disease prevention and management The benefits of exercise are well known, but these become additionally important for people recovering from medical events or chronic conditions. Exercise can provide benefit in prevention, rehabilitation and recovery for a variety of health conditions for the general public as well as those with high risk factors. For the team at the Human Potential Clinic, their aim is to prescribe an exercise workload which is best suited to each individual, ideally before they encounter any health issues.

But there’s more to it than simply going for the occasional walk following a hospital stay. The field of clinical exercise physiology, where medical monitoring is used to design a programme specific to someone’s health and capacity, is well established overseas, with many governments funding it at a central level. Here in New Zealand, the field is slowly growing, but relies on medical practitioners encouraging their patients to undertake specialised services, or people doing their own research. “It really depends on each district health board,” says Human Potential Clinic Manager Matt Wood of the availability of services.

“Some DHBs run a rehabilitation programme for different conditions, and for others, they don’t have anything in place.” That’s where the Human Potential Clinic comes in, improving the wellbeing and management of patients at various stages of health.

When dealing with medical conditions, it is important to get exercise workload just right. Too little, and patients won’t notice a difference and lose enthusiasm. Too much, and there may be adverse effects which discourage people from exercising at all. By medically assessing a person while exercising on a bike or treadmill, the team is able to measure how that person’s body functions under exercise stress, and individualise a programme which adheres to their capabilities and limits. “Throughout the assessment, we monitor blood pressure under variable intensity, how many breaths they take, their oxygen use and carbon dioxide production,” tells Matt Stratton, one of the Clinic’s exercise physiologists. “From there, we can find the threshold points of where someone should be training, what’s going to be safe and most effective for them.”

The typical length of a programme with the Clinic is 12 weeks, allowing time for the client to adjust to the exercise regime and become comfortable with self-management.

“Most of the time, we’re designing programmes which are less than an hour long,” says Wood, “and we incorporate all the cardio and resistance exercises to ensure clients are

18 SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

getting the most out of each session. We taper down our supervision as they continue to improve, and they begin to understand how the exercise is making a difference.”

Clients are free to return to the Clinic for advancements when they feel they’ve progressed sufficiently, and the team are always available for support, empowerment and education.

“Sometimes people get us confused with personal trainers,” Wood says. “Our qualifications and expertise are completely different from trainers, and so are our goals.

We work closely with a client for a period of time with the aim of them moving into healthy self-management.”

Depending on the individual, that can be anything from mobilisation to a complete return to work. The programme is supplemented by education and support all geared towards independence. Stratton shares one of his favourite outcomes of a client with uncontrolled diabetes. “He had a quadruple bypass, had altered sensation throughout all of his limbs, and no tolerance to changes in his blood sugars,” he recalls. “He changed his whole lifestyle, his diet and exercise, and he made a lot of little changes which had a major impact. It was really rewarding to see.”

While some measures such as Body Mass Index are widely used in health and medical contexts, research has proven that the strongest marker for health conditions is cardiovascular fitness. “It is the same marker as used in sports performance, but we use it in a totally different way,” says Wood. “Whereas elite athletes are looking for small performance increases, we’re able to use the same markers and see a lot of prognostic information, particularly for cardiovascular disease, which accounts for approximately 30% of all deaths in New Zealand each year.”

Most exercise physiology research has been established overseas, where bigger populations can enable larger sample sizes, however the Clinic has worked with local research partners to investigate the therapeutic effects of exercise for cancer patients. For some cancers, patients who exercise can experience less side effects from their treatment, less reoccurrences and an improvement in their quality of life. For cancers such as colorectal and breast, exercise can see up to a 40% reduction in relative risk of mortality. “We want to educate people about these benefits, and that they are proven by research,” Wood says. “So it is a matter of informing frontline medical professionals about what we do and what’s possible.”

The team work with local gyms, including staff at AUT Millennium, and medical professionals to explain and promote best practice. Most gyms do ask new members about their medical conditions, but they are unlikely to actively monitor a person while they work out. As with nurses and GPs, if they are aware of exercise physiology and its benefits, they can refer a person to a physiologist to ensure they undertake safe and effective exercise programmes. “Until people see what we do, they don’t really ‘get’ it,” says Stratton. “But we form an important part of a multidisciplinary team helping a person get healthier, which is what the medical and fitness industries want.”

If you would like to know more about how the Human Potential Clinic could help you, contact the team on 09 921 9999 ext 7848, or visit www.autmillennium.org.nz/ clinics/human-potential-clinic

WHAT CAN EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY HELP WITH?

The biggest challenge for the team is • spreading the word about their services and the benefits to the general public, those who aren’t suffering from chronic conditions. They don’t want to be the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff. “The benefits of individualisation are huge. You can make meaningful change without too much effort,” Stratton says. “You will get so much more out of something tailored to you, rather than something generic. Exercise prescription is for everyone, and everyone will see change – safely.”

CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND RISK FACTORS • DIABETES • DURING AND AFTER CANCER TREATMENT • ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION • NEUROMUSCULAR • FRAILTY IN OLDER ADULTS • JOINT HEALTH SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

19

Pac Pacific Youth Water Polo Tournament, July 2018.

20 thrower Discus and Scholarship SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018 Athlete Connor Bell with AUT Millennium Chief Executive Mike Stanley.

Up and coming surfers working with Farley Performance Training.

Gym members enjoying a Champagne Breakfast in June.

SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

21

Getting in the water with Dad The opportunity to spend quality time with his children was the main driver for Abe Dyer to be heavily involved in their learn-to-swim journeys.

Dad to Ayla, 6, Neo, 5, and 2 year old Soul, Abe has always made a conscious effort to make swimming lessons ‘Dad time’. “When a child is born, there’s not a lot of initial dependence or interaction with the father, and I really felt that swimming lessons was the first opportunity for that to happen,” Abe shares. “It’s always been my chance to be alone with them, from when they were each young and I was in the water with them, through to when they no longer need me in the water. It’s still my chance to be with them one on one.”

