Coaching and Care of Athletes

CARE AND CONDITIONING on to the sort of high tea which they would not be likely to enjoy particularly. It seems to me significant that English university athletes, accus– tomed to dining about 7.30 P.M., failed to produce anything like their proper form at the British Empire Games at Sydney, Aus– tralia, in 1938, where they were given no tea after training, and, instead of their usual late dinner, partook of the last meal of the day at 5.30 P.M. Theoretically the meal-time was from 5.30 to 7, but late-comers seldom found anything left. May I again quote Michael Murphy, who was of the opinion that a suitable supper for American athletes should comprise cold meat, either roast beef, lamb, mutton, chicken, or one small hot steak-of course only one kind of meat will be eaten-one potato or fresh brown bread, and prunes, apple-sauce, or baked apples, accompanied by milk or weak tea? For the British athlete who is accustomed to a full late dinner I should suggest soup or grape-fruit for the first course, then fish or one of the meat dishes already mentioned as suitable for luncheon, followed by a pudding or a cheese savoury. Macaroni cheese is, I think, very good for athletes if they can digest this dish, although I suppose quite a number of coaches will disagree with me on this point. The dinner should be completed with fresh fruit, and, incidentally, an ice-cream taken at the conclusion of the evening meal is not nearly so harmful as many people think. Coffee or weak tea may be taken after the meal, and then there will be the final nightcap of Ovaltine and milk at bedtime. For the athlete who is not accustomed to a late dinner I should suggest one plain dish, either fish or well-cooked meat, followed by a pudding or fresh fruit. Water or milk should be drunk with this meal, but certainly not tea or coffee. The old theory that sugar is bad for athletes in training has long since been exploded, and in the latest book from America I find a distinguished coach and an equally distinguished scientist recommending the abundant use of sugar with cereals, dessert, fruit, and juices. They also advise the use of honey, upon which point I am entirely in agreement with them. In recommending the liberal use of sugar I think one needs, perhaps, to qualify that advice slightly. Sugar undoubtedly is good, but glucose is even better. Glucose (Dextrose) is a corn product, and sugar i pre cnt in the blood of the athlete in the form of glucos -, but i t r d as a reserve supply of energy in the form of gly og n. On ma ' 117