Visual Performance and Skills Sport Scientist, Dr. Sherylle Calder, is in big demand, as athletes around the world aim to make the best use of their eyes on the field.

Dr. Calder, who won the 2011 gsport Woman of the Year award, is working with a host of local and international athletes and teams, including the Brumbies, South African Netball, Dutch Olympics, Elite Golfers, School Projects, Dunlop Junior Tennis players, SA Equestrian squad, Marsha Marescia, Sanani Mangisa, Richard Levi, JP Duminy, Dane Vilas and Bryan Habana.

Speaking to gsport recently, just before jetting off to assist the Dutch Olympics team, who she has worked with for the past two years, Dr. Calder said: “It’s been a great 2012 so far – started on the 1st of January when I flew to Canada to work with an International Aerial Ski team.

“I arrived back on the Sunday and went to Kenako Golf and Sports Academy in George to work with young golfers. And from there things just rolled into a couple of golf tournaments, Volvo Champions at Fancourt and a couple of PGA tournaments in the USA. We also opened a new office at SAS in Stellenbosch – our Head office is still at SSISA.”

Dr. Calder devised the high-tech EyeGym solution, an online software visual training program.

She says: “EyeGym is a research based training programme which has proven to simulate how you use your vision and execute your skills and decision making on the field of play – it also simulates and trains the ability to make effective decisions under pressure – in essence it accelerates your performance and gives you an edge.

Sanani Mangisa from the Investec SA Women’s Hockey team said: “EyeGym gives me the opportunity to train what is so often neglected, our eyes. We pay attention to mental and physical strength but forget the eyes, which are so important. EyeGym gives me the much needed edge.

Click here for more information on Dr. Sherylle Calder and her EyeGym programme.

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If you have ever wondered how to define the word befuddlement, a group of Italians watching British children honing their cricket skills on an Astroturf football pitch serves pretty well. I even overheard one of them muttering “confusionale”, which needed no translation, as former England captain Alec Stewart stood behind three yellow plastic stumps rolling a ball to his charges, and encouraging one to throw in hard while another backed up in case of a fumble. Confusionale, indeed.

Last year I took my 12-year-old son to the inaugural Super Skills Travel Rugby Academy, run by ex-England internationals Will Greenwood and Austin Healey, at the Forte Village resort in southern Sardinia. This Easter we went back for the unveiling of the same company’s Cricket Academy, which boasted a similarly illustrious set of coaches: alongside Stewart were former England wicket-keeper Paul Nixon, England’s former assistant coach and chief analyst Mark Garaway, and, the icing on the cake, 2005 Ashes-winning captain Michael Vaughan.

Speaking of icing the cake, it was Stewart’s 49th birthday on our day of arrival, which might not be worth mentioning except that one of the children, seven-year-old Sachin, was actually aware of the fact, so assiduously had he researched the man whose playing career had concluded two years before he, Sachin, was born.

Not every child was quite so clued up but all the dads and most of the mums knew they were in the presence of world-class sporting talent, which might have accounted for the slight frisson of nervousness at the welcoming drinks reception. It was dispelled by the engagingly irrepress­ible Nixon, who explained that he was anxious speaking in front of such a big audience, not being used to large crowds having played for Leicestershire for so many years. Laughter – the ice was broken.

The company was born two years ago, and Greenwood and Healey were unwitting midwives. Friends since the age of 16, they were holidaying together with their families at Forte Village and one evening stepped on to the stage in the resort’s central piazza to ask if anyone fancied bringing their kids to an informal coaching session the following day.

A fellow holidaymaker called Ed Rusling duly took his two children along and revelled in the spectacle of young Max and Isabella learning rugby skills from a World Cup winner (Greenwood) and, to Isabella’s delight, a Strictly Come Dancing quarter-finalist (Healey). He asked if they’d thought of making a full-time enterprise out of the notion of top-class sports instruction for children as part of a family holiday? They hadn’t but, right there and then, they did. Within two days they had their articles of association. Arrangements were made with the Forte Village and Super Skills Travel, with Rusling, Greenwood and Healey as directors, was in business.

The concept stands or falls, of course, not just on the names and pulling power of the coaches but also on their chemistry with children both small and large (aged between five and 16). Greenwood and Healey, respectively fathers of three and four themselves, represent the ideal formula: fun, sometimes even indulgent, but authoritative. They duly looked for other recruits with the same skills, and the same sporting aura, and found them in Jason Robinson and Jason Leonard. This summer, more­over, none other than Martin Johnson (the former England captain, World Cup winner and manager) has been added to the rugby coaching team.

Not least of the attractions of these Super Skills Travel trips is that the “legends”, as the coaches are immodestly but not unreasonably called, are happy to engage with the kids and their parents at all hours. On Easter Monday I sat at the bar for half an hour in the early evening, discussing England’s recent test performances with Alec (“call me Stewie”) Stewart. If he yearned to be elsewhere, he showed no sign. Nixon, Garaway and Vaughan were no less approachable.

