Looks like we are playing catch up. On the positive side did really well in the 2 years since then.
The Western Bulldogs pre-season training programme has taken a different look in preparation for season 2009. This has included taking the full playing group to one of the world’s leaders in elite sporting education and training.
Over a number of years now the club has been persisting with raising funds and working toward the idea of exposing its playing group and staff to world class educational experiences.
With great support from key people such as Western Bulldogs Patron and Director Sue Alberti, a delegation of supporters, Director Barry Hall, Glenn Preusker, Stuart Coffield, Grant Egan and Levent Shevki along with players and currently situated staff contributing to the pre-season education and training camp; the team has spent the past few days at the Arizona State University.
The Athletes Performance Centre based in Phoenix, Arizona has been the corner stone to the educational experience which has included exposure to other sports such as American Gridiron, NBA Basketball and NHL Ice Hockey. Further to this the players have been completing regular football training sessions at the Arizona State University and will be hiking through the Grand Canyon adding to its pre-season training and preparation.
The team has also spent time in the class room finetuning its educational sessions centred on team play, tactics and its game plans heading into season 2009. The Western Bulldogs commenced the Leading Teams program in season 2008 and have recommenced this program through the pre-season education and training camp with sessions being facilitated by leading teams’ facilitator Craig Biddiscombe who is also on tour.
The travelling party has included 40 players, Coaches, Medical staff and Senior Administrators including CEO Campbell Rose. This has also provided a vehicle for most areas of the clubs football operations to work closely together and experience this unique educational opportunity as a complete club experience.