Youth Olympic gold medal triathlete Aaron Barclay and former professional cyclist Matt Wheatcroft have joined the team, offering expert coaching in a range of disciplines.
You just might recognise Aaron from the back of a cereal box. Back in 2011 his face graced the back of Weet-Bix packets nationwide. The then 18-year-old won the gold representing New Zealand at the 2010 Youth Olympics in Singapore. After going on to train with the renowned High Performance team in Cambridge, Aaron did four years as a professional, until injuries prompted his retirement from pro-competition in 2014.
Aaron is now training as a Chiropractor and working as triathlon and cycling coach for Macleans College. He is also offering his formidable experience and skills to clients of James Kuegler Coaching. “The big draw card for me for working with James is that he is so aware of the human body, not just in performance or training. He takes a very holistic approach and longevity based approach. My history of the injuries I have had has shaped a lot of how I coach now. I work hard to not have athletes in the position I was in. I have learned from experience and take a conservative approach.”
Aaron takes inspiration from Arthur Lydiard, as well as from his own training with Chris Pilone. “It’s nothing fancy,” he explains. “I think it’s just back to the basics. These days it’s too easy to overcomplicate stuff. Everybody is looking for a magic bullet out there. We focus on the fundamentals of training and looking after yourself, that’s the key.”
Matt Wheatcoft became a professional cycling international after finishing his schooling at Macleans, where he had begun representing New Zealand at the age of 15. He too is studying chiropractic. He first experienced its effectiveness when treatment took him from sitting out racing for months with a knee injury to winning races. After plying his trade successfully across Australasia and in Belgium for a few years, he too returned home to help others reach the peaks he had experienced.
Aaron takes inspiration from Arthur Lydiard, as well as from his own training with Chris Pilone. “It’s nothing fancy,” he explains. “I think it’s just back to the basics. These days it’s too easy to overcomplicate stuff. Everybody is looking for a magic bullet out there. We focus on the fundamentals of training and looking after yourself, that’s the key.”
Matt Wheatcoft became a professional cycling international after finishing his schooling at Macleans, where he had begun representing New Zealand at the age of 15. He too is studying chiropractic. He first experienced its effectiveness when treatment took him from sitting out racing for months with a knee injury to winning races. After plying his trade successfully across Australasia and in Belgium for a few years, he too returned home to help others reach the peaks he had experienced.
| He also sees the benefit of James Kuegler’s ‘lifelong running’ approach. “Rather than hit a goal five minutes from now, it’s more about sustainability,” he says. “It’s about being healthier, not just wrecking yourself to hit a goal." Aaron and Matt offer tailored training programmes, backed up with phone and email contact. They will also tap into James Kuegler Coaching's existing system educational and Q&A webinars. There will also be a limited number of new one-on-one slots available. “The athletes can access all of us,” says Matt. “If one person has a question, it’s likely that 20 others will, so we put it in the webinar and work from there. There’s actually a big pool of information there, so athletes will get more than they thought they needed. They will get answers to questions they may not have even realised they would run into.” |  |
Find out more about the perfect training to suit your specific discipline, needs and goals at James Kuegler Coaching.