Abe has been bringing his children to the AUT Millennium Swim School since early 2012, when his daughter was six months old. It was important for him and his partner, Becs, to have their children in the water early, especially as Abe didn’t learn to swim as a child. “It just wasn’t done in my family, culturally. You learned to swim through getting pipis or diving. I couldn’t do either, and the stigma of not being able to swim at school sports was real. I felt like an outcast, and I definitely didn’t want my kids to feel that.”

Having been in that position gave Abe an appreciation of how important it is to have water confidence and swimming skills. When he joined the military as an adult, he taught himself to swim through watching others and YouTube tutorials. “All three of the kids are already better swimmers than I was in my 20s,” he says. “They know how to float, how to kick, how to breathe, they know what streamlining is. I’m a good swimmer now, but it was a really hard graft for me as an adult.”

With beaches such a large part of the Kiwi lifestyle, Abe wanted the kids to be confident in the water. Initially Ayla needed convincing as she was not a fan of being in the water, but with perseverance, she grew to love it. “It became normal because we persevered,” Abe recalls. “We wondered if we should continue lessons, but the teachers were so patient, and really made it a smoother transition than it could’ve been – she came to really enjoy it. The boys have grown up seeing Ayla swimming, so they knew what it was all about from the start.”

Abe relishes the time he spends with each of his children on swimming days. “On the way to lessons, we talk about what they want to work on, and then we do races to see who can get to the pool first. After lessons, we grab a drink and a macaroon and talk about what they learned.” Each of his kids has found a different enjoyment in being in the water – Ayla loved to be better, always beating what she did the previous week; Neo enjoys the achievement of 22 SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

mastering a new skill, and Soul loves playing and being social in the water.

With three kids going through the Swim School, Abe and his family feel a strong connection to AUT Millennium.

“There’s a real Swim School community,” he tells. “Lisa was our first full time swim teacher who we got to know really well. I’ve watched Lisa’s kids go through high school, go overseas, and come back and teach my kids. It’s a topnotch facility, but it’s that family-type culture, and the quality of the teachers, which has kept us here.” There are members of staff who have taught all three Dyer children, and the kids enjoy selecting new togs and goggles in the Speedo Shop each year and jumping in with the teachers they’ve built good relationships with.

As the lead fitness coach at 808 House of Training, Abe has seen the growth of aquatic activities in the wider fitness industry. “There’s been an increase in events like sprint triathlons and biathlons, Crossfit has brought in swimming elements, and surf ski and lifesaving has become popular,” he says. “There’s so many different ways you can bring swimming into fitness, including for recovery. I don’t neglect swimming, and I use it a lot for my runners as recovery, aqua running, flutter board kicking et cetera.”

Abe encourages parents, especially fathers, to make time to bring their kids to swimming lessons, and be present.

“It’s a really important way to bond with your kids,” he says. “I make it a priority to sit and watch their lessons.

It’s their time, not time for me to switch off. It’s only for 30 minutes, and the most important person is in the pool.

When Neo learns something, he has the biggest smile on his face, and as a parent, that’s awesome to see. Every dad should make the time to do this – it’s a great activity to share with your kids.”

CONFERENCE

Team meetings, workshops or special events?

AUT Millennium Conference is the Venue of Champions!

Call 09 09 477 20ine or go onl ! to book

WWW.AUTMILLENNIUM.ORG.NZ/CONFERENCE

SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

23

BE THE BEST YOU CAN BE

Cardio exercise: The long and short of it Written by Robert Garza When you ask which is better for dropping body fat and retaining muscle mass, either Low Impact Steady State (LISS) or High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), one problem is that you set up a dichotomy, as if there are only two choices and only one is best.

Intensity is not a switch you set either on high or low – it’s more like a dial. Cardio can be prescribed through a range of intensities and durations. Here’s the quick and simple answer: Want more fat loss? Push yourself. Turn up the intensity dial regardless of the type or mode. High intensity cardio that burns more calories will produce more fat loss, period.

The longer answer is, it depends on each individual’s needs and on the type, intensity, frequency and duration variables you are comparing. HIIT usually wins for effectiveness, and always for efficiency. But that depends on what you mean by LISS or HIIT. By LISS, do you mean a one hour walk? A ten mile run? Or 45 minutes nonstop at the highest level you can sustain? I’ve heard all of those called LISS. By HIIT, do you mean one four-minute tabata series, eight 30-second sprints, or ten rounds of 60 second intervals? I’ve heard all those called HIIT.

LISS – LOW INTENSITY STEADY STATE

Most people only associate steady state with low intensity.

But what if you do approximately 30-45 minutes steady at the highest intensity you can tolerate? This is called highest intensity steady state (HISS) cardio. HISS cardio acknowledges that there’s an intensity dial and that the total amount of calories burned is a product of intensity times duration. Some will find HISS incredibly effective – light years ahead of LISS and equally or more effective than brief HIIT workouts (although it requires more time).

HIIT – HIGH INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING (A.K.A. SIT – SPRINT INTERVAL TRAINING)

Lowering intensity hoping to get into the mythical “fat burning zone” is misguided. That will burn less calories!

To maximise fat loss, do the opposite: However much time you have – four minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes – the more intensely you work in that time, the more calories you’ll burn and the more body fat you’ll lose.

There are many factors that determine which one to use such as time/duration, intensity level you can handle or tolerate, your specific goal, and even your personal preference. Here is a quick guide on which may work best for you.

Pros: Can contribute nicely to weight loss and maintenance over time. Easier adaptation for overweight and/or unfit Cons: Longer duration of time to complete the workout.

Duration: 40- 60 minutes, 2-4 days per week

Pros: Time efficient, burns calories/fat effectively while maintaining muscle mass.

Cons: May be too intense for overweight and/or unfit individuals. Need to acclimate first.

Duration: 4-20 minutes done in intervals (work/ recovery ratios, or fast/slow bouts), 3 days per week.

HISS – HIGH INTENSITY STEADY STATE Pros: Burns calories/fat as effective as HIIT and uses slightly less intensity effort.

Cons: Takes longer duration than HIIT, but less time than LISS. Also more intense than LISS. Duration: 30-45 minutes steady at the highest intensity you can tolerate, 2-4 days per week.

