Coaching and Care of Athletes

COACHING AND CARE OF ATHLETES a great deal since his days-should consist of a light soup, roast beef, lamb, mutton, or chicken, with boiled ·or mashed potatoes and vegetables in season, boiled rice and milk or corn-meal mush, a light pudding, milk or tea, toast or bread, and fruit in season. The opinion of American experts seems to be divided as to the advisability of giving athletes in training even fresh fish. On this point I do not think that I would give my own athletes fish more than once a week, and then only if they have a liking for it. On · the other hand, if a man has a particular preference for fish, th"en, of course, one might well give it to him on three out of the seven days of the week. Where British athletes are concerned, I think that luncheon should consist of two, three, or possibly four courses. The meat dish may be roast beef, lamb, chicken, steak, chops, or cutlets, with a small quantity of potato and plenty of green vegetables in season, or a salad if the meat is cold. Fresh fish may be substituted for meat once or twice a week, and I have certainly found that fresh salmon, either hot or cold, is particularly good for some athletes. I am not in favour of giving athletes in training too many what I call 'stodgy' puddings-that is to say, jam roly-poly, suet pud– ding, or batter pudding. Pastry, of course, is best avoided. Rice, tapioca, and sago puddings are good, but personally I have a preference for giving athletes fruit and custard, or cream, if the cream does not upset their digestions, as the se.cond course at lunch. Cheese should constitute the third course, but soft cheese, such as cream cheese or Velveeta, may be taken freely, whereas the harder cheeses should be eaten only in small quantities. Cheese should be eaten with butter and bread that is not new, but prefer– ably with Ryvita bread, oatmeal digestive biscuits, or plain, dry water biscuits. If the second course has consisted of some form of pudding; then I like to add a fourth course comprising fresh fruit. At tea-time the athlete should be content with one or, at the most, two cups ofweak tea and three or.four slices of thin bread and butter. Then we come to the question of dinner. This is very largely a matter of the sort of evening meal to which the athlete is accus– tomed. Obviously if an athlete has been in the habit of having a 'high tea' it would be inadvisable to give him in training a full– course dinner. On the other hand, when one is handling univer– sity athletes, most of whom have been accustomed to a late dinner all their lives, then, again, it would be inadvisable to switch them II6