INTERNATIONALLY SUCCESSFUL
ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT MODELS:
An Analysis of German and Swedish Biathlon Programs
and a Comparison to the U. S. Biathlon Program
Tim Gibbons, M.S.
Endurance Training Coordinator
Sport Science and Technology Division
United States Olympic Committee
October 1997
Introduction
Why do members of the German National Biathlon Team continue to dominate the results list year after year? How does Sweden produce overall World Cup Biathlon champions? Since 1991, and the unification of Germany, the men’s team has placed second in Nation Cup standings in 1991, 1995, and 1996 and first in 1993 and 1994, and 1997. The German women’s team has placed second in 1995 and 1996 and first in 1991 and 1994 and 1997. Nation Cup points are awarded to the best four athletes of each country in 11 designated World Cup races. Four German men and three German women can win a Biathlon World Cup race on any given day. Sweden, working with a smaller program, has produced two overall World Cup champions in the last four years. Mikael Lofgren, second in the overall standings in 1992, won the overall Biathlon World Cup in 1993. Magdalena Forsberg, fifth in the overall standings in 1995 and 1996, captured the overall World Cup title in 1997.
Throughout this paper we will examine in detail the common critical success factors of the German and Swedish biathlon programs. These critical factors include but are not limited to talent recruitment and identification programs, junior athlete development (year-round, structured training programs, sport science and medicine support and service) excellent year-round training facilities, and highly educated coaches. By analyzing the critical factors, structure, and philosophy of athlete development programs, we can better understand the reasons for success in these programs. We can also make comparisons to these programs and current U. S. biathlon development programs. Importantly, the concepts and models used in German and Swedish Biathlon programs can be generalized and applied in a broad range of U. S. endurance sports.
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During my travels over the last year I interviewed sport scientists and coaches about athlete development programs in biathlon. Last September during a visit to the Deutsche Sport Hochschule (German Sport University) in Köln, I spoke with sport physiologists Jens Geist and Ulrich Hartmann on the topic of monitoring training intensity and overtraining. While working with the U. S. Biathlon Women’s team in Idre Fjäll, Sweden in November I interviewed Jens Geist on talent identification and junior development in Germany. In June, I traveled to Sweden and interviewed Biathlon coach, Tommy Hoglund of the Torsby Sport School about the development of junior biathletes.
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WHY IS GERMANY SUCCESSFUL IN BIATHLON?
Several factors are essential to the success of a national training system. How these components function to provide systematic athlete development will be described in detail.
Five critical success factors:
· youth programs for 8-13 ages
· recruitment and talent identification
· junior athlete development
· facilities
· Coaches education.
Talent Identification
Figure 1 depicts the development ladder of the German National Team. Our discussion will center on the first three rungs of the ladder: a talent search group, a talent support group, and
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a development training group. In the northwest part of Germany is the Hochsauerland region
In this area, the towns of Willingen and Winterberg have a long tradition of developing world-class athletes and hosting international events. From the federal level to the local level many sport organizations work together to search, identify, support and develop new talent in 20 different sports in a program titled, The Regional Project Hochsauerland. Sixteen summer Olympic sports and six winter Olympic sports including biathlon, cross country skiing, Nordic combined, ski jumping, bobsled, and luge are part of the program. The Regional Project Hochsauerland is supported by the following organizations:
National Ministry of the Interior, Department of Competitive Sports.
Regional Government of Hesson and the Ministry of the Interior and Culture.
Regional Government of Nordheim-Westfalen (NRW): Ministry for City Development, Culture and Sports in NRW
Regional Sport Association
German Sport University in Köln (Cologne)
Olympic Performance Centers in Westfalen/Aussenstelle, Rhein/Ruhr, and Köln/Bonn/Leverkusen
National Governing Bodies for the sports of Biathlon, Cross Country Ski, Ski Jumping, Nordic Combined, Bobsled and Luge.
Local Sport Schools in Willingen and Winterberg.