As always, you can make an appointment to meet with our expert gym instructors and get seven free sessions with our Everyday Champion Programme. Just call us at 477-2082 or stop by the 24 SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018 your first appointment.

Gym reception to make

HealthZone Highlights Swimmer’s Shoulder Written by Rebecca Diana, HealthZone physiotherapist Swimming is a demanding sport, with early mornings, long training hours and a highly competitive nature. Many injuries can be sustained, but by far the most common is shoulder pain, which is not surprising considering the heavy upper body reliance and repetitive movements involved. It is estimated that up to 91% of swimmers will experience shoulder pain at some stage.

HOW DOES IT PRESENT? This pain will most commonly start gradually, usually part way through a training session, and get increasingly worse.

It is often felt at one part of the stroke, commonly when the arm is above the head or pulling through the water. The pain will typically go away shortly after ceasing swimming or stop instantly. The pain can be hard to pinpoint but is usually felt somewhere around the joint or the upper arm.

WHAT IS CAUSING IT? Many things can contribute towards this pain. Improper technique, high volumes of training, weakness, poor flexibility just to name a few. Trying to identify the painful structure is often difficult and redundant. X-rays, ultrasounds and even MRIs will often show a “normal” shoulder. Even if a structure could be identified, it is rarely the culprit and more often the victim. What is more important is to assess is your biomechanics. Assessment of your neck, shoulder, shoulder blade, thoracic spine and core, and looking at mobility, strength and position will usually reveal some imbalances that require attention to give you pain free movement. Of particular interest are the muscles surrounding your shoulder blade, which stabilise and move your shoulder blade during upper limb movements.

HOW CAN IT BE MANAGED? Once a thorough assessment of your shoulder is conducted, you will be given exercises to do to address your particular issues. These will likely involve stretches, strengthening exercises, and mobility work. Movement training, strapping and manual therapy may also aid your recovery. However, as with most things, the best management is prevention. All swimmers should supplement their swimming training with excellent landbased training. This should involve, as a bare minimum, rotator cuff strengthening, scapulothoracic muscle strengthening, core strengthening and stretching particularly of the pectoral muscles.

HEALTHZONE PHYSIOTHERAPY 09 477 2098

SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

25

Former Silver Fern growing the game in Hong Kong Bringing a group of young netballers to New Zealand proved a double-edged sword for ex-Silver Fern Joline Henry. Having been based in the hustle-bustle of Hong Kong for two years, she relished being home. “The fresh air, the fresh food, the friendly locals… Being back has made me appreciate what we have here in New Zealand,” she says with a pang of longing.

Joline laughs. “They just think of me as Ms Henry.”

Yet very quickly, her passion for what she’s doing in Hong

There is a small but passionate netball community in Hong Kong, mostly made up of ex-pat Westerners, and Joline is heavily involved as a coach and a player. “I still don’t call myself a coach,” she laughs. “I just want to keep my passion for the game alive, and the best way I see myself contributing is through schools. That’s how I can help make Hong Kong netball a little bit better.” She is honest

Kong comes through. Having led the netball programme at Harrow International School since 2015, she recently brought a group of 13-15 year olds to New Zealand to experience how the game is played here. There are over 250 young players at Harrow, with the elite stream having the chance to come to New Zealand with their coach – who they weren’t aware had such a respected standing in the game. “When we had a powhiri and some Sky TV cameras show up at one of our games, they were a little shocked!”

in her assessment of where the game is at in Hong Kong.

“The standard is quite far behind our own. There is an international team, and they’re in the midst of trying to qualify for the world champs. They are quite a way behind everyone else, but they are making improvements.” Joline has been holding regular workshops to help grow the game and the skill of those involved at club level, but limited resources restricts what is possible on a wider level, including a lack of umpires and officials.

26 SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

As a PE teacher, she has noticed that children in Hong Kong lack the physical development of Kiwi kids. “They’re well behind our own kids biomechanically,” she tells.

“There’s such a lack of space in Hong Kong, so they’re not as well developed in jumping, landing, catching, passing and general spatial awareness. Kiwi kids grow up running around in the backyard, climbing trees, or playing at the local park. There’s just not that room in Hong Kong.”

She takes this into account with the young netballers who come into her programme, and adjusts her expectations accordingly. “It’s not about breeding elite netballers, it’s about developing their skills,” she muses. “I’m used to a certain standard, having played at the elite level, and I’ve had to reform my own expectations.” That mindset shift has been one of the biggest challenges in her transition from player to coach/mentor. “People play netball for all different reasons, not just to win. It can be a little frustrating for me at times, but I have to be really transparent with myself. My goal is not to make these girls the best in the world, it’s to make them the best they can be.”

Rubbing shoulders with some of New Zealand’s best players was an experience Joline couldn’t wait to share with her players. Calling on her networks within the sport, she was able to set up games against Westlake Girls High School in Auckland and St Peter’s in Cambridge. The group attended ANZ Championship games to see the best in action, and also had the chance to meet and chat with leading players like Casey Kopua, Kayla Cullen and Grace Kara. “It’s a real privilege for the girls to experience all of this,” Joline shares. “They otherwise wouldn’t have exposure to this, and they’re learning so much.

It reinforces the messages I’ve been trying to get across, from credible and valid sources. They’re stoked to be here, and I’m so proud to be able to showcase our beautiful country, and how netball operates here.”

Joline wanted to immerse her players in a high performance environment, which is why AUT Millennium’s Accommodation was at the top of her list of venues. “This is my comfort zone, it’s what I know after being an athlete for 15 years,” she says. “But all of this is new for the girls. Staying in a high performance facility, they’ve been able to spend time with some of our elite Kiwi athletes, and emulate what goes on. They’re feeling very fortunate to be in this environment.”

She’s remained a keen observer of how the game has been travelling here since her departure. She is not surprised by the split of the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship competition. “It was unfortunate, really. Australia used us as a vehicle to boost the profile of the sport over there, and once they succeeded in that, they stepped away,” she reflects. Developing the upcoming crop of players is a key factor in the strength of the national provincial competition in Joline’s eyes. “If we focus on depth, from grass roots

through to the Beko League, the provincial level will be strong. And when the provincial level is strong, the Ferns programme is strong.”

