Athletics and Football (extract)

INTRODUCTION particularly if one or more of the masters, who have often themselves been distinguished in muscular pursuits, superintend and take an interest in their training and practice. All boys should,in my opinion, be madeto takesome regular exerciseof the kind best suited to them, and in the first instance under regular and careful supervision. Attention to such a matter asthis will prevent boys from being made to "playgames for which they are not adapted ; for instance, very little practice or tuition in running would find out the boys who are unfitted for football or incapable of extreme exertion ; and, again, the boys who show a turn of speed in advance of their age will develop morerapidly into high-class performers. I am, however, altogether opposed to any boys being made to race too long distances, particularlygame and plucky boys who do not know when they are beaten. I think no boy under fourteen should run a race of greater length thanhalf a mile ; he may trot longerdistances so as to strengthenthe muscles of the feet, legs, and oack, care being taken that he runs throughout as much as possible in good form. Only those who have had personal experience of results havethe slightest idea of the improvementmade by a few lessons in the proper style of running, getting well on to the toeswith a springy tread,the hips working freely, the chest out and armwsell carried. I am satisfied that the growth of boys is improved, and that theliur ngs are strengthened, by moderate andjudicious coaching. In strong corroboration of this I wouldcall attention