I had the opportunity of working with Gary Phillips and Bill Knowles at the recent FA IN-Service for strength and conditioning coaches and again it was a delight to work with these two exemplary practitioners. Bill focused his content on the rehabilitation process and the cornerstone of his work centred on 'training the player, not the injury'. I had first seen this presentation in Florida and continue to support this message. We can all get so concerned with the injury itself that we forget that all the other parts are still trainable. Return to training and return to playing processes are all about the total package - not just the injury site. Bill's comments go a long way to reducing repeat injuries.

I focused on some general thoughts on the Athletic Development journey as it pertains to those involved in Football. It is relevant to say that the fitness trainer involved in the sport in the UK operates in a difficult environment where time is very limited. The content of my presentation was directed at giving these practitioners an argument to present to the coaches for appropriate periods of time within which to conduct performance enhancement and injury reduction processes.