European Athletics High-Performance Conference
European Athletics
High-Performance Conference
23-24 November 2013, Frankfurt (GER)
European Athletics High-Performance Conference
ESTONIAN ATHLETICS
High Prefomance
Marko Aleksejev
Estonian Athletic Association
Sports Director
European Athletics High-Performance Conference
About me
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Former high jumper
PB best 2.28; indoor 2.27 (indoor NR), U23 - 2.26 NR
Started at age 12
Ljubljana U20 (97), Annecy U20 (98), Amsetrdam U23
(2001), Ghent (2000), Vienna (2002), Madrid (2005),
Birmingham (2007), Athens OG (2004), Helsinki (2005)
• Finished at age 29 (2008)
• Working in the Estonian Athletic Association since June 2012
• Sports Director
European Athletics High-Performance Conference
Estonia and Athletics
ESTONIA
• Population 1,34 milion inhabitant
• Capital – Tallinn, about 430 000 inhabitant
• Language - estonian
ATHLETICS IN ESTONIA
• Over 1600 licensed athletes (U16 to Seniors incl.)
• 249 coaches
• 68 clubs
European Athletics High-Performance Conference
European Athletics High-Performance Conference
Our team
• President and board
• General Secretary
• 5 discipline group head coaches
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Sprint disciplines head coach
Middle&long dictance disciplines head coach
Jump disciplines head coach
Throwing disciplines head coach
Combined events head coach
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Other high perfomance coaches
Top athletes
Physiotherapist and team doctor
Athletics clubs’ leaders
European Athletics High-Performance Conference
Dicipline head coaches
• Co-ordinating trials for youth athletes (U18-U23) 2 times a year (autumn
and spring)
- 30m fly, shot throw front (3kg, 5kg), stand (without approach) long jump, triple jump, 5 jumps with 4 step run-up. Body stabilaiser. From U20 snatch
- At least two lectures (out of athletics) per year for event group.
- At least one former high perfomance athlete lecture
- Presentation of results of trials
• Planning of event group preparation togheteher with SD
• Formulating teams for Baltic Matches and other regional team competitions
• Makeing action plan for year. Changeing their mind in the middle of season
• Recommend three U20-U23 athletes to be added into physiotherapy and
medical cear croup.
• Dicipline group head coaches in regional matches and European Team Ch
European Athletics High-Performance Conference
TV10 Olümpiastarti (youth competition seried) –
planting seeds
AGE - U13 and U15
• Well known (since 1971) – connecting generations
• National television attract 4x20min+30min multi event final each 2-3 time on
screen
• Supporters involved
• Competition based scoring system. Individual and school scoring system. All
time top 100
• From all countys to national finals
• Many of todays coaches and almost all todays top athletes have been competing
• Many other well known todays specialist have been competing – connecting
different fields
• Like a small World Championships
EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT ATHLETICS IS - THE SEEDS ARE PLANTED
PERFECTLY!
European Athletics High-Performance Conference
European Athletics High-Performance Conference
Into the National Championships – Sprouting
AGE – U16 - U18
• Beginning of athletics
• Choosing club and coach
• Clubs are funded according to number of young athletes and points earned
at youth championships
• Clubs are motivated
• Highest participation
• First international champinoships
• Firts team camps with „old fishes“
• Training in clubs under athletic sports clubs coaches
• Active coaches schooling system
SOME SEEDS DO NOT FALL ON PROPER GROUND
European Athletics High-Performance Conference
Some have fun, some want more, some are leaving –
growing pedicle
AGE U20 - U23
• National training camps - time to change experiences between discipline
groups. From top athletes to young athletes. From other countries to Estonia
• Audentes Sports School system
• Extended graduation period (1 year)
• Top U23 athletes sports centre (full infrastructure)
• Training camp support (2-3 weeks, South Europe)
• Medical care and physiotherapy for selected some athletes
• Dreams and funds are out of balance
• Only true spirits keep going hard, the rest are staying for fun or will
secede one by one
European Athletics High-Performance Conference
European Athletics High-Performance Conference
TEAM ESTONIA CATEGORIES
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European Athletics Team Championships
European Athletics Championships entry standard
World Championships B standard
World Championships A standard
Championships TOP 8
European Athletics High-Performance Conference
European Athletics Team Championships
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Best in their sports club – club support
Involved to discipline group national training camps
S E training camp support
Many are amateurs – studing/working and training
Half of the team has reached European Athletics
Championships standard (see next slide)
European Athletics High-Performance Conference
European Athletics High-Performance Conference
European Athletics Championships
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Fixed financial support every month
Involved to discipline group national training camps’ system
S E training camp support
Medical and physiotherapy
European Athletics High-Performance Conference
World Championships B and A standard
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Fixed financial support every month
Invloved to discipline group training camp system
2-3 S training camp support
Medical and physiotherapy
European Athletics High-Performance Conference
Championships and/or OG TOP 8
• Olympic Commitee salary
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A group: OG 1.-3. or WC 1. or EC 1.
B group: OG 4.-6 or WC 2.-4. or EC 2.-3.
C group: OG 7.-12. or WC 4.-8. or EC 4. or Universiad 1.
D group: high perfomances in age group, top places in international
competitions, high potential in future championships
European Athletics High-Performance Conference
European Athletics High-Performance Conference
2 years before OG
• Top coaches from last OG period get salary for self manage at
their training group
– 5 to 7 high perfomance groups
– Free decision which athletes should belong to group and how to use
finances
– Leaders (coaches) of each group form high perfomance comission
European Athletics High-Performance Conference
SUMMARY
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TV 10 OS - great starting position for athletics
Small country – the olympic champion is the greatest guiding light in state
Good indoor and outdoor athletic infrastructure
Audentes Sports School
Training centre for the best U23 athletes
Discipline groups (sprint, jump etc.) national training camps
Motivation 1 – relatively easy to become athletic champion in Estonia and
ahead to Estonian team
• Motivation 2 – no long term projects where to „sit“. Have to prove yourself
every year
• Improved high perfomance coaches will have budget and large
independence
• Family business
European Athletics High-Performance Conference
Thank You!