EvelChat #21 “Leveraging Gifts & Minimizing Weaknesses": A Chat with Dale “Stevo” Stevenson.

Dale "Stevo" Stevenson, National Throws Coach, New Zealand Athletics.

To me, this is one of the most intriguing podcasts I’ve posted… You don’t have to be a throws coach to get something out of this. I’ve met few coaches who are able to systematically individualize and create a training system around an athlete’s individual performance structure / force-output profile. This is even more impressive given the fact that Dale walked into a national coaching position shortly after retiring as an athlete. I hope you enjoy this, I certainly did. There will be more to come.

Topics:

·      Dale’s history as a competitive shot putter.

·      His current role as Head Coach for the Throwing Events, New Zealand Athletics.

·      Christchurch, Polar Exploration & the Galapagos.

·      Differences between Aussie & Kiwi Athletics.

·      Dale’s current group.

·      Ryan Ballantyne & coaching top juniors.

·      How Dale came to coaching Tom Walsh.

·      Tom’s early athlete development.

·      Super-Coach Ian Baird

·      Tom Walsh’s unique challenges as an athlete

·      Dale Stevo’s unique training system & approach to periodization

·      Throwing the competition implement in competition cycles

·      Dale’s 4 session rolling average & auto-regulated periodization model

·      Differences b/t Dale’s system & the Bondarchuk system.

·      Medium-term planning in Dale’s system.

·      Tom’s competitive ability vs. training marks

·      ‘Freedom’ as a training philosophy.

·      Technical input vs. allowing an athlete to develop their own solutions to technical problems.

·      Using a ‘system’ vs. being an outlier & individualizing training

·      Does coaching attract an addictive personality?

·      Managing your life as a professional coach.

·      The pros & cons with balls to the wall coaching.

·      Being isolated in NZ.