Internship in America to work alongside elite athletes

As an avid athlete, speed coach and strength conditioner my interests have led me to pursue an internship with the prestigious training facility with ALTIS in the US.

Having recently finished a degree in Sport and Recreation through AUT, I have been given this wonderful opportunity to learn from and work with American track and field professionals. This opportunity would also enable me to learn speed for fields sports at an elite level where I could increase my knowledge of how to train the athletes on and off the field. I will be the first New Zealander accepted by ALTIS, which would enable me to grow and develop my skills to the benefit of other professional athletes as well as myself. I am excited to begin this new opportunity for three months beginning in March 2020.

A personal goal from this internship would be to take the knowledge, skills and experience to assist New Zealand athletes to make it on the world stage. I feel there is a huge gap between grassroots and elite level athletes. I would help bridge this gap with what I have learnt to aid New Zealand athletes continuing in their chosen sport. It is an incredible shame for New Zealand athletes who do not have professional trainers or coaches for support and mentoring when they begin their sport. This lack of trainers and coaches at grass root level force prospective athletes to abandon their sport. Another significant factor is the lack of female trainers and coaches which also impacts on perspective athletes and their training.

It has been highlighted as women sport increases. This has prompted some curiosity about why more women are not taking advantage of coaching positions and how the culture and dynamics within the sport might shift if there were more female professional trainers and coaches. It is important to increase the number of female trainers and coaches within sport as many coaches of the best runners are male.

There is a real need for more female trainers/coaches involved in sport. Nearly all the coaches of the best runners and field sports are male. Women sport has been said to be taking off and has now prompted some curiosity about why more women aren’t taking coaching positions and how the culture and dynamics in the sport might shift if they did.

I would be grateful for any contribution toward this exciting and beneficial opportunity with ALTIS in America. To be selected for the internship is a great honour and the opportunity to train with professionals in America would contribute not only to my future success but for all aspiring athletes in New Zealand.

Thanks,

Andrena