2012 EUropEaN rEcordS dEcEmbEr 31St 2011

work together as a teaM
A good team spirit can lift individual performances
within the team. Encourage group activities
and use opportunities such as breakfast,
dinner or warm-ups to work as a team.
Group support has great psychological benefit
and can help in situations where one shooter
is having a difficult competition Use the team
spirit to create a sense of shared goals; we
work as a team for a team performance. Pride
in your team and your country are powerful
motivational factors for success. So dress in
your team tracksuits and wear your country’s
shooting uniform with pride.
accreditation
For managers this can be a long and tedious
process particularly at a big competition. Make
things easier for yourself by paying in advance
by bank transfer, if the organisers will allow.
Bring a copy of the transfer receipt with you
and it will make the process of payment much
easier. Try and get your team accreditation
completed early, this is very important to your
shooters who will go straight into pre-event
training and equipment control where they
will need their bib numbers and id cards. Don’t
leave it until the last moment; it only creates
stress for everyone concerned. Do a final check
to ensure that all the athlete details are correct.
Take the time to have your athletes fill in their
update forms for the athletes’ database. This
information is very important to the media and
to ISSF TV and it only takes a few minutes.
accoMModation
Give careful consideration to the accommodation
and rooming arrangements for your
team. A quiet room away from the noise of
the dining rooms and the reception area are
best. When you have athletes sharing rooms,
try to have them room with someone who
has a similar temperament and personality.
Take some precautions for a good night’s
sleep, use ear plugs if noise is an issue and
as strange as it sounds try bringing your own
pillow. It was an athletics coach who told me
once that bringing your own pillow is as close
to sleeping in your own bed that you can get
when you travel.
nUtrition
An army marches on its stomach and so too
does a shooting team. Getting meals that you
like can be a problem. Cultural requirements
and special diets need careful planning so
check with the organisers in advance as to
what the menus are at both the hotel and the
range. You can also check with the concierge
at the hotel for some recommendations.
Remember we are here to compete, so
keep to a diet which your are normally used
to. Now is not a time to try new foods or
menus for the first time as you run the risk
of gastrointestinal issues. There is plenty of
time to try out the local delicacies after the
competition.
Where airport customs allow, bring some
dry food with you. If you have a brand of
breakfast cereal or muesli that you like, think
about bringing a box with you just in case
you have difficulty with the breakfast menu
at the hotel. Find the local supermarket, its
ideal for fresh fruit, water and soft drinks.
Ask the organisers in advance what food
will be available at the venue, they will be
only too happy to do so.
Find a base at the venUe
The organizers provide athlete rest areas so
find a spot and create a base camp for your
team. Do not inconvenience other teams by
taking all the chairs and tables but do work
with the teams around you to create a vibrant
and relaxing camp for your shooters to rest.
COAChING
book yoUr training early
You will want your team to train and to familiarise
themselves at the venue. So find out from
the organisers what arrangements for training
are in place? In shotgun, it is normal to have to
book sessions at the range and the best times
can go quickly, so make the journey to the
range office early to book your team places.
Remember that official transport might not be
running yet so you might have to make your
own transport arrangements (taxi, hire-car).
While you are there, check with the armoury
on what type and how much ammunition is
available. If you had planned to purchase at
the range it’s best to make contact in advance
to ensure that the armoury has your brand
and sufficient quantity is reserved for you.
venUe transPort
Bus transport is a big expense for organizers
so they are limited, so check the bus timetable
every day. These can change daily so
don’t assume just because the bus left yesterday
at 3pm that it is also leaving today at
3pm. Always have a backup plan for transport,
get the number of a local taxi service
and have the name and address of the range
written on a card to show the driver.
technical Meeting
Make sure to attend the technical meeting. It’s
where you will hear the running order for the
competition and also get the latest news and
observations from the other team managers.
Often issues arise and this is the place to be to
hear about them and the resolutions.Talk with
your shooters in advance of the meeting and
bring up at the meeting any issues or questions
they want clarified at the technical meeting.
ISSF NEWS 13