Peter Errkison is UK Athletics
Paralympic Head Coach. An undoubtedly successful Paralympic coach, he has
coached athletes to win an incredible 119 medals at Paralympic Games since
1984. He shares with us his advice to athletes going in to the London
Paralympic Games, the changes that have been implemented within the performance
team, aswell as his thoughts on the DSW Academy and Performance structure.
For the younger and less experienced athletes going into London, I would advise them to be prepared, we have a good system with young and new athletes and the youngsters have somebody to look up to. Getting to a big games, like London for the first time, is a big shock. You have to go in there and do your best but at the same time you have got to have fun. If it becomes a panic situation, then you’re not having fun and you’re not going to want to do it again.
There has been major change in performance in the run up to
London, the most significant change being the culture of elitist sport; there
is no excuse for not being well prepared. There is the same approach as the
Olympics team, same coaching, and same expectations. It is an investment in
medals and I have said from day one, we continue hammering away at it, the
athletes that have been on the rewards programme disappearing even more so
after 2012. The changing of the culture and training with Olympic athletes and
Olympic coaches to see what it takes. Isolate yourself from the reality and the
big world of elite sport doesn’t help you at all.
If I could assist a
first time athlete in the run up to London,
I would tell them, you can only do your best and then it is the question
of being prepared, how well did they prepare and that will be the outcome of
how well you do.
As for the Disability Sport Wales Programme, it is evident
that is it the programme that is the most functional, from the academy team to
the national team and its coaching. If you look from the perspective of a
programme, that is the programme.
Finally my three key
pieces of advice to any athlete is, have fun, do your best and never give up.
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