AIS Cricket Head Coach Greg Chappell explained that there are different groups of young cricketers who are each provided specialised heightened training, such as the quick bowlers, the spinners, batsmen, the glove men and everyone gets advice about fielding.
Softball, Diving and Squash training units, all based in SE Queensland, have already enjoyed similar visits.
Well-Being Australia provides two facilities for respite away from the regular training units: Basil Sellers Moruya for the Canberra-based sport Units; and Basil Sellers Tweed for the Sport Units that are based in SE Queensland. Although, Mark Tronson comments, any athletes can go to either of these respite facilities.
Former Australian Cricket Team chaplain of 17 years Mark Tronson, a Baptist minister who moved sideways at the end of 2000 to Life After Cricket has devoted a good part of his wider ministry to Respite Ministry.
Based in the Tweed, he visits the various AIS Sport Units in SE Qld so as to be a companion to the value of Respite and receives a warm welcome, and accompanied by much good humour.
Although he has been afflicted with at times a 'very painful stammer' since childhood, Mark Tronson is not embarrassed to show that he can be the greatest joker of all. The Lord calls many to His Service and often the most astonishing people respond to this Calling.
Mark has now been a Baptist minister for 33 years, and involved in sports ministry for 28 of those years. For example, he serves with the IOC as a volunteer setting out the protocol for Olympic Village Religious Services to each host city; and he and his wife Delma received last year Gold Medals for their then 27 years of Sport and Olympic Ministry (Carl Lewis presented them of behalf of Dr Sam Mings, President of Lay Witness for Christ International – Chaplains to the World's Olympians).
Nowadays, he presents a grandfatherly figure (he is a real grandfather, and has a real white beard), and in this role he enjoys the interaction with the young athletes at these Respite visits to the various AIS Sport units. He is sometimes accompanied by his wife, Delma with the women's sports but normally Ian Carlson a medically retired school deputy principal, comes along who serves as his driver (Ian has Lymphoma, a good friend and enjoys the AIS visits).
Respite is a very important part for any modern athlete, and a powerful weapon in every coach's armoury. It's now recognised as a very highly valued commodity in modern sport.
M V Tronson notes that a recommendation comes from none other than Australian Cricket Coach Tim Nielsen, who stated only two weeks ago, that it is a huge commitment being 10 months of the year 'on the road', and some 'rest and recreation' is necessary for sports people to become refreshed and able to do their best.
Greg Chappell speaks of this value when he was interviewed by Mark Tronson for the Australian Missionary News IPTV.
http://tv.bushorchestra.com/videopages/Greg_Chappell.html