Powerade continues Exclusive Performance Academy for Coaches

Port Elizabeth hosts the second Powerade Performance Academy of 2019 in Nelson Mandela Bay on the 28^th July 2019. The academy sees expert performance coaches being part of an interactive session of empowering and enriching lessons for school coaches.

For this year’s academy Malibongwe Maketa assistant coach to the Proteas, Verlie Oosthuizen Partner and Head of Social Media Law at Shepston and Wyrle Associates, John McGrath Luvo Manyonga’s high performance coach, World-renowned high-performance coach, last Strongman of Africa and Motivational speaker and Kass Naidoo South Africa’s first women cricket commentator and founder of GSports will be take the coaches through critical lessons on how to tackle aspects of coaching on and off the field of play.

Popular local, Malibongwe Maketa has first-hand experience on what Port Elizabeth has to offer and is excited to share his knowledge with the coaches from the province to help them take their coaching to another level. Malibongwe will talk to the coaches about identifying talent as he has been involved in identifying the talent that is currently at show at the Warriors Cricket side.  He forms part of the Proteas setup where the work that school coaches do at grassroots level comes to fruition.

Academy allows the attending coaches from the various school sporting codes to go back to their respective schools in the spirit of ‘teach one, teach all’.

Powerade is dedicated to finding ways to innovate and support sports men and women’s progression of active goals and has maintained its commitment to young South African sportsmen and sportswomen by providing them with the necessary platforms to achieve their ultimate sporting goals.  In line with this commitment, Powerade has aimed much of its focus on high school coaches in recognition of their role as primary influencers of the next generation of South Africa’s sporting heroes.

To connect the coaches across the country, Powerade has also introduced a Powerade Facebook Community called the Coaches Corner where coaches can interact and share their daily challenges and achievements with their peers. The next leg of Powerade Performance Academies will take place in Cape Town and Johannesburg.

For more information, visit Powerade Facebook page (@PoweradeZA) and #AlwaysForward. 

ENDS

Notes to Editor

Speakers for Performance Academy in Port Elizabeth

Malibongwe Maketa: Current Proteas assistant coach and former coach of the Warriors Cricket Team.

Topic: Identifying talent

Verlie Oosthuizen: Partner and Head of Social Media Law at Shepston and Wyrle Associates.

Topic: Beware of Social Media

John McGrath: Luvo Manyonga’s high performance coach, World-renowned high-performance coach and last Strongman of Africa and Motivational speaker and performance artist

Topic: Changing sports paradigms

Kass Naidoo: 20 years in journalism, South Africa’s first women cricket commentator and founder of GSports

Topic: Six of the best

HOËRSKOOL JEUGLAND FROM KEMPTON PARK WERE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRAIN WITH A RUGBY LEGEND

John Mitchell, ex-All Blacks player and coach who is famous for guiding the Lions to Currie Cup Victory, went to Hoërskool Jeugland in Kempton last week to teach rugby teams and coaches about what it takes to “power through” from school boy rugby to Super Rugby and beyond.

He demonstrated new techniques, drills and gave guidance on other performance-related aspects of training, like hydration, before, during and after matches.

It’s not often that school boys get to meet man who has won the Currie Cup and knows what it takes to power through various types of adversity to become a success. The young rugby players from Hoërskool Jeugland were able to tap into his vast rugby knowledge and learn that they have all got what it takes to power through, as long as they know that they have to work hard and persevere in whatever they choose to do in life.

Hoërskool Jeugland invited the four primary schools in the area around the school to share in the excitement of having a Currie Cup winning coach and former All-Black share his knowledge with the school. In the end there were nearly as many coaches as players that attended the session.

Alec de Kock, deputy sport manager at Hoërskool Jeugland, and 1st team coach said it was great to have a famous coach like John Mitchell visit the school and share some of his knowledge with the coaches and rugby players.

"We were surprised that John would take a step back and recognise the importance of grass route rugby," he said. “We did not learn too many new techniques but we were encouraged by the fact that we are actually on the right path with our training techniques. John managed to show us that even though we were doing the correct training routines we were making small technical mistakes in these routines."

Hoërskool Jeugland have not had the best season so far but they do have one player that stands out’ “We only have one player, Darren de Bruin, that is in line to make the Falcons Coca-Cola Craven Week team so it is important that the team gels as a unit. We have been successful in doing this and hopefully it will be good enough."

