Organization
At GAC, all athletes train in groups. Every year on January 1st, athletes automatically move up to the next age category, but not necessarily to a different training group.
General management is in the hands of the Junior Coördinator. Each traininggroup has several trainers, with one trainer appointed as head trainer. The head trainer is the first point of contact for athletes and parents/carers with questions or problems.
There is ALWAYS training, except for:
– 4-6 weeks summer vacation, to be determined by the head coach per training group
– Christmas vacation
– matches or activities planned on training days
– extreme weather conditions: thunderstorms or sleet/black ice
– cancellation by head coach
From junior age (12 years old), GAC has three levels of training groups where male and female athletes of similar ages train together.
BASIS => Training twice a week, with no attendance or competition requirements
PLUS => Training 3 times a week and attendance and competition participation requirements
SELECTIE => Training 4 or more times a week and attendance and competition participation requirements
Participation in a PLUS or SELECTION group is by invitation only. Demonstrable interest, talent, ambition, and motivation are required.
Training is broad by default: many different running, jumping, and throwing events are on the program. In PLUS and SELECTION groups there are also options for specialisation in sprint/hurdles/long distance, middle distance/long distance and throwing.
For a current overview of all track athletics training groups, training times and training locations, click here