As for their coaching methods; that was the most impressive thing of all. The children were divided into three groups according to age and ability, and it was clear from the outset that they were in the most practised of hands. Stewart took the older kids, including my son Jake and his friend Will, and among many other drills had them catching and throwing with the left eye closed, then the right. Stewart explained how Sherylle Calder, a South African former hockey international who has developed a vision training programme called Eye Think, had improved the England cricket team’s fielding by 30 per cent by strengthening their eye muscles. Her closed-eye routine gets their brains picking up depth and pace and it worked with the children too.

All the coaches applied and adapted their own coaching experiences with England, with Garaway, the analysis expert who was Kevin Pietersen’s motivator-in-chief for four years and is now a cricket coach at Millfield School, forensically deconstructing batting and bowling techniques.

As yet there are no cricket nets at Forte Village but there are plans to install them, which will really give those befuddled Italians something to talk about. Rugby is not such a mystery to them and nor is golf, which is probably the next sport to get the Super Skills Travel treatment, with Irish former Ryder Cup player Paul McGinley at the top of the list of potential coaches. Football is not yet in the pipeline and, in any case, it is already covered at Forte Village. Roman Abramovich visited a few years ago and was so impressed that he established an annual Chelsea Soccer School there.

At the Cricket Academy, if anyone’s high spirits flagged, the charismatic Nixon was on hand to restore them. At the start of each coaching session he got the children into a group huddle – again, just like the England team – and it was marvellous to see 13-year-olds hunkering down with no whiff of teenage resentment at the indignity of consorting with seven-year-olds.

There are, too, plenty of unheralded bonuses for the watching parents (those who do watch, that is; inevitably, some use the coaching as a babysitting service). I came back with lots of new ideas for gingering up cricket in the garden with my sons, and also mindful of something Nixon said to me, as we watched a talented 10-year-old fizzing in to bowl. “The only thing that will stop them getting better is their parents, or their teachers, being too pushy or too critical.”

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• Lack of focus
• Getting easily distracted
• Memory loss
• Making careless mistakes in schoolwork
• Inability to pay attention in class
• Finding it hard to be organised

Students need a range of cognitive skills to focus, understand and take action on what they learn.  The good news is cognitive skills can be strengthened through training

Strong visual skills – the foundation for optimum learning

A major part of the learning process is visual and related to routine tasks like reading, spelling, writing and using computers. Surprisingly many children do not possess the necessary visual ability to perform these tasks efficiently.  When they lack the skills to accomplish these tasks, there is visual stress, causing changes in behaviour.  This interferes with the learning process, preventing learning from take place as intended.

When we talk about vision, it is important to understand that it is a complicated process in which both the eyes and the brain participate. Visual performance skills training can benefit children by improving their sports acumen, honing their skills so that they react faster, focus better and improve their peripheral vision. The training can also boost academic performance.

Visual skills related to physical skills that affect sports and academic performance can be taught and developed, teaching children how to absorb, perceive and process information, and train them to improve their visual perception and make better decisions.

With visual skills training the following cognitive skills can be strengthened, enabling students to reap the rewards with better hand-eye coordination, better concentration and excellent academic performance:

• Better concentration, helping students to stay focused for longer periods, making studying easier and improving comprehension. This helps them become more goal-oriented.
• Better perception leading to the right interpretation, helping students process information quickly and accurately. This improves reading speed, spelling, mathematical skills and comprehension.
• Enhanced visual memory skills, long term memory and better storage and effective recall of information, improved organising skills and time management.
• Improved logical thinking leading to better decision making skills.

When the above are achieved, it naturally leads to better self-confidence and self-esteem. Since almost 80% of what a student learns is via visual information, nurturing vision skills through systematic training will bring about a dramatic change, enabling children reach their full potential.

Not everything on the netball court happens in front of you, so it is important to see action to the side without having to turn your head. When you see a team member from the corner of your eye, without having to turn your head to make the pass, you will know that your peripheral or side vision is working!

Inside the goal circle: Goal attack or goal shooter look at the post, pretend (fake) the shot, ‘seeing’ that your team mate is free and in a better position to shoot. So, without looking at her, give the quick pass.

What is peripheral vision?

Peripheral vision: Side vision. ‘The ability to see objects and movement outside of the direct line of vision. Peripheral vision is the work of the rods, nerve cells located largely outside the macula (the center) of the retina. The rods are also responsible for night vision and low-light vision but are insensitive to color. As opposed to central vision.’  Source: Medical dictionary.

