A Good start means the rest are already playing catch up!

As the title says we are off to a good start hopefully leaving our competitors already chasing! We are into the full flow of training now with most athletes training a minimum of 3 days a week with some already upto their full quota of 4/5 sessions depending on their events.

  On Tuesday nights we are in Ardfert hall from 7.45-9.15pm doing circuits,speed and agility which is attracting 2/3 new athletes every week so far.Coach Artur Novak is currently assisting me here but will take over fully in the next few weeks when everything has fully settled.Each week the session is getting slightly more difficult but at present everybody is managing it even if they are feeling it the next day!
Wednesday and Thursdays sees the experienced athletes do their own sessions outside of club time with a fartlek session during lunch at school on Wednesday and weights Thursday evenings at their local gyms.The distance runners switch weights on a Thursday for a steady run.
Sandylane,Banna is the venue for our toughest session on a Saturday from 1-2.30pm.Attendance at this session is suprisingly close to 100% even though it is the toughest session with some athletes running upto 5x400m hill repititions followed by lactic acid filled muscles hill sprints.
Sunday morning from 9.45-11.15am we have Tralee sports complex gym booked out and have our group weights session.This session really shows how quickly the athletes are coming on especially in terms of technique and body flexibility/mobility.For a bit of crack we always have a pull up competition after this session which is starting to get a bit competitive.The most improved this week i think was Katie O Riordan going from 3 to 6;i reckon shel be upto 15-20 by the end of the year!

Every weekend there is also some Kerry squads in Castleisland;it kicked off last weekend with high jump.pole vault,middle distance and all throws,next weekend sees long jump/triple jump Saturday and Sprints Sunday at times to be confirmed.I will post the full winter schedule tommorow.
So to repeat the first line a good start everybody,keep it up and we will stay ahead of the rest which will lead to a fantastic season again this year.

In previous years International selection would have gained top billing here but as we have spoiled ourselves this season ive relegated Eoghan Courtneys selection on the Irish schools multi events team to the bottom as it guarantees everybody will read to the end,ha ha.Eoghan finished 5th at the All Irelands last weekend in the junior category but when they discounted the high jump result as there is none in the international competition he finished 3rd easily making the team of four with Sam Healy Belgooly,Mark Rodgers St Peters and Owen Scully Carlow.Eoghan had PB's in the long jump with 5.50m and the 800m with 2.28 with good results in the 80m hurdles 12.2,200m 24.4 and average results of 1.45m high jump and 9.45 in the shot putt.Eoghan will

now travel to Glasgow on December 11th to compete against the English,Scottish and Welsh in Kelvin indoor track where he has had previous success.Well done Eoghan.

Important dates-

Fri Oct 1st-Club AGM-Kate Brownes-8pm
Sun Oct 3rd-Kerry Even Age & Novice XC-Killarney demense-12pm
Sun Oct 10th-Kerry Uneven Age & Inter XC-Beaufort-12pm
Tue Oct 26th/27th-October Camp-Nenagh-9am leaving time

Kerry Squads

This season the Kerry county board will be running squad training sessions in Castleisland for each event.Some fantastic coaches from accross the country have been lined up with the hope of bringing the counties athletes to even higher levels than they have achieved already.St Brendan's AC has the most athletes on the squad who are all named below.If anybody hasnt gotten back to me about them let me know asap please.

The first sessions start this weekend September 25th/26th.
Middle Distance-Sat 25th-Main Banna Carpark-10.30-2.15pm-Steven Macklin/Liam Reale/Frank Conway/Arthur Fitzgearld/Anna Meria Costello/Niamh O Sullivan

Shot/Discus & Javelin-Sat 25th-An Riocht-10.45-2pm-Jerry Horgan/Patsy O Connor/Alan O Connor

High Jump-Sat 25th-An Riocht-10.45-2pm-Chris O Regan/Rosie Daniels
Pole Vault-Sat 25th-An Riocht-11.45-3pm-Eamon Flanagan
Hammer-Sun 26th-An Riocht-10.45-2pm-Brian & Rachel Akers/Jerry Horgan
Hurdles-Sun 26th-An Riocht-11.45-3pm-Denis Finnegan/Shane Delaney

Iarla Courtney-Hurdles & Long Jump
Orlaith Casey-Hurdles
Shane Lowth-Sprints
Colm A O Sullivan-Shot/Discus & Hammer
Pa Gilbert-Pole Vault,Triple Jump and Sprints
Quinn Newsome-Hurdles,Triple Jump & Sprints
Katie O Riordan-Pole Vault
Peter O Brien-Shot/Discus & Hammer
Eoghan Courtney-Hurdles & Sprints
Michael Grimes-Triple Jump & Pole Vault
Jack Regan Kirwan-Hurdles & Triple Jump
Dylan Carey-Middle Distance
Danny O Shea-Sprints & Hurdles
Erik Feitshans-Javelin
Stephen O Sullivan-Sprints
Una Marley-Pole Vault & Hurdles
Amy Phelan-Pole Vault & Triple Jump
Edward O Carroll-Sprints
Ben Dennessen-Sprints & Hurdles
Luke Griffin-Sprints
Eoghan O Sullivan-Pole Vault
David Hogan-Middle Distance & Pole Vault
Clarence Kenneddy-Decathlon
Stewart Nolan-Hurdles
Dylan Roche-Sprints
Adrian Buckley-Middle Distance
Stephen Walsh-Middle Distance
Katie Rogers-Middle Distance
Ailbhe Courtney-Sprints & Hurdles

