Coaching and Care of Athletes

INTRODUCTION THE theory of coaching has been fairly well covered, I think, in the first part of this book. Now let us turn our attention to the practice of the art. With the foregoing object in view I propose to devote the second section of this volume to a discussion of the events which constitute an international athletic track and field programme, and to describe as exactly as possible the coaching of athletes and the training which will enable them to reach the maximum per– forman~es of which they are capable. The system I shall follow will enable me to describe the nature of each event, and to tell ·something of its history. I shall also give some ·idea of the relative values of performances, so that the coach may know to which stage he should build up his athletes, or the athletes should build themselves up, if they are to succeed in the particular class of competition for which they are training. The next matter for consideration will be the various types of athlete who are suitable for each particular event. But just as athletes vary, so do the styles which are recognized as permissible in the different events. It follows, therefore, that each style must be described and fully explained. Then the coach will want some guidance as to coaching sequences, if he is to know how and what to teach. It is not very much good knowing this unless you are able also to detect and correct common faults, and these will be dealt with next in the sequence of instruction. This will still leave me to deal with the problems which are likely to confront both the coach and the athlete. Some guidance as to the solution of such problems will not, I am sure, come amiss. Finally, I have already suggested that the training season be divided into four definite periods, and I think it will be a good thing to give for each event four separate specimen pro– grammes, taking one week from each period. Track and field athletics divide themselves naturally into track and field events, but both sections are again capable of subdivision. First there is running, which may be divided into three phases -sprinting, middle-distance running, and long- ~ 161