Page 15 - link magazine

swindonlink.com • July 2011 15
Top coach to work with up and coming stars

at West Swindon’s secondary school preschool

Greendown School plans name change to Lydiard Park Academy gymnastics
Mark Bennett, the coach to the nity to create the right environment training five days a week, some
coaches of some of Britain’s top to develop young talent who join twice a day, in addition to school where an early
teams, is partnering the new the academy, children in Year 5 and work. It’s important that they have
Lydiard Park Sports Academy 6 who are showing promise, and good nutrition, time-management start makes a world
(LPSA) to develop the most ad- of course their parents who need and life-skills programmes in of difference!
vanced training programmes to guidance and advice on how to place to complement their training
be found in any school in the UK. give their children the best chance regimes so they can achieve their
The former Army senior physi- to succeed in their sporting field.” potential.
cal training instructor established He said the PDS/Greendown “It’s also important to recognise
his company Performance Devel- programme will result in sport and academic studies go
opment Systems (PDS) in 2003 • pupils who will be empowered, hand in hand and we’ve discussed
to develop new methods which confident and have more self-belief working with teachers across the
maximise performance in different and control, sustained by access to academy to apply the PDS method
sports by empowering individuals top trainers; to engage all young people in taking
and teams to take responsibility for • PE staff trained in the PDS meth- responsibility for their lives.
their training. As such he works ods as more effective mentors and “As we introduce academy sports
mainly with sports managers to coaches; staff to PDS, I would expect to see
change the way they coach so that • 1:1 meetings with top athletes; tangible results after a single term.”
the athlete takes ownership for his • specially designed programme Headteacher Clive Zimmerman
or her performance. to replace PSHE for sports acad- said, “there are many very exciting
changes going on at Greendown.
Lydiard Park Sports Academy
will be one of two initiatives for
the school’s change in status, with
the other being a second special
academy programme for high daily classes for the under 5’s
achieving pupils.
“Enhancing sporting and aca-
demic achievement is going to have 01793 822262
positive impacts on every pupil www.esprit-gymnastics.co.uk
who comes to the academy.”

Find out the truth

Creating a new partnership, Mark Bennett of PDS, centre,
with headteacher Clive Zimmerman, left, and Christian Dobbs Our clients include
World and Olympic
As a result of work he did with emy pupils to focus on nutrition,
England rugby coaches last Au- conditioning, training and rest;
tumn which turned a loss against • workshops for parents to help Champions
New Zealand into a record break- support their child with advice on
ing win over Australia, Mark is nutrition and time-management. Providing world class advice, training,
currently working several days a Christian added that some two- coaching & mentoring to athletes & the public
week with the coaching team be- thirds of pupils at Greendown are
hind England’s bid for this year’s engaged in higher level sport and
rugby world cup. training, from age group related
He also coaches at the National elite swimmers and ice-hockey
Golf Academy and is mentor for players, to young people joining
trainers at Village Hotel gyms across recreational cycling groups or train-
the country. ing in gyms.
Greendown Community School Mark said he thought the partner-
plans to use its likely academy ship could be the tip of an iceberg.
status to re-launch itself as Lydiard “PDS is all about education, not the
Park Academy from September kind that teaches people informa-
2012 when it will become indepen- tion to simply to pass a test then
dent of Swindon Borough Council. forget, but the kind of education that
Mark was put in touch by The enriches people’s lives, increases
Link with Greendown director of self esteem, motivation and de-
sports Christian Dobbs after the velops a positive attitude towards
exclusive feature on PDS in the health, fitness and performance.
May Link. “I’ve worked with a number of
Christian said, “I jumped at the schools, but this will be the first
opportunity to talk with Mark; formal, long term development
the introduction came exactly at project. Over 70 simple to understand colour
the right time as we are currently “I’m particularly keen to work downloads on our new website
taking the school’s specialist sports with the academy coaches and also
status to the next level to tie in with parents to help them work out good www.PDScoach.com
academy status. Working with PDS work-life arrangements for the
offers us a hugely exciting opportu- young people. Some are already

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