That all important feeling of knowing where you are on the court

A very simple exercise is to start at on end of the netball court with eyes focused on the opposite netball post. Start walking, still focusing on the post and without turning your head, try to see everything on the side of the court i.e. people, benches, banners etc. At the same time be aware of the lines on the court indicating the three thirds as well as goal circle, without looking down.

It is important to know where you are on the court as you pass or receive a ball in order not to go off sides. Remember that you have three seconds to catch and pass the ball.  Having to look down will waste time and give the defending team time to regroup and intercept the ball.

Wing attacks, wing defences and centres need to know where the goal circle is before landing, and that is without having to look down.

There are many drills to improve the visual skills of your surroundings, but you need to understand the working of EyeGym, proudly brought to us by our own Dr Sherylle Calder.

Proteas’ secret weapon

‘When the SPAR South African netball team play their next international match, they will be armed with a special secret weapon – Dr. Sherylle Calder, the world-renowned specialist in visual performance skills and their effect on improved sporting performance.’

Calder said she was excited at the prospect of working with the netball team. ‘The science of EyeGym will play a major role in enhancing the players’ ability and add an edge to their performance,’ she said. “This will carry over into helping them to make quicker and more effective decisions under pressure, and this will fast-track the players’ performance to a new level.” (Source: SA Netball)

Eye to Eye with Dr Sherylle Calder in our next blog

I will be chatting to Dr Sherylle Calder, world famous expert in visual performance skills and the impact it has on netball performance for our next blog. In the mean time you can visit her website http://drsheryllecalder.com/ and learn more about the amazing EyeGym factor in sport.

Reminder

If you love netball, we suggest you read ‘A Century of Netball’ by Rita Oosthuizen. Who knows, you may even spot your mother, grandmother or teacher/coach somewhere along the line!

You can pick up A Century of Netball for a bargain at R120.00. There are only a limited number of books available!

For enquiries/orders: Tel: 011 6460641

Fax: 011 6460632

email: info@samaster.co.za.

Until next time

Pass it on and remember to play the game from the corner of your eye!

Source: http://www.classicclashes.co.za/COMMUNITY/blogs/netball/archive/2012/04/02/playing-netball-out-of-the-corner-of-your-eye.aspx

Vodacom Super Rugby is possibly the world’s toughest regional competition. With competition so intense, it is the small things that make a huge difference. In an exclusive column, World renowned visual performance and skills expert Dr Sherylle Calder writes about her insights into the competition, and how visual skills can make all the difference.

It was great to see Springbok and Stormers winger Bryan Habana in such fine form against the Auckland Blues on Friday night.
His exceptional try and man-of-the-match award were well deserved and certainly have reminded us all how he is heading back to his top form.

For those of you who don’t know, I have worked with Bryan over a long period now, starting in 2005 when then-Springbok coach Jake White asked me to join his coaching staff, and on and off since my departure there.

In the last few weeks Bryan has been working with me on increasing his visual skills, to help him be the best he can be on the field.
For that reason it was stunning to see the vision he employed in following up Dewaldt Duwenhage’s kick and while he had the speed to get there, and the hands to pick the ball up on the bounce, it was his vision and timing that made the try so exceptional.

It reminded me of the Bryan Habana I worked with back in 2005, when I first started with the Springboks. At that time we trained very effectively and it was shortly afterwards that Bryan and Jean de Villiers started scoring intercept tries, something that became a trademark of both their games.

Bryan came to see me last year when he was having problems with his game, and if you remember last year he either overran the ball, or his timing was wrong. With the training, it was easy to see him regain his confidence and the effect that EyeGym had on him was very positive in a game where every little edge helps.

Bryan has a great work ethic and one of the highest workrates on the field, and that’s what made last year so frustrating, in that he was mistiming his tackles. The eyes, of course, tell you when to launch yourself into a tackle, and what angle to take, so it all plays a part. But he is very committed to being at the top of his game and as a player; there is no better guy to work with.

I was also glad to hear that Suntory Sungoliath won the double in Japan, where Fourie du Preez and Danie Rossouw are playing. The team, through their coach Eddie Jones, do EyeGym training on a weekly basis and it has helped their game immensely.

I am heading to America this week to do some work with golfing legend Ernie Els, so will be missing out on the Super Rugby for the next few weeks. But I am sure that with all the hard work that Bryan Habana is putting in at the moment on his visual skills, he will get the return he wants.

You could be one of the chosen ones to Train like an Olympian at the Powerade Sports Academy in London. Six South African sportsmen will be given a once in a lifetime opportunity to travel to the London 2012 Olympic Games and train with Olympic athletes and coaches. This competition kicks-off on 1 March; see on pack for details or the April issue of Sports Illustrated Magazine.

Dr Sherylle Calder is a world-renowned visual skills performance and skills expert. She was part of the victorious England Rugby team that won the Rugby World Cup in 2003 and the Springbok team that took the title in 2007. Based out of the Sport Science Institute of South Africa and Stellenbosch Academy of Sport, she manages her own consultancy and works with several high-profile international sports stars across several sporting codes.

