Rugby: ABs-type training for all nears kick-off

Nic Gill (left) and Marc Patel are close to breaking ground on the Aspire Health and Sports Club in Bethlehem. Photo / George Novak

Ever wanted to train like an All Black?

And have an army of health professionals at your beck and call to work on a body wearied by cutting-edge training techniques?

Chances are, if you live anywhere near Bethlehem, you will get your shot by next February or March.

That is the goal of All Blacks strength and conditioning coach Nic Gill and Marc Patel, who have spent the last 18 months designing a facility which they believe will be the best in New Zealand.

The start of construction on the 2600sq m Aspire Health and Sports Club, to include a 40m indoor running track, state-of-the-art training equipment, outdoor training arena, swimming pool, sauna, cafe and provisions for personal trainers, podiatry, massage, physiotherapy and a nutritionist, is awaiting final council approval.

The idea is to establish a social hub and holistic club that allows members access to a wide range of facilities and services for a set fee.

Director of high performance Gill, who moved to Tauranga about five years ago and is contracted to the New Zealand Rugby Union through to next year's IRB Rugby World Cup, says the city badly needed a holistic, first-class training facility to support athlete development.

"Tauranga is screaming out for it," Gill said. "We've got athletes that are having to leave the Bay of Plenty to get what they need and we are going to have a community facility which is exciting for everyone.

"Marc and I believe it will be a unique facility ... there will be nothing like it in New Zealand other than maybe the Millennium Institute of Sport and Health up in Auckland, but this is going to be far more of a family, community-based sort of facility.

"We want old people, young people and everyone in between to benefit from the club. I wouldn't have got involved if it was just going to be a gym; it's a club."

Gill has already spoken to New Zealand women's Sevens coach Sean Horan and the Northern Districts Cricket about potential relationships, while Air New Zealand has shown interest in training programmes for pilots.

"We'd love to help businesses become more efficient by increasing the wellness of the staff so they are more productive."

The opportunity to work with youngsters on long-term athlete development programmes excites Gill: "A lot of kids strive to reach that lofty goal of getting paid to compete.

"Most kids realise that only the minority achieve that. We want to help create healthy, knowledgeable kids that aren't just athletes."