BSJA Area 44 Junior Academy

As a junior BSJA member, you are the future of our sport. For this reason, within Surrey , we have decided to create an Area 44 Junior Academy, specifically focused on offering our junior members access to world-class coaching from BSJA accredited coaches. Our aim is to help you develop your skills through an enjoyable, informative and progressive coaching system where you will be able to share experiences, and learn with and from your peers.

The Area 44 Junior Academy launched in December 2005, and will offer monthly coaching sessions. The Academy Chief Coach will be Corinne Bracken who will, through her work with juniors in the area, already be known to many of you.

The format for the first three sessions is as follows:

Session One
Aimed at improving rider balance and therefore creating a more effective partnership with your pony. Corinne will re-cap on the importance of a good basic, well balanced position and an understanding of how your pony performs on the flat and to a fence. The first session will allow us to assess the pony and rider combinations in order that we can structure the groups for following sessions.

Session Two
Will be used to establish the individual needs of you and your pony and to create an individual work programme for each of you. You will be issued with a log book which will be updated each time you attend the Academy. The log book will record your own personal development plan (PDP) and will be signed off by the Coach as you achieve your specific goals. The log book will allow you to record your competition campaigns for each of your ponies along with the results you achieve at competition.

Session Three
On-going theme of continuous improvement to position, balance and influence on the way your pony goes. Corinne will work with you on the more technical aspects of riding and course jumping.

You will be encouraged to discuss the highs and lows of the previous month and start to self analyse and work through any problems you encounter.

Location & Price
Training sessions will take place at Thundry Stud or Team Truxford and will cost £30 per rider per session. Sessions must be booked and paid for in advance, all payment information is on the booking form. It would be helpful if you could also complete and return the Information Form for our records. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.