Strategic Planning and Program Management of Strength and Conditioning Support Within Elite Sport: A Technical Systems-Driven Perspective

Abstract

Successful performance in sport is a multifactorial process that includes a blend of technical, tactical, physiological, biomechanical, and psychological features interacting together to result in the desired performance outcome. The strength and conditioning (S&C) program, depending on the sport, can support performance by influencing the physiological and biomechanical components through direct and indirect avenues of impact. Performance planning to achieve identified objectives is typically a long-term process, ranging from a year in seasonal professional team sports to a four-year Olympic cycle. It is critical to develop and implement key strategic processes to ensure that the S&C program effectively supports performance at major competitions. Furthermore, it is essential to have clarity for the role of S&C within the overall sports training program. Having a clear approach to deconstructing and understanding performance from a human performance perspective, showing how and where the impact on performance can be made, and objectively demonstrating the contribution to performance variables is vital. The current article uses the author's experience of working across a range of Olympic and professional sports to articulate a process for strategic planning and managing S&C support from a technical perspective. Examples from various sports have been used to illustrate critical strategic processes.

A philosophical approach to aligning strength and conditioning support to a coaches' performance model: A case study from a national rowing performance programme

“…A detailed discussion of this approach has been provided in recent work by the primary author. 4 This section focuses on how the S&C programme supported 2000 m rowing performance through the development of identified biomotor qualities, including an articulation of how the S&C programme supported the rockover suspension model (Figure 4). This is the resultant output of empirical evidence, the coaches' performance model, and the interpretation and application of this into an S&C support model specific to the intended outcome.…”

“…Utilising the coaches' experience, their principles of performance and the expertise of the MDT, the S&C coach may utilise their knowledge of underpinning sciences to further investigate and unlock insight within the sport. 4 Critically, this identifies avenues of the impact that may support performance whilst aligning to the coaches' performance model. Therefore, the needs analysis shifts from a general overview of the sport to a specific investigation of the athletes’ needs and how performance is viewed through the eyes of the coach, how they achieve performance success and how this can be augmented (Figure 1).…”

Interdisciplinary Sport Science in Individual Sports - A Framework for Implementation

“…To maximize the evidence-informed decisions that can be made, the sport scientist should ensure a short-term and long-term approach to data collection and analysis. This will allow value to be added to the DTE and when creating longer-term individual preparation plans for the athlete (16). The data required to be integrated across the subdisciplines by the sport scientist includes, but is not limited to:…”

“…To maximize the evidence-informed decisions that can be made, the sport scientist should ensure a short-term and long-term approach to data collection and analysis. This will allow value to be added to the DTE and when creating longer-term individual preparation plans for the athlete (16). The data required to be integrated across the subdisciplines by the sport scientist includes, but is not limited to:Identifying the physical capacities (strength and conditioning or sport scientist) related to improved technical and tactical performance (coaching staff) and athlete availability (athlete health and medicine);Determining the technical and tactical key performance indicators associated with enhanced competitive performance (coaching staff and performance analysts); and,Projecting training load to maximize the athlete's physical, physiological, and psychological readiness across all competitive phases (all practitioners integrated).…”