Following the national side’s early exit at this year’s Commonwealth Games and losses in the preceding Taini Jamieson Trophy, Joline made her own observations from afar. “Our results in the latest international fixtures are not something any netballer in New Zealand is proud of,” she says, acknowledging it’s not an easy subject for her.

“They’re not the results we associate with New Zealand netball. Everyone expects better.” Without knowing what went on behind closed doors, Joline is reluctant to make too many assumptions but immediately felt for the players. “Something was missing for sure, but unless you are inside the environment and living it, it’s very hard to say what and who, but generally those steering the ship should be looked at first,” she shares. “Reflecting on my experience as a player, a coach needs to win; and if you’re not winning, then you need to either inspire or be making improvements. Unfortunately, our team wasn’t doing any of those, and for me, that’s a reflection of leadership.”

Since her international retirement four years ago, there have been almost double the number of test debutants than there was throughout her entire tenure of 11 years. “I really had to earn my way into the side, with predecessors like Bernice Mene, Vilimaina Davu and Sheryl Scanlan,” Joline recalls. “I’m not saying these players don’t deserve it, or that they don’t wear the dress with pride, but it does seem that there have been a lot of new players recently.

Perhaps the culture has evolved, where people expect to be played.” She is cautious when comparing the current selection process to what she experienced. “These are my observations as a past player, who really valued wearing the silver fern, and wants the best for the team and the game.” She remains positive about the future, however.

“There’s every chance to make something amazing out of this situation,” she says. “Heading towards the next world champs, we have the ability, and we have the players. I believe they have the tools to turn these recent performances around.”

Joline hopes to return to New Zealand with more Harrow students in the future. “We also have football, hockey, and rugby streams at our school, so it would be wonderful to bring the other sports here for a similar experience.”

The fierce determination she was known for on court has translated into her new role. “When people come to Hong Kong and they have a child who plays netball, I want Harrow to be at the forefront of their minds,” she says.

“Whatever I’m involved in, I want it to be the best it can be.

That pursuit of perfection I had as an athlete has carried over to my career as a teacher.”

Her advice for any young netballer, be it Harrow players or Kiwi kids with access to better resources, is three-pronged.

“Dream big, work hard, and be bold – don’t be afraid to do something which will make you stand out,” she advises.

She reiterates that there is no substitution for hard work, and it’s clear that the emerging generation of Hong Kong netball players will benefit from following Ms Henry’s example.

SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

27

What do young athletes really need?

Does your child live and breathe sport? Do they have big goals for their sporting future? As a parent, it can be hard to know what kids need to excel in sport, while maintaining their school commitments, as well as having time to just be a kid.

This is a common dilemma, and it’s something that Dr Craig Harrison and his team of expert coaches aim to demystify as part of Athlete Development, based at AUT Millennium.

There are two aspects to the Athlete Development philosophy. The first is to help young athletes develop their general athletic and mental skills. By working on general physical attributes, such as coordination, strength and speed, a child’s confidence increases, enjoyment skyrockets and sporting performance is enhanced.

The second aspect is educating parents and coaches about how young athletes develop and why it’s so important.

“It’s not as simple as applying the same high performance concepts as adults,” says Craig. “Everything from how the body works to brain function is different in young people.

For instance, they’re more prone to injury at certain times, and the ability to control their nerves under pressure takes time. Youth sport programmes need to be designed specifically to allow for these realities.”

You may have seen children at certain levels of sport who appear light years ahead of their competitors, or some who

28 SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

aren’t as big or as fast as their peers. Craig says this is not indicative of who will go on to be the best athlete at the elite level. “It’s not about how big one child is, or how hard they can hit a ball,” he explains. “Each child goes through their growth spurt at different times and paces. For a child who matures early, it’s easy for us to sit back and say ‘Wow, look at that kid, they’re awesome!’ But they might just be an early developer, and by the time their peers have all hit 18, things have evened out, or may have even reversed.”

It’s this acknowledgement of biological differences in both physical and mental capabilities which Craig helps parents and coaches understand. “There are structures you can put in place to account for this, whether it’s grouping players differently, waiting longer before restricting selections, and simply acknowledging that young athletes won’t always be on an even playing field.” Knowing these factors play a part in every young person’s sporting life can help ease stress or concern at perceived differences in abilities.

Craig and the team help young sportspeople, parents and coaches develop tools and tactics to manage their bodies and schedules. If you’re interested in helping your young athlete or team be the best they can be, get in touch with Craig via email info@athletedevelopment.org.nz

ACCOMMODATION

STAY TRAIN L E C X E This is your chance to live and train like a HIGH PERFORMANCE ATHLETE!

Sports Testing Clinics

World-class Swimming Pools

Indoor Sports Hall

Running Track & Field

WE GUARANTEE YOU’LL LEAVE INSPIRED AFTER STAYING WITH US Book your next team, official or management camp with AUT Millennium today!

17 Antares Place, Rosedale, Auckland E accommodation@autmillennium.org.nz W www.autmillennium.org.nz/accommodation

SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

29

The science of board sports

Recently we introduced Farley Performance Training on our website. Here, Dr Oliver Farley discusses the technical aspects of surfing, snowboarding and skateboarding.

There’s a revolution happening in board sports at the moment, so it’s a good time to be a sports scientist specialising in extreme sports.

Olly Farley has been into board sports since he was a youngster. He taught himself to surf as a summer hobby, and it became his passion, adding skating and snowboarding as well. When he needed a focus for his masters in sports science, he applied it to his passion and discovered he’d found a niche. “There was a worldwide gap in research about board sports,” he recalls. “There wasn’t even enough to complete a comprehensive literature review. I had to start from the very beginning. We can’t prescribe any specific exercise training when there’s no research on the demands of the sport.”

