An ‘Ace’ up our sleeve Acelin James, warmly known to all as ‘Ace’, has been with St Cuthbert’s as a key member of the Fitness Centre team since 2017. Ace first joined us from AUT as a volunteer during his internship year whilst completing a Bachelor in Sport and Exercise Science. Since then, Ace has not only gone on to complete his undergraduate degree, but also has his post-graduate certification. Ace is thrilled to be with St Cuthbert’s, as are we to have him, as this role allows him to put his studies into practice and follow his real passion, youth athlete development. We spoke to Ace about his role. Ace says, “What I love about youth athlete development is that you can see a real change. Students are developing when they start off; they all have their own talents but not the full range of skills. With adult athletes it’s about micromanaging and tiny percentage improvements. However, with youth development, we are privileged to play a role in facilitating huge improvements in fine and gross motor skills and physical performance qualities, in addition to seeing our athletes develop mentally and mature into amazing young women. I’ve found it’s important to work alongside our students, at a pace that is appropriate for their age and growing stages. To not only help them achieve their sporting and fitness goals, but critically, to prevent potential injuries that are common during developmental stages, by teaching them when to push and when to hold back. “Conversations, not work-outs, are the starting point. I ask the girls to reflect on
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how they are doing, before teaching them the right ‘dosage’ of each exercise; I also teach them how to consider the bigger picture in terms of their goals and give them techniques to ‘listen’ to their bodies. We have a saying here at the Fitness Centre, “no one will care how much you know, until they know how much you care”. Getting to know the girls as individuals, and putting their wellness first, is integral. We can give the students the best programme in the world but athletes need to believe in the plan and the coach to get the full benefit. “One of my key teaching principles is ensuring girls do not overtrain. Often, we find some students are a little too keen whereas, in fact, they need to rest and listen to their bodies, to learn to consider the ‘long run’. I love to help youth athletes come to a realisation of when to push, and when to hold back and recover. This comes from an understanding of yourself, your training ability, and your loads (both mental and physical). As I work with the students, it’s incredible to see these young athletes become more self-aware and to observe their maturity develop, as well as their capabilities. To see them turn into mature athletes and to be part of this growth is really fulfilling.
“My goal in this role is to get as many people fit, healthy and enjoying exercise across the College as possible. If someone is keen to learn, then I am there for them.”
