Coaching and Care of Athletes

COACHING AND CARE OF ATHLETES should never be allowed to pull off his track shoes without first unlacing them,-nor should he put them away wet or fold them up in his bag, as I have seen so many athletes do. When one comes in from training the shoes should be unlaced, carefully taken off, and handled into their proper shape. The soles should then be cleaned, the spikes cleared of all grit, sand, cinders, or earth, and, finally, the leather of the shoes given a dressing of saddle soap or some form of harness oil. Directly the stitching shows signs of going the shoe should be handed over to a first-class cobbler for repair. Next let us consider the slips, or, as this adjunct to safety is called in some countries, the supporter or jock-strap. Some men prefer a suspensory bandage, but I do not think this type ofsupport is generally acceptable to athletes. Hurtleys of England turn out an excellent supporter, which is called the Litesome Body Belt. I have also frequently purchased very good supporters of a similar pattern at Messrs Boots, the Cash Chemists. Both these patterns are good, and it is really a matter for the athlete himself to select a supporter which fits him snugly. In any case the jock– strap must be comfortable and free from any danger of constriction or chafing. The next important point is that the athlete should have at least two and preferably three jock-straps, as this article of his equipment must be washed frequently. Most athletes sweat -. a good deal in the crutch, and if the jock-strap is left dirty the athlete will soon contract a scrotum rash, which will spread, will cause him a great deal of inconvenience, and may, in time, set up a condition which it is extremely hard to cure. The vest or singlet may be considered next. There is hardly any point in discussing the merits of sleeved and sleeveless vests, because the latter pattern is entirely de rigueur nowadays. In Great Britain we usually have our singlets made of some form of cotton material. There is nothing to be said against the cotton singlet, provided it is kept clean and fits closely to the body. Cotton does, however, stretch easily, and the best singlets I have seen so far are those supplied to the Italian international teams. These singlets are mainly c0mposed of wool. They fit well, are comfortable, and look extremely smart. The chief advantages of a wool singlet ·are that wool is both warm and highly absorbent of perspiration, gives a better fit, and also seems to carry the athlete's badge and number better than cotton, which sags so much more easily. In any case the singlet which is chosen should give perfect freedom to the chest and arms. 108