Part of Olly’s masters research became an investigation into the physiological demands of surfing through time-motion analysis incorporating heart rate and GPS monitoring. As it was the first study of its kind, his research was picked up internationally, appearing in the New York Times, ESPN and Surfer Magazine, the biggest international surfing publication. This led to a doctoral opportunity working alongside Australia’s world championship tour and emerging surfing talent as the lead exercise physiologist for Surfing Australia’s high performance programme.

For many board sport athletes, they’ve never seen themselves as professionals. Heading to the mountain or the beach has been for pleasure, rather than for structured training sessions. How strength and conditioning could support their performance is only a relatively new notion.

So what are the demands placed on these athletes? With both surfing and skateboarding added to the Olympic schedule, and the growth of extreme snow sports, there’s added importance in making sure athletes are adequately prepared physically in order to increase their longevity.

30 SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

“A lot of these sports have your classic mobility issues,” Olly tells. “Ankles, knees and hips all come into play whether it’s front foot generated like snowboarding, or back foot generated like surfing. Because it’s uncommon for these athletes to have focused on their conditioning, they’re weak in critical areas, so you’re putting an unstable athlete into a further unstable environment, which exposes them to injuries.”

The forces at play in these sports are not to be scoffed at. When a surfer does a massive ‘air’, then drops back down to the wave, they are putting four to five times’ their bodyweight through their knee. “If you’re not training to condition your body to that, it’s a recipe for an ACL or MCL injury,” Olly says. Through his doctoral research with Surfing Australia, Olly discovered the exercises which translate to the greatest performance. “A good example is chin ups. We’ve proved there’s a correlation between how many chin ups you can do and how fast you can paddle,” he explains. “We know that you need to paddle at at least 1.8 metres per second to reach the critical take off point – the peak of the wave. If you don’t make it, and you’re only on the shoulder of a wave, that decreases your scoring chances.”

It’s being able to translate all the ‘science talk’ into real results which gets the athletes on board. Words like dorsiflexion might not resonate with young surfers, but when they’re told that certain exercises will help with their flexibility to improve their technical limitations, they understand. “If I explain that having stronger legs will help your speed and spray, which are cues for judges, then they start to get it, they’re interested,” Olly laughs.

Olly has been working with Surfing New Zealand to establish a high performance programme, ensuring our surfers have the best possible support to perform at the

highest level. Alongside a coach and sports psychologist, athletes like Paige Hareb and Ella Williams are being exposed to processes and techniques which other codes have been applying for years. Olly’s hopes are to run three or four performance camps a year, but funding is the biggest challenge. The hope is the programme will be flourishing in order to help emerging surfers perform consistently on the World Tours and in future Olympic campaigns.

Olympic inclusion does wonders for a sport, and often brings new contenders to the table. With his networks around the world, Olly knows there will more than just the familiar faces competing. “Traditionally, America, Australia and Brazil are the surfing powerhouses, but you’re starting to see countries like Germany, China and Austria assembling teams. These nations produce really good gymnasts, and that gymnastic body awareness is great for board sports. They have the upper and lower body strength to handle the flipping and rotations.”

Land-locked countries are building wave pools and gardens to work on their skills, and this opens the door for breathtaking tricks. “These countries don’t have coastlines to practice, so they’ve built these facilities to work towards an Olympic push,” Olly tells. These artificial environments may frustrate purists, but Olly thinks they will even the playing field. “Take the weather and tide aspects out of it, and it comes down to pure skill on a wave. Much like X Games for snow sports, the bigger air and harder tricks are loved by sponsors and the crowds. They bring the money in.”

As the only board sports-specific programme in the country, Olly has big ambitions for Farley Performance Training. Alongside the current and emerging professionals, he’s hoping to one day expand his

operations to promoting these sports in communities which may not have had exposure to them. “We see Pacific athletes succeed in other sports, because they’re powerful, and power athletes do well in board sports,” he says. “If we can get our Polynesian communities more exposure to these sports, they would probably produce good results.”

His long term plan is to have a specialist facility dedicated to board sports, but in the meantime, he’s happy to have set up base at the home of High Performance Sport New Zealand. “So many athletes have told me they’ve been wanting a programme like this but didn’t know where to start. Being based at AUT Millennium, we’re in a high performance facility, with other top athletes training here, and our board sport athletes get excited to be in this environment.”

Farley Performance Training | www.fpt.co.nz | Instagram: @farley_performance_training

SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

31

MARGARET AND JUDY HOW DID YOU MEET? J: We’ve known each other for 42 years. We met through a cricket club.

M: We used to drink at the same hotel in town. We formed this cricket team which was very social. We toured Australia a couple of times, and went through the South Island. It was very family orientated, when the kids grew up they played cricket too.

WHAT THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU’VE EVER FACED? M: Probably establishing independence. I moved to Auckland from Winton, which is 20kms from Invercargill, and I had to get a job and get myself set up here.

J: I was born with a hole in my heart. It was pumping so fast that by age 15, I would’ve had the heart of a 90 year old. I ended up having an operation and they fixed the hole. I tend to get asthma and bronchitis easily, which is all related to that.

WHAT’S THE BEST VACATION YOU’VE BEEN ON? J: Mine would be South Africa last year. We were on our own private bus. We stayed in huts on the safari lands, with elephants right outside when we woke up. We went to Cape Town and Table Mountain is beautiful. We also crossed over to Zimbabwe and helicoptered over Victoria Falls. It was just amazing.

M: China was one of my best ones, climbing the Great Wall.

But I’ve also done South America. It was a long flight, but it was like we got out of bed in Auckland and woke up on

32 SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

Copacabana Beach. We did a lot of things with the local people. We also did Argentina and went up and over the Andes in a bus, with the roof open – there were so many amazing things about that trip.

WHAT KEEPS YOU MOTIVATED? J: When you get older, you have to keep your body moving.

M: If you don’t do it, you could get very stagnant.

J: My motivation has come through an injury too. They fixed up my knee and being in the pool was good to strengthen it. Getting in and moving the legs up and down helps. I get out of the pool these days and there’s not an ache in my body.

WHY DOES AUT MILLENNIUM WORK FOR YOU? J: I love the staff. Nicole and the team are marvellous. We get on well with them.

M: The pool here is deep, and it’s always beautifully clean.

