PODCAST | QAS Women’s Sevens Academy tackle training in Isolation

The Queensland Academy of Sport Women’s Sevens program has given rise to some of Australia’s most promising young athletes including, Dominque Du Toit, Lily dick, Samantha Treherne and Lily Dick, but currently the program faces a new challenge. 

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has seen Rugby players around the globe forced to rethink how they train and maintain fitness in isolation, without access to group training or gym. 

While some of the St.George Queensland Reds have been able to kit out their garages as home gyms, that isn’t a reality for some players, with some of the QAS athletes either living in student accommodation around Universities or still at home with their parents for example. 

Thankfully for the girls, program high performance manager and head coach Reg Tayler, as well as strength and conditioning head coach Leigh Smith, have put together comprehensive program to assist. 

The program covers skills based exercises to assist the players with aspects of the game including passing, line-out throwing and pilfering, while the strength and conditioning component is adaptable, depending on what equipment the players might have access to at home. 

We caught up with Tayler for the first episode of the ‘Queensland Rugby Radio’ podcast. Tune in as he walks us through how the girls are managing training at home, some tips for players and coaches while in isolation, as well as the importance of providing mental health support to athletes during these hard times.