If so get them to apply to the recruitment Office at The University of Ulster or download details at: University of Ulster
Closing date is January 7th 2005
Salary scale is £27,174 – 34,838

The strategic review of sport science services within Northern Ireland (2004), commissioned by Sports Council and produced by the University of Ulster, identified the need to create greater awareness of the range of sports science services available to the sporting community.
Sports physiology is one of those services, and although it is not a “relatively new” concept, questions such as, what is sports physiology and how can it impact on athlete programmes are often asked? Within the Sports Institute Northern Ireland, physiology support has been provided to high performance athletes and coaches as part of the integrated programme of services since October 2002. The following summary encompasses a brief overview of this specific service.

In essence, sports physiology is essentially concerned with the assessment of how the body responds to single or repeated bouts of exercise. In its simplest form, physiology is associated with the collection of objective data upon which subsequent evaluations and decisions are made (e.g. fitness tests).
At SINI, team sport athletes (Gaelic football, hockey and rugby) and games players (squash) participate in sports-specific fitness tests, which include assessments such as body composition, strength, power, speed, endurance and repeated-sprint capacity.
This process allows fitness to be determined in a controlled environment and specific strengths, weaknesses and/or positional differences within a squad to be identified. Issues that have been highlighted can then be addressed by the individual strength and conditioning programmes that are developed for the athletes. On the other hand endurance athletes, from sports such as athletics, and cycling, participate in more advanced physiological assessments, involving heart rate monitoring, blood lactate (by-product of carbohydrate metabolism) profiling and expired-air collection (changes in oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations).
This detailed assessment allows the physiologist to pinpoint correct training levels and intensities and to assist the coach in prescribing individual training programmes. Depending on the sport and athlete concerned, time between tests can range from six to twelve weeks. Importantly, physiological assessments need to be continuous and scheduled during critical phases of the training cycle (e.g. pre and post the general preparation stage). Moreover, this process allows fitness changes to be determined and training needs to be re-evaluated in conjunction with physiological monitoring (e.g. heart rate).

Physiological assessment can also involve the evaluation of hydration status, respiratory function and blood profiling. Appropriate hydration is important for athletes engaging in training and competitions to offset the possibility of dehydration, which can significantly impair performance. Poor respiratory function is often associated with the diagnosis and sometimes misdiagnosis of asthma in athletes and specific tests can be used to determine whether this is the case. If evident, sub-optimal lung function can be addressed by training the respiratory system using devices such as the Powerbreathe®.
Blood profiling is particularly important because the results provide an indication of the athlete’s current health status and iron levels. This screening process helps to minimise the risk of contracting upper respiratory tract infections (e.g. coughs, colds and flu) and to ensure that the body can maximise adaptation from high intensity training and perform at optimum levels. In summary, physiological assessments, in conjunction with the musculoskeletal screening process, provide the foundation upon which decisions are made in relation to training prescription and facilitate the evaluation of the effectiveness of a training programme.

Following the physiological assessments, training interventions such as heart rate monitoring and lactate profiling, can then be used to determine whether or not the athletes are training at the desired training intensities. This process often involves daily and/or weekly interactions with the athletes and coaches and this facilitates communication of immediate feedback.
Time motion analysis observations, using Global Positioning Satellites (GPS), can also be employed to develop sport specific and movement specific training practices. For example, information on the incidence and duration of sprints, total distance covered and exercise intensity during a game can be obtained. Another role of a physiologist is to develop specific investigations to assess the efficacy of ergogenic aids and popular nutritional supplements (e.g. creatine, caffeine and sodium bicarbonate) and to determine their potential to enhance performance. Further, the establishment of an environmental chamber at UUJ will also necessitate the development of acclimatisation strategies for athletes competing in adverse environmental conditions such as those experienced at altitude or in warm-weather countries. In conclusion, a greater understanding and insight into the role of sports physiology by athletes and coaches will facilitate the integration of this valuable service into their programmes. Subsequent newsletters will include specific examples of how physiology is being integrated into the programmes at the SINI.

Named the Irish Young Player of the Year last season, Tommy comes from a sporting family. His father Paul won a Leinster School’s Cup with Newbridge College and went on to a cap for Leinster Schools’ and his sister Hannah is the rising star of Ulster Hockey. Still a pupil at the Royal School Armagh where she is Head Girl, Hannah made her Ulster Senior Hockey debut the weekend after her big brother turned out for Ireland, and not to be outdone, scored a hat-trick of goals in a 7-0 whitewash of Connacht.

It seems that the Bowes have plenty to offer Ulster sport in the years to come.

As the year ends it is worthwhile to emphasize the value of a diary to an elite athlete. Sports Institute athletes are being actively encouraged to use the SCNI Athlete Diary produced for the Sports Council by Paul Gastin and incorporating the ‘i RECORD’ system. This diary has a number of specific sections with emphasis on
• Planning
• Self Monitoring
• Conditioning
• Personal records e.g. Injury, Nutrition
• Personal appointments via a filofax diary

The use of the diary by athletes will help to develop habits that are essential for success – vision and focus, dedication and application, discipline and self reliance, planning and prioritised action.

SINI athletes are encouraged to carry their diary with them at all times. It contains a complete record of relevant information for quick reference by themselves and others as well as providing the opportunity for immediate entry of information whereever they are.
Use of an athlete diary encourages the jigsaw building or step by step approach necessary to build achievement. So as 2005 approaches – encourage use of an athlete diary in your programmes at whatever level you operate. The detail can be customised to sort the age and level of your athletes.
Let’s leave the last word on this to legend Michael Jordan.

“Step by step, I can't see any other way of achieving anything.”

SINI athletes Elizabeth Mc Williams and Steven Morrow, who recently returned from Australia, should figure prominently in the U20 races.

The new DipHE Coaching Studies is curently being designed and ready for validation in the New Year with an intake of students due in September 2004. GAA Coaches wishing to access this programme should be aware that an academic qualification is required (A Level or equivalent) to access this programme.

Coaches who have not come through this route should be registering with a Further Education College in their area and taking an Access course. This will give you the required credit to apply for the Coaching studies programme. The programme will run part-time over three years with student given accreditation for prior learning where they can prove this is taken place.

A camp for both groups is scheduled for late January in Barcelona to kick off the New Year. Most of the athletes will have some rest time over the Christmas and a well-earned break before another phase of increased training begins.