Training for North Coast Football’s new elite player development program – the National Premier League – is in full swing, and as part of the program the young players were gifted the opportunity last Monday to work with PhD Student Kyle Bennett from the University of Technology Sydney and Dr Chris Stephens of Southern Cross University.
Bennett and Dr Stephens were in Coffs to engage in player assessments as part of their Talent Identification and Development in Youth Sport Study, a rare opportunity in regional NSW for kids aged 13, 14 and 15 years.
However, with the all-conquering Southern Stars in town on Monday the 28th of November, the Coffs Coast Sport and Leisure Park (CCSALP) venue, traditionally used for North Coast Football’s (NCF) Player Development Program, was unavailable.
The study carried our by Bennett and Dr Stephens required not only training fields, but a class room style venue to carry out the assessments in player decision-making; Anthropometric and Motor competence. The men were studying these functions to determine the impact on young elite players through their development.
With no adequate alternative venue available to NCF, it was looking as though this important work and fantastic opportunity would be interrupted.
Fortunately the problem was overcome when Bishop Druitt College offered their state of the art venue. The College provided two full sized fields and a room in the Branson Centre for the indoor assessments.
Consequently, the Study and NCF training were able to continue for the 200 players and families members who attended.
North Coast Football Technical Director, Gary McGinnis expressed his thanks for the College’s timely assistance and looks forward to further activities at the College in the future.
