Bohdan Interview - SEN

[Bartram_Class]

Again, nicked from elsewhere.

Melbourne's Athletic Development Coach Bohdan Babijczuk is being interviewed on SEN today. The first half of the interview was about the changes at Melbourne and how these are impacting on its pre season. He spoke of his role and that of Chris Connolly, the assistant coaches, the fitness manager Joel Hocking, the strength and conditioning coach Valeri Stoimenov and the club's IT people and even the recruiting people who are working in a co-ordinated programme. Stoimenov, from Bulgaria, is a world class weights coach who has coached four world record holders and also knows about team sports because he was also involved with their Olympic handball team.

Mentioned when the club did a tough run for the first time at Churchill Park, only nine players could get through the hard session. Also the club has had a lot of players in rehab over the past two years whereas this year there are far less in rehab. For e.g. Matty Whelan has missed the last couple of pre seasons but is doing well along with a lot of the younger players.

Now talking a bit about the times when he was with Hawthorn and entered a team in the athletics at the Glenhuntly track.

BB spoke about how at Hawthorn he organised for an athletics team to be entered in summer competition and was asked why he hasn’t done the same thing at Melbourne. He explained that when he came to the Demons two years ago the list was quite brittle and it was too early for that. You need time to get a lot of the players together and to develop team spirit in an athletics team.

With Jack Watts, he’s an exceptional, well-spoken young man, very impressive and what struck BB was that he was happy to be at the club. He came over and said “hello”, introduced himself and his mates and the joy of him playing and the love of the game really stood out. If he plays like that Melbourne is onto a winner.

In his first week at the club he hasn’t really done a lot having come in from out of the normal training schedule. He’s done a few football training sessions - mainly just an introduction to the weights. BB cast his eyes around him and said he’s a skinny kid, skinny around the knees. It’s just going to take a little time to prepare him for AFL because being a key position player he’s going to have to play a major role in the future and the club has to be careful with him. The other thing is his body’s still lean. He’s not carrying the extra kilograms so he has to be developed in the right way because if we put weight on there’ll be stresses on his body and the power to weight ratio is changed. You need to take care in those situations.

How does Dean Bailey train the players and what is he like as a coach?

Bailey’s an excellent teacher so he knows how to get the message across. He’s not an old fashioned type who growls at guys, he explains what he needs done. Players have different strengths and weaknesses and cope differently with situations. He’s coped well in a difficult year and the only time he saw Dean down was in the last couple of games of the season when “we as a team let him down.”

This year the club’s started pre season earlier and things are looking so much better. The commitment is good, the players signed off on it and the AFL gave its approval. It will pay off as the pre season goes on and the players are developing well.

BB was asked who his pet project at Melbourne – Nathan Jones and Brad Miller have asked for extra development as has Brad Green who has come on in his long term development and recently ran 2.9 secs over 20 metres. His favourite Melbourne player for the Brownlow? Brock McLean (who he also tipped last year before he got injured).

On the new set up at Casey Fields. We were like the Leyland Brothers going to a number of different venues and players were complaining the constant changes and how it was bad for the body to have so many different routines. With the move, the players are all happy at Cranbourne.

Few interesting things in there, nothing profound but I'll take any news at this point of the year.

 

[Trav 20]

Why don't you give credit to the source ?

It was Alpha at Demonland.

 

[whelan=legend]

Why don't you give credit to the source ?

It was Alpha at Demonland.

How come you haven't been posting over there recently H?

 

[Bartram_Class]

Why don't you give credit to the source ?

It was Alpha at Demonland.

Just in case someone feels like sending a christmas card to say thank you?

 

[Trav 20]

Just in case someone feels like sending a christmas card to say thank you?

No.

Try again.

 

[richskee]

Good read, Great to know Nathan Jones & Brad Miller are asking for the tougher training regime. Shows leadership and passion for there footy!

 

[Crimson Azure]

I listened to it last night & he seems to have a real direction as th where he wants to take the team from a fitness point of view.

He also put the blame on the injuries to a lack of conditioning & base level of fitness when he started.

 

[Tulip]

For all the excitement about Misson, this is obviously a very real possible direction.

Watch out

 

[Captain Jack]

Strong bump.

Loving the bickering here.

We were remarkably optimistic for a team who had won 3 games that year.

 

[neeld_before_me]

is Bohdan still at the Demons?


HE would have to be the most useless weights coach of all time, none of our guys ever add muscle except for afew

 

[Resurgance]

is Bohdan still at the Demons?


HE would have to be the most useless weights coach of all time, none of our guys ever add muscle except for afew

Couldn't agree more. We have 3rd year players that don't look like they've added a kilo, while other clubs have debutants that look like tanks.

 

[melbournemartin]

Couldn't agree more. We have 3rd year players that don't look like they've added a kilo, while other clubs have debutants that look like tanks.

Not completely true though. Trengove has put on significant weight, Frawley is a tank (a bit older though) um...actually I'm struggling now. Watts is a bit heavier but still not big enough.

 

[Jordie_tackles]

Seems to have a huge reputation for some reason, remember an article of him with Andrew Bogut for treatment when he was in Australia a year or so back....?? or am i dreaming