Alec spoke a lot about the importance of what he is trying to achieve as a coach. He believes that through rugby the players can learn life lessons. He would like to see that what the players learn on the field they can bring into other aspects of life. “You do not necessarily have to be the best rugby player to benefit from playing rugby, you need to see what your aim and goals are and try to meet these goals. If you achieve these goals you can say that you have been a success.

"The players must also learn respect for their coaches, the opposing players and in doing that they will learn how to respect themselves.”

Wesley Higgs, Hoërskool Jeugland's 1st team prop said it was a great experience to meet John Mitchell. "He showed us that we have been doing the correct training drills over the last 5 year but we have not understood the true reason as to why we were doing those drills and we have been doing them incorrectly.

“I never expected that I would be coached by a real professional coach like Mr. Mitchell. He thinks differently from most of the coaches that I have played under because he thinks a lot more as to what needs to be done, how it should be done and why it should be done. Then he tells us his reasoning behind what he is teaching us. It makes it a lot easier to understand our training routines and makes it easier to understand when we can apply what we have learned in a match situation.”

Wayne Visser, the team's other prop said: "Mr Mitchell is a huge celebrity and a rugby legend, it was amazing to meet him in person. I never imagined that a person of this stature could be so approachable and easy to talk to.”

John Mitchell has not only coached a Currie Cup team but he has also coached Super Rugby teams and since Powerade is the official hydration sponsor of the Vodacom Super Rugby, John knows the benefits of what Powerade can offer sportsmen and women.

“Our goal in getting John to schools like Jeugland is to inspire and motivate young individuals to make sure they maintain their forward momentum and achieve their goals. We know that coaches also play the role of mentor and guidance counsellor and we want to empower coaches who will in turn inspire the players,” said Trivern Chetty, Brand Manager- Sports and Energy at The Coca-Cola Company. 

The Powerade Schools Programme does not end with the Powerade Performance Sessions. The coaches that come into contact with Mitchell during these campaigns will also be able to stay up to date with peak performance by means of signing up for the communications, developed by the ex-All Blacks and Lions coach himself. A select group of coaches will receive a training tips newsletter twice a month from John. This communication will take the form of skills training content, pictures and links to video demonstrations from the Powerade Performance Sessions as well as great competitions to participate in.

But the Powerade Schools Programme is far from over. The schools can continue to collect Powerade caps until 14th June. The school that collects the most caps will get tickets for the entire school to go and watch a Super Rugby game in their province.

HOËRSKOOL WONDERBOOM FROM PRETORIA WERE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRAIN WITH A RUGBY LEGEND

John Mitchell, ex-All Blacks player and coach and helped guide the Lions to Currie Cup Victory, went to Hoërskool Wonderboom in Pretoria last week to teach four of their top rugby teams about what it takes to “Power Through” from school boy rugby to Super Rugby and beyond.

He demonstrated new techniques, drills and gave guidance on other performance-related aspects of training, like hydration, before, during and after matches.

It’s not often that school boys get to meet man who has won the Currie Cup and knows what it takes to power through various types of adversity to become a success. The young rugby players from Hoërskool Wonderboom were able to tap into his vast rugby knowledge and learn that they have all got what it takes to “Power Through”, as long as they know that they have to work hard and persevere in whatever they choose to do in life.

Etienne Hellere, flank and Hoërskool Wonderboom 1^st team captain enjoyed the training session and found John very approachable and easy to follow due to the passion that he showed during the Powerade Performance Session.

“John Mitchell was fantastic; as soon as he started with the training session he got immediate support from the players. His dedication to the training session, passion for the game and the fact that he was very serious about his objectives behind the training session helped get us to give all that we had and learn as much as possible in the 2 hours that we trained.”

The training session was not only of benefit to the players but also to the school’s coaches.

Braam Pretorius, coach of Hoërskool Wonderboom’s first team found the session interesting and informative.

“I cannot single out any part of the session that was of more interest as I found the entire training session very valuable,” he said. “John took us through various aspects of the game and then showed us how to put them together in various drills.

“For example, he taught us how to fall when tackled, how to put the ball in a position where you can recycle possession and then how the rest of the team should ruck over the tackled player to guarantee possession.”

“We also enjoyed the passing drills because it reminds the players of how important something simple like passing is and how you can make the ball do the work to gain the advantage line”

Hoërskool Wonderboom has two players that will take part in the Coca-Cola Youth Rugby Weeks taking place in July.  Prop, Ghan Snyders will play in the U16 Grant Khomo Week and Malcolm Fischer, inside centre is the vice captain of the       Coca-Cola U18 Craven Week Bulls squad.

