PNG’s first-ever strength, conditioning forum

Strength & Conditioning (S&C) is a fairly new concept in much of Oceania.

With exceptions to Australia and New Zealand, other smaller countries are yet to establish a High Performance system to cater for the daily needs of their domestic elite athletes.

In recent years, however, PNG has established a High Performance system to services its athletes.

Oceania Sport Education Program (OSEP) Regional Master Educator Hannah Ilave would know the history of the HP system in the country as being one of the first to join the High Performance program back in 2014.

Ilave will be leading a group young S&C specialists to host the inaugural Strength & Conditioning forum, which will pave way for S&C knowledge to be grounded in the country.

“Strength & Conditioning is to do with the physical preparation of the athlete. At the moment throughout Oceania region, it’s a really new concept and countries like Australia and New Zealand it’s quite established already. Countries like PNG, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, it’s very limited in that area. So by running a course, you grow that expertise so that and more and more people will be practicing S&C,” he stated.

“The aim of this forum is to currently assess S&C knowledge and understanding and hopefully start certain individuals on the OSEP S&C pathway.

“I personally believe this forum will strengthen the relationship between technical and S&C coaches, to result in better performance in our athletes.

“We’d like to expose as many athletes possible to S&C training, the larger that pool is, the more athletes we get choose from for better performances especially at international tournaments,” Ilave, a former PNG swimmer, said.

From this forum, plans are in place to run a certified Community Strength and conditioning course and hopefully by getting more people involved in S&C there will be more people practicing it as S&C is something that needs to be continuously practiced.

“And that’s where the pathway makes it easier to grow, so they start with the forum and then Community S&C, even onto the Development S&C, which is soon coming to PNG,” Ilave added.

Over 30 participants are confirmed, including coaches and assistant coaches, certified OSEP community level, staff of High Performance Sport PNG and PNG Sports Foundation.

Ilave will be assisted by S&C specialists in Malosi Ila, Leo Louma, Meiling Choong and Aristo Peni.

She said at the end of the forum, participants will have an understanding of performance from an S&C coach’s point of view, that will eventually build trust between a technical coach and an S&C coach by informing technical coaches of the roles and responsibilities of the S&C coach.

It will also develop understanding of methods implemented by the S&C coach and for those that are currently practicing S&C, develop critical thinking or to better them at their job.

“From this forum, we are going to handpick a few to do the community level S&C, and the OSEP course and then from that community S&C course, we plan to choose a smaller number to then go on to do the Development S&C course which is the level two version of the Community S&C,” Ilave said.

The Forum will be held on Saturday May 25th at the Sir John Guise Indoor Complex, Port Moresby.

(OSEP Regional Master Educator Hannah Ilave, right, assisting a participant during a sporting showcase in honor of the IOC President’s visit to PNG recently)

Author: 
Press release