It is a pleasant autumnal afternoon in Yorkshire and I’m trackside at Leeds Beckett University alongside esteemed coach Andy Henderson, agent Andrew Mashiter and one understandingly proud father Kevin Hussey, whose son Ethan Hussey appears in his school uniform to join in some light conversation about the fortunes of his favourite football team Manchester City.
The softly-spoken 16-year-old has travelled the four miles or so from his home to be with us after a day of A-level studies centred around economics, geography and his favoured politics.
He could be any other teenager as he enters the discussion with the familiar exclamation that “I’m bored”. This is not however your average 16-year-old. He is ranked second on the UK under-17 all-time list for 1500m and he is “bored” because it’s his well-deserved end of season break but he wants to get back onto the track as soon as possible.
I ask him whether he is looking forward to the forthcoming cross country season and with a rueful grin, he jokes: “I don’t like being cold and wet! I don’t like the grass. I much prefer speed endurance work on the track.”
The irony is that it was a routine outing over the mud in a low-key schools race six years or so ago and a modest top 30 finish which signalled his understated entry into our sport. Hussey is reminded by coach Henderson that this winter’s excursions over the country are aimed at process rather than outcome-based results.
The team behind Ethan
Hussey believes he has benefited from the large group training at Leeds Beckett. “Running helped with the stress of my GCSEs this summer,” he points out.
So how does his coachwork with between 40-60 athletes on training nights and yet manage to retain an individual athlete-centred approach?
This story is from the October 24, 2019 edition of Athletics Weekly.
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This story is from the October 24, 2019 edition of Athletics Weekly.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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