Following discussions with TASS and Bobsleigh, it was decided over the summer to offer one of our TASS physiotherapy interns who were finishing their MSc at Sheffield Hallam a contract to work with the Bobsleigh squads during the world cup season of 2011-12.
Jemma Oliver was offered the contract having impressed GB Bobsleigh’s management team when she was selected to attend the World Junior Championships in February 2011. They felt her knowledge and experience would be beneficial to the squad.
Jemma has gained experience in the sports field over the past nine years having supported various sports/teams including Sheffield United Football Academy, Sheffield Sharks, England Hockey, GB Women’s Volleyball and Welsh Hockey.
Here Jemma talks about her experiences so far with the British crew.
I am currently responsible for about seven athletes who make up the GB1 Men and Women’s squad who will be taking part in this years FIBT World Cup circuit. I work closely with the performance coach team as well as the athletes. It;s great to be involved with a squad who are working at such a high pressurised level and striving to achieve great things at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.
My daily routine is varied, but tends to include providing treatment and rehab for the athletes to ensure they are fit enough to slide. This isn’t always on the physiotherapy table; wuite often I am in witht he athletes at various gym and sprint sessions to assist and support in any way I can. The nature of the sport and how small our team is means everyone gets involve and stuck in! We all work together to load and prepare the sleds and equipment and I often film sliding sessions for the squads to analyse later.
I get to travel the world and visit some beautiful places. Not many people can say they wake up every morning in a picturesque mountain resort, and I definitely don’t complain about that!! It is quite tough being away from family and friends for long periods of time though, and with being with such a small squad of people constantly does bring its harder days! But I wouldn’t change it for the world. I am learning so much everyday.
Park City was the second stop on our pre season trip, which is a lovely place to be after the concrete jungle of Calgary! The boys had now joined us, so the girls were kept busy winding them up! It was great to hear Will (Golder) and Antoe (Walters) had been crowned British Champions!
_Everything is going well, with all of the squad training and working hard. There has been no injury dramas bar a few knocks and niggles, so pretty good on that front! _
America’s Cup action saw TeamWalker and TeamGolder do immensely well! Will and Antoe took fourth place in the mens competition, producing some really great runs. Paula and Rebekah took their first win of the season in the womens competition and I’ll be hoping to take many more podium pictures this season!
TeamWalker is now on the European circuit competing in the FIBT World Cup events and the girls are looking to build on their World Junior Championships win from 2011 and maintain a top ten positioning in the World Cup series.
TASS is supporting 16 athletes in Bobsleigh this year, with their main goals being the Winter Youth Olympic Games, Innsbruck and the World Junior Championships, Igls straight after the Youth Olympics. Six TASS Athletes will compete at the Winter Youth Olympics with 13 selected for the World Junior Championships. Paula Walker and Rebekah Wilson are current World Junior Champions and won the title whilst being supported by TASS. They have now graduated from the scheme and receive support through UKSport’s World Class Programme.
