Celtic Connections Series: Post Olympic Chat with the Experts

Please join us on Thursday 22nd August from 6.30pm for a post-Olympic chat with the experts. We have the pleasure of two very experienced track and field coaches Cathy Woodruff and Tim O’Shaughnessy who have spent a lifetime coaching and training athletes for this very event.

Their wealth of knowledge and experience in training successful athletes at both National and International levels is sure to provide valuable perspectives on the trials, tribulations, joys, and tears that come with participating in such a prestigious competition.

Member Ticket $15, Non-Member $20.
**Your ticket price includes delicious finger food and a complimentary drink on arrival.  

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Tim O’Shaughnessy is a middle-distance coach (800m to 5 km including steeplechase)and has been coaching since 1989 and works with athletes of all abilities from 13 years upwards.

Tim is a Level 4 Specialist Coach – middle and long-distance and an Athletics Australia Life Member.  Tim has coached Sophie O’Sullivan (daughter of the famous Sonia O’Sullivan) for 10 years, she is now representing Ireland in the Paris Olympics running in the 1500 metres. Tim was also part of the coaching team for the Australian Marathon Runners for the Tokyo Olympics 2020(1),

Tim is on the coaching team at the Melbourne Track Club where he coaches Sinead Diver (Irish Marathon Runner) who is currently representing Australia in the Paris Olympics as part of the Marathon team.

Tim also coaches Reece Langdon, para-Olympian taking part in the 1,500 metres at the Paris Olympics.

He loves coaching because of the satisfaction he gets from seeing an athlete of whatever level improve and achieve their goals and potential. Middle Distance running as does all track and Field events require strong character, so he knows he is dealing with good people.

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Cathy Woodruff is a Horizontals Jumps and Sprints coach, she has coached many Victorian and Australian champions over 30 years of coaching with several Australian representatives in various teams over the years. She started coaching at Little Athletics and junior level and progressively developed a number of athletes who represented Australia at Paralympics, World Junior, World University Games and Commonwealth Games. Her athletes have had considerable success at State and National levels over a sustained period. Cathy completed Single units at Deakin University - Exercise Physiology and Biomechanics and Kinesiology, completed Apprentice coach program with Dan Pfaff (world-renowned coach) in Phoenix, Arizona, USA 2015.  She has been awarded  Life Member Sandringham Athletic Club and a  Life Member ATFC&A (Victorian Branch).
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Cathy currently has a squad of young and emerging athletes. She likes to focus on the technical aspects of sprinting and horizontal jumps as well as developing speed and strength specific to the events. Her main philosophy is that the athletes in my squad enjoy the sport of athletics regardless of ability. Enjoyment and improvement go hand in hand and from there they can reach their potential whatever that may be.

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