Coaching and Care of Athletes

INDEX FOR ATHLETES OF EIGHTEEN YEARS AND OvER :Percentage 10 20 30 40 50 6o 70 8o go 95 -- -- -- -- ---- ---- Score 1260 1308 1350 1376 1405 1428 1460 1496 1544 1584 The above index comprises percentages arrived at by means of a series of tests of the ability of untrained athl~tes. According to the score achieved by an untrained athlete, the coach will be able to assess his present ability as an indication of the degree of success he will probably attain with proper teaching and training. Scientific experimentation and research play year after year an increasingly large part in the training of athletes, and it is obvious that if the coach, having carried out the test just suggested, can assess before the seasGn starts the probable value of the athletes he is going to train it will save him a very great amount of time in finding out whether a man is likely to be made into a good athlete or not. It will, of course, be understood that the system suggested gives only an indication of the man's potential ability in track and field events generally. It does not show his possible ability in any one particular event. Obviously the inference will be drawn that if an athlete of eighteen years or over scores, according to the formula already given, I 260, I308, or I350, giving a r-o, 20, or 30 per cent. score, then he is in the lower category, and does not show much prospect of becoming a really good athlete; but if he is in the 70-95 per cent. class, scoring from I46o to I584, then he certainly has latent potential ability which the coach 'should be at the greatest pains to develop. One more word on this subject. The athlete may have all the latent ability in the world, but the coach must also educate him athletically. That is to say, he must create the right mental attitude, and also build up the physical technique for the particular event which the man is going to practise. The preliminary tests we have discussed so far should enable the coach to form an estimate of the potential ability for athletics of the members of the team he is going to handle. Mter he has graded them and they have been at work on the preliminary– period programme long enough to build up a certain amount of speed, stamina, and. agility he will test them out in the events they, want to practise, and may persuade them to adopt other events in I37