Coaching and Care of Athletes

COACHING ORGANIZATION AND ROUTINE A good deal of the preliminary instruction in the throwing events can be done without the missile in hand if the coach starts with hand-setting the men in the various poses, and then allows them to carry out the requisite actions in slow motion. · Do not, however, keep the men working for too long a period without the missile, or when they do come to handle it they will find that a very considerable readjustment of balance is necessary. The instruction ofjumpers and hurdlers should be commenced ~y letting the men go through the take-off action in slow time, and they should, while actually on the ground, take up the various positions they will have to get into during the evolution ofhurdling, jumping, or vaulting. Pole-vaulters, in particular, should be given any amount "of practice in pole-planting, press-ups and pull-ups, rope-climbing, and hand-stands with a quick snap-back of the feet. An ingenious coach will find plenty of methods where– by the athlete who normally would perform his actions unsup– ported in the air can, with the aid of a rope or parallel bars, per– form with support the actions which he will do unsupported in later training and actual competition. In this connection work on the apparatus in the gymnasium ·should be given a fairly large place in the athlete's training curriculum. In the next stage the jumpers and vaulters should work at low heights, the hurdlers over worsted stretched at the level of low hurdles, and the throwing men at very light effort. The main thing for the coach to watch for at this stage of training is wh,ether the athlete has the right reflex reaction or not. Jumpers should be kept down to working at safe heights for most of their training, because it is only when one is quite confident of clearing the bar that one can work in the technique until it becomes second nature. Even when this is done each event should be divided into phases for the purpose of instruction. The knitting together of the phases into a concrete whole should be quite a gradual process. On general principles, I should say that it is advisable to work mainly for style throughout the week in the periods of training. The coach, however, should allow his pupils one real trial a week. This will be a reward for their patient endeavour, and will also enable the coach himself to see what progress his pupils are making, ~~~fu~~~~~~~~~~~~ event when under the pressure of tryl.ng for nearly maximum results.