Hellier to impart words of wisdom

Aspiring young Northland athletes will have the opportunity to learn from New Zealand's most successful coach when Kirsten Hellier arrives in town.
Hellier, who coached Valerie Adams (nee Vili) to gold medals at the Olympic, Commonwealth and World Games, will be the guest coach of the LJ Hooker Athletics Whangarei club day on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 March.
Since coaching Adams, Hellier has been contracted to a top coaching position in China, working with their best throwers.
Two of them, who have accompanied Hellier to New Zealand, will demonstrate Hellier's teaching. The presence and input from Kirsten's husband, Pat, will be another added bonus.
Born and bred in Northland, Pat is a regular competitor and gold medallist in the strongman competition at the Waipu Caledonian Games, including winning the title earlier this year. And he is a former New Zealand shot put champion.
The coaching weekend is the brainchild of Ian Babe, president of LJ Hooker Athletics Whangarei and patron of Athletics Northland, and, himself, one of Northland's top coaches.
Babe and LJ Hooker Athletics Whangarei are working on developing a performance culture.
"Within our athlete-coach structure in the north, I'm aiming to influence positively-focused athletes and coaches by exposing them regularly to high-performance thinking and long-term development strategies. The visit of the world-class Chinese athletes and their world-class coach, Kirsten Hellier, is part of the efforts to promote this performance athlete-coach culture.
"Currently we have a keen group of developing young athletes who are progressing well and require careful nurturing to stay in our sport. Eventually, by the age of 19 to 23, they will be able to begin serious training. This will take some time to develop but we intend to be patient and methodical," Babe said.
Following the Helliers' coaching weekend, Babe plans to invite top middle-distance coaches to organise a training camp in Whangarei.
The coaching weekend will be held from 9am to 3pm on Saturday March 12, and 9am to 12 noon on Sunday March 13, beginning at the Kensington track and including a weights session at the Kensington Fitness Centre.
Saturday's coaching will be followed by LJ Hooker Athletic Whangarei's track and field championships, from 3pm to 5pm, with the two Chinese athletes invited to compete.
A dinner is planned for Saturday evening, starting at 7pm.
Athletics Whangarei is making no charge for the coaching weekend, except $20 per-head for the dinner, bookings essential - email ian.babe@orcon.net.nz or phone 437 1657.