We like to come early in the summer time and see the international swimmers in the mornings.

J: The coaches tell us we’re not working hard enough, but I tell them our mouths are going flat out!

New Zealand to New York – Stephen’s running journey ‘Be the best you can be’ isn’t just a marketing slogan for AUT Millennium. It is something embodied in the people who work here, both professionally and personally. A shining example of this is Facility Assistant Stephen Jenkins, who hasn’t looked back after picking up running two years ago.

Stephen recently ran a new half marathon personal best in Melbourne. His time of 2 hours 2 mins shaved four minutes off his previous best, which was only recorded in June.

It seems that each time Stephen laces up for a race, he’s improving.

Stephen was encouraged by Kiri Price to join the Achilles New Zealand group which holds fortnightly training sessions around the Auckland area, including on the AUT Millennium track. Kiri, who has run over 150 marathons and coaches the AUT Millennium running group, has worked with Achilles for many years. She has coached and guided runners through marathons locally and internationally. “I remember Stephen first coming along to the Achilles training sessions, and his first few runs,” Kiri recalls. “To say he’s improved in leaps and bounds is an understatement of mammoth proportions!

Since Stephen started his running journey, he’s lost weight, he’s met amazing people, and completed 10ks, half marathons and full marathons,” Kiri tells. “His posture has improved, he carries himself proudly, and he walks with his head held high.”

“It was a bit of a shock when I first started running,” Stephen laughs. “I’d never done it before. My good friend Tamati was in the Achilles group as well, and he had already done the New York Marathon, and I wanted to do it too.” His first major event was the Auckland Half Marathon, and after a few more halves, his focus turned to New York for the full 42kms. “It was pretty scary, there’s a lot of people who do the race!” Stephen says. He competed as part of a group

Stephen with his running guide, Katy.

of Achilles athletes from all over the country. “It was really amazing,” he recalls. “The course goes through the five boroughs and finishes in Central Park. Running is definitely a good way to see a city!”

Having worked at AUT Millennium since 2013, Stephen is responsible for the presentation of the AUT Millennium Sports Hall and PowerZone, and helps with events and groundskeeping around the facility. He is known for his positivity and willingness to lend a hand in any area.

Operations Manager Chris Olney has seen a big change in Stephen since he started running. “Since joining Achilles and running, Stephen’s gained a lot more confidence,” Chris says. “He’s more confident socially, has made more friends, and interacts with our staff and members more. Most of all, it’s great to see Stephen smiling and laughing.” Chris is always keen to hear how Stephen’s events have gone and isn’t surprised at his improvements. “He’s very selfmotivated and driven by the power of sporting success.”

Kiri compliments Stephen’s commitment to his running. “He is completely dedicated to his training,” she says. “He has a team of people who he runs with during the week and at weekends, all over Auckland. All that work is reflected in his achievements and how far he’s come.”

Stephen has big goals for his running. “I’m going to do the New York Marathon again this year, and I’m going to do Gold Coast next year.” If his recent form is anything to go by, Stephen will be knocking out even more PBs! *Achilles NZ is a charity that enables New Zealanders with any disability to participate in mainstream running events.

Volunteer guides support athletes to achieve their personal goals. Fortnightly training sessions are held in most main centres around New Zealand. www.achillesnewzealand.org

SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

33

North Harbour Water Polo Club North Harbour Water Polo Club has continued to display dominating performances across all age groups. The seniors showcased their excellence in June, winning both the men’s and women’s New Zealand National Water Polo League titles. The Carlton Party Hire Senior Women comfortably beat Marist Magic 15-6 to take gold. The Cootes Construction Senior Men had a bigger battle, who were down by three points with just one quarter remaining.

Ash Blythen, coach of the Senior Men, pulled his team together for a thrilling win over the Waitakere Blue Devils.

The final score was 10-9 to North Harbour.

Those results helped to inspire the Club’s junior players, who had a chance to demonstrate their talents in the much-anticipated 15th Pan Pacific Youth Water Polo Festival. Held in Auckland during July, the event boasted more than 150 teams across eight divisions, making it the Southern Hemisphere’s largest water polo event. North Harbour Water Polo entered 15 teams across four age groups, who ended the festival with three gold and two silver medals. The U14 boys had an especially exciting game against Queensland, who fought hard to take gold.

Senior North Harbour player and coach of the team, David Couper, said that “they’re an awesome group of boys who show a lot of potential.” The North Harbour U16 boys earned a hard-fought silver medal in their division after going down by one to a central North Island team. On the final night of competition, the North Harbour Water Polo U18 Women showed their dominance with a gold medal victory over Queensland. A number of the U18 girls then went on to play in the U20 women’s team who also won gold. “A fantastic result,” recalls Eike Daube, head coach for both female teams. “They worked hard throughout both weeks and played a team game at all times”.

The club’s strategic plan continues to come to fruition, ensuring all players have opportunities to travel with their chosen sport. In July, 32 players headed to the Hawaiian Invitational and spent eight days in Honolulu playing against teams from Australia, Mainland USA and Hawaiian club teams. In spectacular style, the boys and girls both won the U14 age group finals, beating two USA Mainland teams. Both teams were entered into the age group above their normal level and played against 15 and 16 year olds, and North Harbour won the girls division with the boys coming home with the bronze. A wonderful effort from all the players. We also had over 100 parents and family members come over and support the teams. The Hawaiians said our support crew was incredible and the chants our parents made up will stay with the locals for a long time. We are now working towards our U14 and U18 teams travelling there next year.

PAN PACIFIC YOUTH FESTIVAL RESULTS: • Gold, U14 boys • Gold, U18 women • Gold, U20 women • Silver U16 boys • Silver, U18 boys Interested in trying Flippa Ball or Water Polo?

