Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Jessica Ennis and her coaching team attend Leeds Metropolitan event
The GCH is open for the duration of the London Olympics and hosts formal and informal events designed to provide a hub for coaches to meet and debate current coaching theory and practice. The concept of Coaches House has been commissioned by Leeds Met in partnership with the International Council for Coaching Excellence (ICCE), WDR and Limkokwing University and is part-supported through the Government's Higher Innovation Fund. The ground-breaking project is based at the London Campus of Limkokwing University for the duration of the Olympics before relocating to Eversheds, London for the Paralympics from September 3-6.
The Leeds Metropolitan open evening ran from 5-8pm on Thursday 9 August and celebrated the University Carnegie Faculty's commitment to excellence in sport and coaching. Heptathlon athlete Jessica Ennis, who triumphed to Gold at the Olympics last Saturday has been coached in the javelin by Leeds Metropolitan senior coach for High Performance and former Olympian Mick Hill, at the University's Headingley campus over the last four years.
Jessica, who said she is still on an "unbelievable high" after claiming her Gold medal at the weekend, commented: "I am so thankful to Toni and Mick for all that they have done to coach, train and prepare me for the Olympics. I have been working towards this moment my entire life - and I couldn't have done it without their support, coaching and belief in me.
"Coaches are the unsung heroes of all sports and it is fantastic that Leeds Metropolitan University has partnered up with the ICCE to establish the Global Coaches House - a base that can be used for coaching development and as place of support for all coaches."
Leeds Metropolitan is also home to Olympic triathlon champion and MSc finance student, Alistair Brownlee who trains there with his Bronze medallist brother Jonathan. The Chinese Olympic track and field team also trained at Leeds Met before heading to London to compete, while the Carnegie Faculty, based at the Headingley campus is the permanent home of British Weightlifting. Leeds Metropolitan University is also the UK Centre for Racewalking.
The open evening at GCH saw the President of the European Athletics Coaches Association, Frank Dick, interview Toni Minichiello, Mick Hill and Jessica Ennis about coaching and how the trio prepared for the biggest event of the heptathlete's sporting career.
The evening was facilitiated by Professor Pat Duffy and the Coaching team. Jessica Ennis,Toni Minichiello and Mick Hill were welcomed to the event by Gareth Davies Dean of the Carnegie Faculty. Frank Dick put a varied and interesting set of questions to the guests which produced an excellent evening of coaching insights
A further session outlined the Morrisons' Coaching for Performance Programme, which applied key elements of sport coaching to the business context. The programme was rolled out to over 5,000 senior and middle managers within supermarket giant, Morrisons PLC.The framework of Leeds Metropolitan University Coaching Strategy and its partnership with ICCE and how the Global Coaching Office will roll-out in coming years, was also addressed and outlined.
Coaches and coach developers who want to register an interest to take part in any way in this once in a lifetime opportunity at Global Coaches House should emailinfo@globalcoacheshouse.net For further information about Global Coaches House please visit www.globalcoacheshouse.net