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According to the German Constitution, talented youngsters will be supported. This mandate from the federal level provides resources to develop athletes and coaches. The partnership of all these organizations allows for a sharing of resources and knowledge to identify and develop talent in winter sports. Three Olympic Performance Centers in Rhein-Ruhr, Köln/Bonn/Leverkusen, and Westfalen oversee the program. Essentially, experienced coaches work directly with physical education teachers in elementary and secondary schools to provide a curriculum in 20 sports. Approximately 3500 schools and 2000 sport clubs participate in the program. Figure 2 describes the project in more detail. The bottom tier describes the Talent Search Group, which focuses on youth age 8-12. Over the last five years 28,000 children have participated in talent search groups. At this level, children are introduced to several winter Olympic sports through their physical education program at school. For example a unit in cross country skiing would be followed by ski jumping, Biathlon, and bobsled and luge during the winter period. The focus is on basic physical training and skill development. The end of the winter physical education program culminates in a regional Winter Olympics. It comprises two ski races and two luge events. Children complete a two-kilometer obstacle cross-country ski course testing coordination, ski technique, and endurance. In addition, psychological components such as motivation, willingness to risk, bravery, coping with competition stress, team spirit, ability to assert oneself, and management of winning and losing are assessed during the competition. Sportsmanship and responsibility are also evaluated.
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The second ski race is a typical cross-country ski race of two-three kilometers in length. The luge events are a luge start and completion of the last four corners of a World Cup course. Children are encouraged to participate in all four events. It should be noted that the emphasis for this competition is on participation and for the athletes to have fun. Sport scientists from the German Sport University in Köln design and administer the events of the Winter Olympics. Results are calculated and given to coaches and physical education teachers. The best athletes age 11-13 years, receive further testing and 4-5 training sessions per week. This is the Talent Support Group and the top athletes are given recommendations to sport schools and sport clubs. Twelve thousand youngsters have taken part in talent support groups.
During the summer, a track and field competition is organized with individual and team competitions. The individual competitions include 60 meter run, three hop test (bunny hop), and ball toss with a 500-gram ball. Team competition consists of a 400m team run, a tennis ball toss to knock down soda bottles or milk cans, and 200 meter run to the finish with all members holding onto a baton. A fall competition includes a 1500m cross-country run.
The focus of the Regional Project Hochsauerland can be summarized in five points.
1. Partnership of federal and regional governments, national governing bodies, Olympic Performance Centers, local schools, and sport club.
2. Development of physical training, basic skills, and versatile competitions.
3. Education and continuing education of junior coaches and physical educators.
4. Scholastic excellence and medical care of competitive junior athletes.
5. Exchange of experience and knowledge from sport professionals, sport scientists, and sport administrators.
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Junior Athlete Development
The third component is Development and 2,000 juniors age 14-18 years have been identified as D1-D4 Development athletes. Development athletes receive an extraordinary amount of support and services and these are:
· Sport medical care
· Performance assessment through field and laboratory tests
· Training assistance for coaches and competition program from German Sport University
· Physical therapy (massage)
· Psychological care in training and competition
· Counseling for academic and career
School versus Sport: Making it work.
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During training camps and competitions away from the home site, a sport physiologist from the German Sport University in Köln and several teachers from the home school travel with the coaches and athletes to provide sport science assistance and school lessons. Last fall, I observed a two-week on-snow camp for 20 athletes including cross-country skiers, Biathletes, and Nordic combined athletes in Idre Fjäll, Sweden. Support staff for 20 athletes included three coaches, three teachers, and a sport physiologist. I was impressed by the support given to junior athletes. First, resources and money had been combined to work with athletes in three sports. Secondly, adequate support was available for coaching, sport science, and academic tutoring. Third, a long-term commitment had been made by many organizations to follow and develop these talented endurance athletes. These athletes understood the long-term commitment and years necessary to achieve success in endurance sport. Fourth, the coaches and sport physiologist in order to monitor training intensity and overtraining collected an immense amount of information daily. Table 1 shows how much information was collected by the German Junior Development Group as compared with the U. S. Biathlon Women’s Team. A larger German staff permitted the collection of the last four variables listed in Table 1. Note how much information was collected for a junior development team versus a national team with senior athletes. Every morning before breakfast each of the 20 athletes had his or her blood checked for urea concentration. This procedure was used to monitor overtraining.
