Ash Jones – Head of Strength and Conditioning at Edinburgh
Ash Jones, Edinburgh’s head of strength and conditioning, has just been named Professional Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Year by the discipline’s world leading membership organisation, the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).
He said: “It is a worldwide award but the organisation is based in the USA which is why I didn’t really think I had a chance of winning, although I was honoured to receive the nomination.
As the 1st coach from outside the the USA and the 1st rugby S & C coach to win the accolade, Jones admits the honour came out of the blue.
“With the number of S & C coaches across all sports in the United States, someone in America would have a much better chance of winning it but it shows the outward looking focus of the organisation.”
Strength and conditioning is now an integral part of the coaching team and Jones, who joined Edinburgh 12 months ago, has now worked in 3 professional sports (basketball, rugby league and rugby union) across 4 countries (New Zealand, Australia, Japan and Scotland).
He said: “My task when I joined the club was to lead a group of S & C coaches (Marc Keys & Jack Walsh) and to help develop the players to the best of their physical ability so that they are in the best shape to allow the head coach to focus on working on their game.
“By bringing in new ideas from my experiences across the rugby landscape I’ve worked in over the last 15 years, I want to help players achieve their best each and every day.”
In addition to his work with Edinburgh, Jones was seconded to the Scotland squad for Rugby World Cup but applies the same principles to his work with each squad.
He said: “My focus is doing the basics really well – simple is best. We’ve been introducing more skills activities into the warm-ups, especially training warm-ups, and looking at the development of speed and power in the weight-room programmes rather than focussing on strength.
“Northern hemisphere teams, in general, have always been very strong but not so powerful or explosive, that was the task I set myself, to work with my S & C team to develop those characteristics in the Edinburgh team.”
Having worked professionally in the discipline since 1992, Jones has witnessed many shifts in focus and changes in procedures as strength and conditioning became an integral part of training across all sports however, he adds:
“The biggest change I’ve seen is the use of technology, the tracking methods and monitoring aspects. However, to me, it’s the coach’s eye and experience which are paramount. All the improvements in technology are wonderful but if you don’t have the practical application to balance the science then you’re basically just a scientist and not a coach.”
Scottish Rugby’s Director of Rugby Scott Johnson said: “On behalf of everyone at Scottish Rugby I’m delighted to see Ash receive this recognition.
“The field of strength and conditioning is an integral part of preparing all our squads for competition and Ash has been a great asset to both Edinburgh Rugby and Scotland, since taking up his post a year ago, with his knowledge and implementation of his discipline second to none.“
Jones will receive the award at the NSCA Coaches’ Conference in January in San Antonio, Texas.
Edinburgh currently sit in 6th place in the Guinness PRO12 and top their pool in the European Challenge Cup. The next match in the PRO12, against London Irish at BT Murrayfield, is on Friday 18 December and kicks off at 19:30 UK Time.
The 1st leg of this year’s derby double-header against Glasgow Warriors, as Edinburgh seek to retain the 1872 Cup, takes place at BT Murrayfield on Sunday 27 December at 15:05 UK Time.
Congratulations Ash Jones on getting this accolade. The Edinburgh pack have been doing really well and provided the starting front row to Scotland in the World Cup. Anytime I have read the fans praising their pack it has been their forwards coach Stevie Scott who is getting the plaudits, no doubt he is doing a good job but it must be made that bit easier by having his players conditioned by a World leader in the field. Just shows us fans often don’t know about all that goes on behind the scenes.
Heynecke Meyer quits as Springbok coach.
Oscar convicted of murder:
South Africa’s top appeals court ruled on Thursday that Oscar Pistorius, the Paralympic star known as the Blade Runner, was guilty of murder in the 2013 killing of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, overturning a lower court’s conviction on the lesser charge of culpable homicide.
The appeals court ordered the lower court to hand a new sentence to Mr. Pistorius, who has already served about a year in prison and is now under house arrest for the previous conviction. A murder conviction carries a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison.
Lion4ever wrote:
Hi Lion4ever thanks just saw this elsewhere and thought it was only a rumour. Not connected via home Internet at moment so can’t put article up. Wonder what Mr Meyer plans to do next. From a fan despite the last year’s results- All the best for the future Mr Meyer.
Stormers looking for a coach, Heynecke Meyer could be available… just saying 💡
@ Bullscot:
Do you think that the Stormers need another conservative, defence oriented coach?
Lion4ever wrote:
On his sword he has fallen….
(Apologies to Master Yoda)
6 @ Lion4ever:
No. But I don’t think they know themselves what they really need.
6 @ Lion4ever:
The last year of his reign was not good in terms of many results cannot argue against that. But looking at the World Cup how did the Boks get try bonus points in all 4 of their games? Regardless of the quality of the opponents surely a solely defence orientated coach wouldn’t get them to score that many tries.
@ Bullscot:
that should read bonus points in all 4 of their pool games.
@ Scrumdown:
Well, it seems like Stormers will be in for another long hard season.
@ Lion4ever:
The last time Heyneke Meyer coached the Stormers they ended 2nd on the Super 12 log, only lost out on top spot due to points difference as they had the same league points as the team who ended 1st. Pity they got beaten in the home semi-final.
@ Bullscot:
I am speaking of the uncertainty surrounding a new coach. And even though HM had good results with the Stormers in the S12, it does not change the fact that he is a conservative coach, like AC.
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