John Mitchell has not only coached a Currie Cup team but he has also coached Super Rugby teams and since Powerade is the official hydration sponsor of the Vodacom Super Rugby, John knows the benefits of what Powerade can offer sportsmen and women.

“Our goal in getting John to schools like Hoërskool Wonderboom is to inspire and motivate young individuals to make sure they maintain their forward momentum and achieve their goals. We know that coaches also play the role of mentor and guidance counselor and we want to empower coaches who will in turn inspire the players,” said Trivern Chetty, Brand Manager- Sports and Energy at The Coca-Cola Company. 

The Powerade Schools Programme does not end with the Powerade Performance Sessions. The coaches that come into contact with Mitchell during these campaigns will also be able to stay up to date with peak performance by means of signing up for the communications, developed by the ex-All Blacks and Lions coach himself. A select group of coaches will receive a training tips newsletter twice a month from John. This communication will take the form of skills training content, pictures and links to video demonstrations from the Powerade Performance Sessions as well as great competitions to participate in.

But the Powerade Schools Programme is far from over. The schools can continue to collect Powerade caps until 14th June. The school that collects the most caps will get tickets for the entire school to go and watch a Super Rugby game in their province.

POWERADE & John Mitchell help school rugby coaches and players 'Power Through'

There are no limits when it comes to what you can achieve with peak performance on the sports field and Powerade understands what it takes to power through.  Together with former New Zealand All Black, and international rugby coach, John Mitchell, high school rugby teams will move to another level through the Powerade Schools Programme, a five month campaign tackling all aspects of rugby training as well as a competition to build camaraderie amongst all school athletes no matter what sporting code they participate.

 

The Powerade Schools Programme aims to help born sportsmen power through the challenges that face them at every level of excellence in their sport by motivating, inspiring as well as providing useful information on training regimes, and how Powerade intrinsically fits into all of these elements.

 

“School boys and girls make up a large proportion of sports drink consumers and our Powerade brand optimises excellence,” said Craig van Niekerk, Marketing Assets Manager, Coca-Cola.  “And we are aware of the South African youth’s insatiable thirst to be the best and achieve on the sporting field.  We are also fully aware that coaches play a vital role in the formation of players and we have therefore devised our programme around coaches and players.”

 

Mitchell, together with Powerade, has devised a programme to help both schools coaches and players excel in the sport of rugby. There are many facets to achieving this, and this programme is based around two events where John Mitchell will get to impart his wealth of rugby knowledge and experience. They are the Powerade Performance Academy Sessions with the coaches of the top schools in the country, and the Powerade Performance Sessions whereby John will travel to 40 schools around the country.

 

The one day Powerade Performance Academy Sessions coincided with the hugely popular Easter rugby festivals played in the north and south of the country. On the 29^th of March all the first team coaches present at the KES, St Stithians and St Johns festivals in Gauteng gathered at St Johns, with all the first team coaches at the Oakdale festival in the Western Cape doing the same on the 1^st of March.

 

The content delivered during these sessions was of a technical nature, and provided the first team coaches access to information normally only accessible to Super Rugby coaches. Content covered by John Mitchell on the day ranged from the latest technological and physiological trends, latest training and skills theory and game analytics to really pin point and discuss the elements needed to power through as a team. With all this to inspire the coaches to take performance to new levels, John also went into the importance of nutrition and proper hydration for players, the key element for overcoming performance limiting factors.

 

“I am passionate about coaching coaches,” said Mitchell.  “coaches are the key to generating higher performance in schools, and by focusing on developing the inner strength and abilities within the kids to overcome barriers, they will all be able to become the best they can be.  Through my association with Super Rugby I am aware of any rule changes and how these can affect the interpretation of the game.”

 

Post the session, the coaches will be able to stay up to date with peak performance through newsletters sent to all coaches twice a month. These will include skills training content, pictures and links to video demonstrations from the Powerade Performance Sessions, Powerade Performance update videos as well as great competitions to participate in.

 

The Powerade Schools programme then moves from coaches to the players through Powerade Performance Sessions. 100 identified schools in South Africa will be given a giant Powerade bottle that they will need to fill with Powerade bottle caps. During the time period of the 15^th of March to the 19^th of April, schools will have the chance to make this happen with the 40 top participating schools winning a Powerade Performance Session with John Mitchell.

 

The programme doesn’t stop there.  The second leg prize for all participating 100 schools on the Powerade Performance Session activation sees one school getting the opportunity to attend a live Super Rugby match in their region as a school. Selection for this great prize will take place on June 14^th, allowing all the schools plenty of time to collect the bottle tops needed for victory.