Find out more about North Harbour Water Polo Club today W www.northharbourwaterpolo.co.nz/ E waterpoloadmin@autmillennium.org.nz

North Harbour Water Polo representing in Hawaii

34 SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

North Harbour Bays Athletics Club NORTH HARBOUR BAYS ATHLETES SHINE WITH INTERNATIONAL PERFORMANCES Olivia McTaggart produced a stellar performance at the IAAF World U20 Championships to finish in fifth. Portia Bing, former Heptathlete turned 400m hurdler, produced a massive personal best to take silver at the French Elite Nationals in 56.84. The time also puts her as the second fastest time in New Zealand history. The performance of the season has to go to pole vaulting stalwart Eliza McCartney, who jumped an incredible 4.94m to take gold at the Jockrim International, Germany. That performance also secures her place as the third highest female jumper in history!

who performed well including David Moore 21:16 (19), Jude Darby 21:31 (28), and Stuart Hofmeyr 21:43 (33). The New Zealand Secondary Schools team were third in the team event.

GET READY FOR SUMMER! Junior Club Nights recommence on 16 October, every Tuesday night from 5.30pm. Club nights cater for juniors from 5 to 14 years of age. Learn how to run, jump and throw in a fun and supportive environment. This year we will introduce an exciting new programme alongside traditional athletics competition.

NORTHSPORT ACADEMY OFFERS ATHLETICS COACHING FOR SENIOR ATHLETES Athletes aged 12-15 are encouraged to enter our NorthSport Academy Athletic Accelerator Programme, as an entry into senior athletics.

This programme develops key competencies beneficial to athletic movement. These include the systematic teaching of: Connor Bell and Murdoch McIntyre have gained selection to compete at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Argentina.

Connor claimed Gold at the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games in the Bahamas. The 17-year-old currently holds the national discus records for U17, U18 and U19, and is the national champion in both the U18 and U20 grades.

He threw an impressive 64.47m to win at the Melanesian Regional Championships and is currently ranked second in the world for under-18 athletes. At the recent Spring Throws Meeting at AUT Millennium Stadium, Connor was in top form leading into the Youth Olympic Games in October with a throw of 69.67m with the 1.5kg discus, which is an all-time world best for a 17 year old.

•

Running mechanics

•

Vertical extension upon ground contact

•

Rotational stability and control

•

Postural awareness

•

Early plyometric development

Murdoch was runner-up in the 2000m Steeplechase in Vanuatu, running a personal best of 6:10.23. He was also second at the North Island Cross Country Championships and the NZ Cross Country Championships in the U18 grade. At the recent Australian and Oceania Cross Country Championships in Queensland, Murdoch won the Boys 16/17 6km in 20:14. Other North Harbour Bays Athletes

If you would like more information on Bays Athletics please get in touch today.

E baysathletics@autmi.org.nz W www.baysathletics.co.nz COACHING www.northsportcoaching.co.nz

All participants will develop the necessary foundations required for quick and powerful movement. Our fun and engaging programme is run in small groups for eight weeks, and is followed by an advanced programme.

SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

35

NorthSport Olympic Weightlifting There has been plenty to celebrate at NorthSport recently.

In June, Development Coach Nicole Kumerich travelled to New Caledonia as part of the Oceania Championships coaching team. “It was a fantastic experience,” Nicole recalls. “I learned so much as a coach and look forward to putting those new skills into practice.” It was also a great experience for NorthSport youth lifter Jayden Double, who earned silver in the youth division 69kg men and bronze in the junior division.

Some of the Club’s young lifters are making outstanding progress and competed in the recent 2018 Secondary School National Championships. Andres Quintero won gold in the u15 under 56kg class; Donovan Rea claimed silver in the men’s 77kg class, and Dan Tra brought home bronze in the over-15 69kg class. Chandler Hoffman placed sixth with a personal best clean and jerk and is showing huge promise. These athletes also competed for the Rangitoto College team won which best overall men’s team for the fourth consecutive year.

The Club’s youngest member, 12-year-old JuanoCarlos Quintero, recently competed in his first monthly competition. He showed great technique and is definitely one to watch!

At the other end of the experience scale, Nat Suares was recently in Barcelona, Spain, representing NorthSport and New Zealand at the International World Masters Championships.

Ryan Barnido is one of our up-and-coming weightlifting prospects, consistently putting in great lifts. He has increased his personal best total by 20kg since April.

In August, the club welcomed Richard Jones, a lifter with

36 SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

a lot of potential. A New Zealand representative, Richard was recently selected to represent the club at the New Zealand National Championships as well as the New Zealand Health & Fitness Expo in October. Richard has become an AUT Millennium Scholarship Athlete off the back of his qualification performances.

Our current top female lifter and AUT Millennium Scholarship Athlete Charlotte Moss has been selected to represent New Zealand and the club at the New Zealand Team High Performance Senior training camp in Japan in September. Charlotte will also join Richard at the New Zealand National Championships and New Zealand Health & Fitness Expo.

The following athletes have also achieved significant qualifications: Hank Trenton – National Secondary Schools Championships.

Natalie Suares, Iain Harris and Kelly McGowan – National Masters Championships.

Bayley Garnham – New Zealand National Championships (junior). Bayley qualified during North Island Championships, where he attained a total of 9kg personal bests.

Kieran Hempsey - New Zealand National Championships.

Kieran is the junior Auckland Champion, a New Zealand representative, a top-ranked junior lifter and second senior lifter in the 62kg class. At Nationals, he will compete as both a junior and a senior.

If you are interested in getting involved in Olympic weightlifting, feel free to email us to find out more information: northsportweightlifting@gmail.com

North Shore Swimming North Shore swimmers recently represented Auckland Swimming at the Caro Cup. The Caro Cup was first competed for in 1949, and was an annual competition between Auckland and Waikato. After a hiatus of ten years, Swimming Auckland and Swimming Waikato reinstated the competition in 2016, in the form of a U12 Relay Meet. The Cup was won by Auckland in 2016 & 2017.

After winning in 2016 and 2017, once again the Caro Cup remains in Auckland for 2018.

We are also pleased to announce our Golden Homes Scholarship Recipients for 2018/2019.

The Golden Homes Swim Scholarship is among the most prestigious scholarships available in New Zealand. It offers six high performing swimmers the opportunity to train at a world class facility with other athletes also competing at an elite level, and to be mentored by some of the best swimming coaches and personal trainers currently in New Zealand.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING SWIMMERS: • • • • • •

Chris Dawson Carina Doyle Corneille Coetzee Wilrich Coetzee Hunter Garrod Callum Prime

NSS Coaches, Michelle Kinney, Monique Williams and Ryan Lockwood after winning the Caro Cup for 2018.

SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

37

Spotlight on the 2018 AUT Millennium Scholarship Athletes The purpose of AUT Millennium Scholarship Athlete Programme: The AUT Millennium Scholarship Athlete Programme started in 2005 after Nigel Avery recognised a need to support aspiring New Zealand athletes. Thirteen years after its introduction, the Scholarship has supported more than 50 athletes every year, many of whom go on to represent New Zealand at the Olympic and Commonwealth Games and World

Championships. The Scholarship is awarded to sportspersons from the four foundation clubs: North Shore Swimming, NorthSport Olympic Weightlifting, Bays Athletics and North Harbour Water Polo.

Show your support. To donate to the AUT Millennium Scholarship Athlete fund or to learn more about the programme, please email: scholarships@autmillennium.org.nz

Name: James Catlin Age: 17 Club: North Harbour Water polo Club Occupation: Student What is the best advice you’ve ever received? From my economics teacher, “A good attitude will take you to a higher altitude” What is your proudest sporting moment? Representing my country last year for the U20 world championships in Belgrade.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve ever faced? I feel like my time in training and preparation before world champs last year was the hardest I have ever been pushed in my sport, but overall my hardest life moment was moving to a new country and a new lifestyle here in New Zealand from South Africa.

What keeps you motivated? The opportunity to succeed and represent my school, club and my country with pride on the international stage keeps me motivated and training hard.

What advice would you give to younger athletes? Listen and absorb as much information from as many people as possible! Always ask questions and work hard at every single training or game you have the chance to attend. Make sure you have no regrets!

38 SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

Name: Charlotte Moss Age: 22 Club: NorthSport Olympic Weightlifting Studying: Bachelor of Arts majoring in Politics and International Relations and History.

What is your proudest sporting moment?: My proudest sporting moments are the ones where I had to overcome the most challenges and do the most learning. Last year at the Melbourne International I broke my first set of New Zealand senior records for the under 48kg weight class in the snatch, clean and jerk, and total. I had dropped a whole weight class for this event and had to lose 7kgs! Together dieting and training was definitely a big challenge. We tried to maintain as much of my strength as possible while balancing eating less food which is important for staying strong and recovery.

What advice would you give to younger athletes?: Focus on the process more than the outcome you are trying to achieve. Embrace and enjoy the challenges. Lastly, keep reflecting on your performances, learn, and do it better next time.

Name: Matthew Wyatt Age: 27 Club: Bays Athletics Discipline: Long Jump Occupation: Architect Describe your proudest sporting moment: Winning my first national Long Jump title in 2013 and beating my personal best by more than half a metre, having overcome 10 months of forced leave from training with a stress fracture in my back.

What advice would you give to younger athletes?

Training is the easy part - what you do and who you are away from training is just as important to finding success as what you do at training.

Name: Michael Slessor-White Age: 17 Club: North Harbour Water Polo Occupation: Head Boy at Rosmini College, Year 13.

Looking to study medicine at University next year.

What is your proudest sporting moment? This has to be when I represented New Zealand for the first time.

I was part of the U16 NZ Cadets side and I remember proudly listening to the national anthem being played for us as we lined up ready to take on Australia a few years ago. As a sports lover, you grow up watching this a lot on TV and it is always such a proud moment when you are representing your country.

What advice would you give to younger athletes? If you stay passionate and persevere then you will succeed no matter what your goals are. Things always change. If you don’t quite make it the first time, or the second or the third ‌ stay passionate about your sport and persevere. Trust me, you will get there in the end.

SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 2018

39

Facilities & Services AUT MILLENNIUM SERVICES Swim School (09) 477 2074 swimschool@autmillennium.org.nz Gym (09) 477 2011 memberships@autmillennium.org.nz Sir Owen G. Glenn National Aquatic Centre (09) 477 2074 aquatics@autmillennium.org.nz Accommodation (09) 477 7019 accommodation@autmillennium.org.nz Conference (09) 477 2009 conference@autmillennium.org.nz

Schools Programme (09) 477 2043 schools@autmillennium.org.nz Athlete Development (09) 477 2012 info@athletedevelopment.org.nz Human Potential Clinic hpc@autmillennium.org.nz Sports Performance Clinic spc@autmillennium.org.nz Holiday Programme (09) 477 2000 reception@autmillennium.org.nz Speedo Shop shop@autmillennium.org.nz

HEALTH SERVICES HealthZone Physiotherapy (09) 477 2098 admin@healthzone.org.nz HealthZone Medical (09) 477 2090 chriscm@medzone.co.nz

Ascot Radiology (09) 478 6640 Orthosports (09) 477 2080 office@orthosports.co.nz

SPORTS CLUBS AND COMMUNITIES

EATERIES

High-Performance Sport New Zealand (09) 477 5420 info@hpsnz.org.nz Athletics New Zealand (09) 477 0210 info@athletics.org.nz Swimming New Zealand (09) 478 2916 info@swimmingnz.org.nz Tennis New Zealand (09) 528 5428 info@tennis.kiwi Bays Athletics (09) 477 2035 baysathletics@autmi.org.nz North Harbour Water Polo Club (09) 477 2021 admin@northharbourwaterpolo.co.nz NorthSport Olympic Weightlifting @NorthSportOlympicWeightlifting on Facebook North Shore Swimming www.northshoreswimclub.org.nz/contact Active Auckland – Coaching (09) 921 9999 ext 5197 Constellation Community Trust Kevin Lunny, Managing Director kevin@apexlogistics.co.nz

Wholefood Bistro 027 373 6977 louis@wholefood.co.nz Little French Café 027 373 6977 Subway (09) 475 5063

Get social with us!

@autmillennium

VISIT US TODAY! 17 Antares Pl, Rosedale, 0632 BE THE BEST YOU CAN BE

SEPTEMBER - NOVEMBER 40 2018 40