SCRAP BOOK

Training Activities off the Tennis Court

One of the great things about MITS is the variety of training methods available to us, because of our access to many different sports specialists. Case in point:

MITS GOES TO THE NAVY

As part of our continual effort at MITS to make the players strive to get the best out of themselves, we all participated in a days training at the HMAS Cerberus Navy Base. The players and coaches undertook both physically and mentally demanding exercises which consisted of various team building/leadership exercises, a sand crawl, obstacle run and the mud run. The whole day being conducted under military rules.

The aim of the day was to get the players out of their comfort zones, to further build team moral, and to learn the importance of self discipline. All this was accomplished, and a lot more. Everyone successfully completed all challenges, being pushed to new levels physically and mentally, breaking through fears/barriers and realizing just what they are be capable of achieving.

Also developing a greater understanding of the importance of things such as decision making, communication, trust and respect (for self, others and everything around you), concentration and focus. It showing through how the slightest slip up in this enviroment can mean life and death (just as on the court in can mean losing a point, game, even a match).

Everyone involved is a better, stronger person from having this experience, and a very enjoyable time was had by all. We sincerely thank the Royal Australian Navy for this opportunity and look forward to possibly having the chance to go back there in the future.

Behind the scenes at the Essendon Football Club training session

(reflections from a MITS player)

What does a professional football player have in common with a would-be tennis professional? John Quinn, physical trainer at Essendon, gave us a glimpse of what’s involved at the top level in a sport that’s technically and physically one of the toughest.

The MITS players picked up a solid understanding of the demands required of any top athlete, but also realized that doing the job expertly could still be fun. We learned that no matter what your training level is, you still have to give 100% effort.

The focus, dedication, skill level and concentration displayed by the footballers were easy to see, and the ‘team spirit’ was felt by all of us.

John Quinn is not only the physical trainer but also a ‘mentor’ to the players. He talked about the motivation needed to do a job and do it well, and his memorable quote, "The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender," is one that all of us will keep in our heads while we train.

Activities off the court can give us a break from spending all day hitting tennis balls, and with experts such as John Quinn, the off-court sessions can be very rewarding!

Indoor Rock Climbing

Players need to be challenged, taken out of their comfort zones and pushed to the edges of their physical and mental limits. Hanging by your fingertips and toes from a sheer rock face will definitely throw out some challenges!

We do supervised sessions of rock climbing to change the players’ focus, augment training skills, refresh their mental capacities and have fun.