The Six Pillars
1. Physical Conditioning
To develop higher levels of fitness, athletic ability and physical conditioning to enable players to compete in the physical exchanges and intensity of the modern game.
• In addition to physical programming, players will be educated in the principles of, Training, Periodisation, Testing, Recovery, Injury Management, and Sports Nutrtition.
2. Nutrition
To generate nutritionally self aware and self-reliant players to have skills and knowledge to buy, prepare, and eat foods that supports the training and performance demands of a professional rugby player.
• This will involve Nutritional presentation, individual sessions with a nutritionist, shopping tours, cooking skills, and food diary recording.
3. Mental Skills
To prepare players to perform consistently under pressure at the highest level of the game, and identifying the barriers to success and detail processes to assist players to overcome those barriers to performance.
• Foundation information in Beliefs, Performance, Goal Setting, Stress management, Performance management, handling setbacks, anxiety, self-talk, and visualization
4. Technical
Developing Core skills and Position specific skills
• Understanding General and Positional skill requirements for the game involving Individual skill assessments:
5. Tactical
Developing Decision making and option taking skills
• Understanding the tactical requirements of each position and how they correspond with that of the team. Team and individual reviews of games to assist in option taking, and enhancement of work rate through technical prowess.
6. Holistic
In order to instill Leadership and Life Skills to develop well balanced, self-reliant leaders with the Life skills to succeed in both rugby and in their personal and professional lives! This structure is done in conjunction with the Eastern Cape Academy of Sport, who have assisted in rolling out a substantial life skills program to assist the players particularly from disadvantaged areas with the ever changing social and economic environment.
The academy will put focus on developing leaders through a Life Skills program that encompasses;
• Career planning,
• Education, and Vocation,
• Time management,
• Organization,
• Communication,
• Media Relations,
• Financial management,
• Personal development.