German Junior Development Group / United States BiathlonNational Team /
Loop Time / Loop Time
Range Time / Range Time
Number of misses / Number of misses
Heart rate / Heart rate
Blood lactate
Urea concentration
Nutrition log
Video
Table 1. Collection and analysis of data during daily
training sessions.
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Data was analyzed immediately and given to the coach with training recommendations. As an example, blood urea collected in the morning was used to construct baseline values for each athlete. If urea concentration was at least 1 mmol/L or higher than baseline values, without an expected increase, then the sport physiologist would recommend to the coach for a reduction in intensity and/or volume. Essentially, a recovery training session would be prescribed for that particular workout. If the value was much higher or had remained high for two or more days, then one or more days of rest (no training) would be recommended. It is important to note there are times in the training program when a rise of 1 mmol/L or higher is expected on one or more days. This can occur during a microcycle of high intensity or high volume. A repeated pattern of high urea concentration during a microcycle is thought to be deleterious to the training and recovery process. Other physiological variables such as morning heart rate, previous training heart rate and blood lactate, performance times, and athlete perception of fatigue are used to decide the proper course of action.
The following is a summary of an interview with Dr. Ulrich Hartmann on the application of urea concentration to overtraining.
1. Determine average blood urea concentration value for each athlete. This needs to be determined during weeks of high volume, intensity, and recovery weeks. To learn an individuals baseline requires continuity and commitment to data collection over a long period.
2. Collect blood samples once every day or every two days. Best time may be in the morning immediately after rising from bed.
3. Monitor hematocrit (Hct) to show changes in plasma volume (dehydration). Dehydration will increase blood urea concentration.
4. Watch changes in dietary protein, especially excessive amounts of red meat. Urea concentration may be artificially high after high amounts of red meat.
5. Volume of training may have a greater impact on urea response than training intensity. This may be due to:
a) A greater contribution of protein sources - breakdown of amino acids.
b) A shift in plasma volume (dehydration).
6. Urea concentration reflects changes in training response about 1-2 days post.
7. Utilize urea concentration as a marker or red flag and with other factors such as power output, morning resting HR, lactate concentration during workouts, and athlete perception, to base recommendations for a change in training. Changes in urea concentration of more than one standard deviation (about 1 mmol/L) from the average of an individual athlete are cause to look closer at the training program and training response. Two to three days at this elevated level may be reason for a change in training intensity or volume. Important to first look at the current training program and what is the expected response from training.
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Typical for the first on-snow camp is the emphasis on a high volume of training. Sport Physiologist, Jens Geist would frequently collect blood lactate and heart rate in the field to monitor training intensity. Collection would occur during workouts of varying intensity such as basic endurance and lactate threshold workouts. In addition, a video recording of skiing and shooting technique was collected. From these data athletes and coaches could determine optimum heart rates during shooting and analyze all aspects of shooting performance.
It is clear from these data that analysis and data return are the tools that maximize improvement. Improvement and development in endurance athletes occur in small steps. It is the attention to detail that provides guidance. Coaches and athletes can make confident and intelligent decisions based on a large amount of data. Daily analysis of training data by the coach can pinpoint areas of training that can be best spent to improve performance.
Facilities
Located in Winterberg is the Sportinternat Neuastenberg or Sport Boarding School. Within 4 kilometers of the school are several training venues including a biathlon range/cross country ski stadium with roller ski loop, bobsled and luge run, alpine ski area, ski jumps for junior athletes, 400m track, and weight room. These sites have held major national and international championships. Essential to the success of athlete development in the area is the Westfalen Olympic Performance Center, which is found next to the venues. Thirty-five kilometers away in the town of Willingen are additional facilities such as cross-country ski trails, large ski jump hills, and weight room. Centrally placed, these venues are the ideal training environment for athletes, coaches, and teachers.