Olympic medallist, world champion, overall World Cup winner – Werner Schuster achieved almost everything there is to achieve with his charges during his tenure as the Germany ski jumping coach. Schuster, who stepped down from the role with the German Ski Association this year, this week visited the TSG Academy to give a talk on the topic "How do I succeed in the long-term in making young talents world-class?". In a discussion with the Academy director Dominik Drobisch, Schuster explained to the coaches and staff at the Academy about the structural changes he implemented within the association, his take on the promotion of talent, and the management of elite athletes.
As a result, the Academy staff gained a fascinating insight into a sporting discipline with which they are not familiar and heard theories about how the process of confidence-building in athletes works. "Self-confidence is the result of performance – not the other way around. I was always in favour of training the key areas of a sporting discipline really well. Then the psychological factors and the self-confidence will come by themselves." In addition to practical tips, Schuster shed light on the highs and lows he experienced during the course of his 11 years in the role.