Emma Leen-Shot

Important Dates-

Oct 1st-St Brendan's AC AGM-Kate Brownes-8pm

Oct 3rd-Kerry Even Age & Novice XC-Killarney Demense[playground]-12pm

Oct 11th-Kerry Uneven Age & Intermediate XC-Currow[Dennehys]-12pm

Oct 31st-Kerry Juvenile Relays & Jun/Sen XC-Beaufort-12pm

Oct 26th/27th-Nenagh Camp

Dec 5th-Kerry Indoors-Nenagh[Provisional]

And we are Off!

So winter training is up and going again;finally says ye. :P Most athletes are back into the swing of things but unfortunatly as always have lost a few which is very dissapointing and sad but as always a reality.But we already have 2/3 new athletes which is always good.Part of the reason we seem to progress every year is that when we lose 2/3 for whatever reason,exams,other sports etc;they are always replaced with 4/5 new athletes so alls good!

  Sandylane was the venue for our first session back last Saturday.While it was just a taster for next week some still found the gradual easing in session tough but all got through it unscathed in our lovely tropical weather of sunshine mixed with showers.

   Tralee Sports complex saw 16 early risers at 9.45am on Sunday morning for weights.Again this session was just to ease everybody back in with all athletes doing mainly squat and powerclean technique work.Thee few experienced athletes or athletes with good squat technique did a max sqaut test to help calculate their precentage weights for the months ahead.Needless to say i suprised myself maxing out a 135kg full squat which wasnt bad for my old age. :) The distance group have a seperate session on a Sunday from 1-2.30pm in Ballyseedy woods south entrance.While we were missing a few those who attended cruised around their LSR of 35 minutes looking very comfortable for this time of year;the cross country wont be a bother to them this year.
  Our circuit session took place in Ardfert hall on Tuesday from 7.45-9.15 but this isnt the finalised time and venue for this session.Again we had a good number for our first night with 20 athletes which were broken into two groups.Once again we just had an easy session for the first week but it looks like this is going to be a very intense and far more beneficial session than other years due to some new ideas i picked up while in Loughborough University last month.
  Wednesday and Thursday sees the older athletes do their own sessions at lunch at school and after school.Reports suggest most athletes did their fartlek session on Wednesday lunch at school with one Luke Griffin nearly missing biology class afterwards due to his inability to stand due to lactic acid after the session! :)
  On a competitive note Eoghan Courtney travelled to Waterford on Tuesday for the schools multi events.Eoghan is in the junior category and finished in a very close 2nd place only 27pts behind the winner Dan Finnerty of Nenagh with both over 3000pts;these scores would have got both athletes on last years irish schools team so it looks promising for both athletes at next Saturday September 25ths All Ireland schools combined events in Santry,Dublin.Eoghan had PBs in the 200m with 23.89,80m hurdles 11.89,Long Jump 5.46 and shot putt 9.65m.He also had a good performance in the high jump with 1.50m but by all accounts ran a very soft 800m which will needed to be improved upon dramatically if is to have a chance next week.Well done Eoghan.
   So a reminder,training again this Saturday from 1-2.30pm in Sandylane,banna for all u13+ athletes.Everyone is reminded to read below everything that is needed.
See you all then,
Shane.

Here we go again!

Well here we go again,winter training starts this Saturday for the u13+ group at 1-2.30pm in Sandylane,Banna with weights on Sunday morning from 9.45-11am in Tralee sports complex for all u17+ athletes.The distance groups long run also takes place on Sundays in Ballyseedy woods castlemaine road entrance from 1-2.30pm.All info re further training and fees will be given out Saturday along with information re the club October camp in Nenagh and Warm weather training in Portugal for the easter time;yes we are alot more organised this year!
   For all those who attended the fitness test last weekend the results and analysis have been done and to say they were average is being very nice.No athlete scored excellent,one athlete namely Luke O Keeffe achieved an above average result based on Brian McKenzies online fitness tables with the bulk of the group achieving an average standard.Everyone will have 6 weeks before the next test to improve hugely on this.
   Thats it for today,see you ALL Saturday :)

Fitness Test Time

Just a reminder to everyone that the start of season fitness test will go ahead at Riocht tommorow Saturday 4th at 12 noon and will finish approx 2-2.30pm for all U14+ athletes.Everyone is reminded to contact their chosen athletes who did not make the meeting last week to inform them if you have not been organised enough to have done so already.All athletes should attend for their own benefit so they can see their rate of improvement through the winter when these tests are repeated.
   The Distance runners 800m upwards will have their first long run on Sunday in Ballyseedy woods Tralee at 1pm.All training venues,days and times etc will be announced tommorow at the fitness test and posted here afterwards.
By the way my phone is still broke but hope to have another one later today incase anybody is trying to contact me.
Ltrz.
Shane