(CNN) — Jenson Button underlined the potential strength of the McLaren-Mercedes in 2012 with a convincing victory in the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park, Melbourne, the opening race of the new Formula One season.

Button had a quicker start than teammate and fellow-Briton Lewis Hamilton, who was on pole position, and never looked likely to relinquish his advantage, despite the intervention of the safety car giving some brief hope to world champion Sebastian Vettel.

Vettel overtook Hamilton after the safety car was deployed on lap 38 when the Caterham of Vitaly Petrov stalled on the track and, for a moment, the German’s Red Bull threatened to catch Button.

But 2009 champion Button began pulling away once again and took the chequered flag a comfortable 2.1 seconds ahead of Vettel, with Hamilton a further 1.9 seconds adrift in third position.

Vettel’s teammate, local favorite Mark Webber, ensured McLaren and Red Bull took the first four places, while two-time world champion Fernando Alonso produced a superb drive to finish fifth for Ferrari, despite starting a lowly 12th on the grid.

Japan’s Kamui Kobayashi finished an impressive sixth for Sauber while 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen came home seventh in his Lotus on his return to the sport after two years in rallying.

The second Sauber of Mexican Sergio Perez finished eighth while Daniel Ricciardo ensured both Australian drivers ended up in the points by securing ninth place for Toro Rosso, just ahead of Force India’s Paul Di Resta.

Button, who has now won at Melbourne in three of the last four years, told the official Formula One website: “Every win means a lot and, for us as a team, it really shows how important the winter is.

“We’ve had a strong winter, Saturday’s qualifying really showed that, so it’s nice to come away with a victory in the first race of the new season.”

Vettel, who is bidding to win a third successive world title, was philosophical in defeat, adding: “Jenson drove a fantastic race and was unbeatable, but I’m very happy to finish second, it’s a lot of points.

“I think a lot of people would not have expected that after our performance in qualifying but I think we had a better car in the race and it seems to have a lot of potential,” added Vettel.

Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/03/18/sport/motorsport/motorsport-f1-australia-button-win/index.html?hpt=isp_bn4

South Africa’s No 1 tennis player Kevin Anderson has equalled his career-best ranking after winning his second ATP Tour title at the weekend.

Anderson climbed six places to 30th in the latest world rankings released on Monday.

The big-serving South African defeated Australian qualifier Marinko Matosevic 6-4, 7-6 (2) to win the Delray Beach International in Florida, United States, on Sunday.

Anderson admitted both players were feeling the pressures of the final, but felt that mentally he was prepared for the match.

“Both of us were a little nervous at the start of match, so I had to find my rhythm,” Anderson said.

“I think at the end, I felt I was mentally composed throughout [the tournament]. I didn’t let any patches of bad tennis affect my mindset [this week].”

In his run to the final, Anderson beat former world No 1 Andy Roddick and current world number 11 John Isner.

Anderson was pleased with his performance and believed he had settled into life outside South Africa.

“It feels fantastic, it’s my first one in the United States, which is great,” he said.

“I feel apart from South Africa, this is my new home.”

The South African No 1 celebrated his victory with his new wife Kelsey and South African coach Louis Vosloo, who said Anderson was strong throughout the tournament.

“Kevin was a tough nut to crack all week, a real mental giant,” Vosloo said.

Anderson lifted his only other tour title, also an ATP 250 event, when he won the SA Open in February last year.

Days after strenuous training with sports scientist Dr Sherylle Calder from Somerset West, Els outplayed the 35-year-old English golfer, knocking him out in the first round of the Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona last week.

Calder, internationally known for her work with various sports stars, says her aim is to improve their game in all aspects.

She started working with Els when he played the Volvo Open at Fan Court in George last month.

There Els recognised her skills and requested more of her assistance.

“I flew up to the States for 10 days to work with Ernie on his golf,” says Calder, explaining that her work focuses on training and improving the coordination between the hands, eyes, feet and body.

“Developing visual skills includes learning to use your eyes and your motor response more effectively. Training in the EyeGym enhances your ability to use and interpret the potential visual information that is available to you.”

She says Els has given recognition to the impact of the work she has done with him.

“My goal was to improve his game and make him much better.

“He is a great golfer, and it was a privilege to work with him.”

And Calder believes that this win is only the beginning in the work she has done with Els.

Calder has worked with many familiar sportsmen, among them Bryan Habana, Retief Goosen and Simon Taufel (the world’s topcricket umpire).

She has also trained sportspeople in F1 driving, combat shooting, ice hockey, horse riding and more.

Calder will fly to America at the end of March to work with Els for two more weeks.

Source: http://www.districtmail.com/15681/news/article/dr-calder-aids-els-to-the-top