Skills and drills with Sonny Bill Williams

13 January 2016

Skills and drills with Sonny Bill Williams at Bayleys National Sevens

All eyes will be on the Bayleys National Sevens at Rotorua International Stadium this weekend, with sevens rugby featuring at the Rio Olympics later in the year.

The heat won’t just be coming from the field with players hoping to catch the eye of the selectors. Being mid-summer in Rotorua will also make it a hot day for everyone at the Sevens.

ACC will be there to help out and provide advice to help kiwis lead healthy, active lives - and to keep playing the sport they love, for a long time, says ACC Sport Injury Prevention Portfolio Manager, Isaac Carlson.

“We can support players to stay injury free through programmes such as RugbySmart, a very successful injury prevention programme developed by ACC and NZ Rugby for players, coaches and referees.”

“We will have All Black Sonny Bill Williams joining us to get the message across. Who better than Sonny? He fully understands the value of preparing his body and making sure it is fit, healthy, warmed up and ready for whatever action he puts it through,” says Mr Carlson.

ACC will be holding a session with a group of kids on Field One, led by Sonny, to demonstrate how to master some of the techniques to make you a better player.

“We want people to get the most out of their sport while at the same time supporting players to stay injury free.”

ACC will have a hydration station at the Sevens providing free water and information on how to avoid the effects of dehydration, along with demonstrations on strapping, how to recognise concussion and what to do to reduce harm.

“Come along and meet Sonny who will be there to talk about all of this. Being the sort of guy he is, I’m sure he’ll be able to share some of his performance and injury prevention tips with you.”

It is very important to take good care of yourself when engaging in sporting activity says Sonny Bill Williams.

“Throughout my sporting career I have learnt the value of taking care of my body and making sure I do everything possible to avoid injury. It’s great to be part of an initiative that helps teach the next generation of great players how to perform at their best,” says Mr Williams.

ENDS

ACC Events Schedule

Day One – Saturday 16 January 2016

2 pm Skills and drills with Sonny Bill Williams – Physical conditioning

Field One, Rotorua International Stadium

Day Two – Sunday 17 January 2016

11.30 am Meet Sonny Bill Williams

ACC Marquee, Rotorua International Stadium

Injury prevention tips

Concussion:

• Concussion is the most common head injury in sport. It is extremely serious and coaches, players, and family members need to be aware and recognise the signs and symptoms

• Concussion may occur with or without loss of consciousness.

• Recognize, Remove, Refer, Rest, Recover, Return

• If in doubt, sit them out

• If concussion is suspected, cease play immediately and see a medical doctor

• Clearance from a medical doctor is required before returning to sport, to ensure you are safe to play.

Hydration:

• Maintaining ideal hydration before, during and after exercise is important

• It is important to pre-hydrate before a training session or game – half a litre two hours before exercise

• Drink small amounts where possible throughout the game

• Increase fluid intake in hot and humid conditions

• After the game, drink another 1 litre per hour for three hours

• Optimal hydration will enhance performance, fun and help avoid injury.

RugbySmart:

• RugbySmart is a successful injury prevention programme developed by ACC and the NZ Rugby Union for players, coaches and referees

• RugbySmart is based around ACC SportSmart, the 9 point SportSmart action plan for sports injury prevention

• The RugbySmart App is available for free download on Apple and Android.

Each year ACC receives around 462,000 sport and recreation injury claims costing over $420 million. Many of these injuries could be avoided or the severity of the injury reduced.

For more information and/or tickets for the Bayleys National Sevens go to www.nationalsevens.co.nz

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