Top athletes at Shangri-La Academy were put through their paces during Geraldine Pillay’s coaching clinic at the school recently.
Pillay is a former 100m and 200m South African sprinter who taught the young athletes techniques and skills.
“I share my experience and knowledge through the coaching clinics and take the athletes through the basics and ensure they get it right from the beginning,” said Pillay.
“The skills and techniques taught during my clinics can be used in all sporting codes. I show athletes how to run and perform efficiently and effectively.
“We also touch on the mental aspect of being an athlete. You need to be physically and mentally equipped to be a great athlete. It is also important to learn the basics and correct ways to apply them at a young age, as these will be important all the way to professional level.”
Soft and specific skills and dynamic stretching were some of the exercises focused on during the clinic.
The young athletes did their level best to keep up with the training as they tried to immediately try out and implement Pillay’s teaching.
“Use your arms to your advantage; every day is arm day and remember left leg, right arm and vice versa,” Pillay was heard saying during training.
The youngsters were told to relax more and use their arms as propellers, which evidently seemed to work as the athletes easily picked up speed and performed the tasks with more ease.
“Pump harder with your arms, pump harder with your arms,” one athlete was heard saying out loud before performing an activity.
Pillay kept emphasising the importance of discipline.
“You won’t go far as an athlete without discipline. Have discipline in everything you do. Warm up is also very important and it needs to be done properly with no shortcuts,” explained Pillay.
“Work hard and consistently and remember that perfect practice makes perfect.”
Athletes were committed in their training until the end where they relaxed their muscles with static stretching.
