Coaching and Care of Athletes

SPRINTING trials on this day it would be wise for you to note just how far the limbering-up process has helped each man. In relation to the fur– long trial you should also, with the help of an assistant, check the time each man returns over the first !05 yds., to see what sort of time is being shown over the initial stage of the race. There is one more point about the furlong time trials. You should remember that this race can be run by going at full speed for the first I 05 yds., coasting the next IO or IS yds., and finishing out at full effort. For some runners this works verywell, but if, in the case of a particular man, he does not seem to be showing the sort of total time you feel he should return, then try that man in a trial in which he is instructed to distribute his speed as evenly as possible throughout the whole furlong. If careful work is done with the stop-watch it will not be difficult to see which system of running suits that particular man best. After the sprinters have run their second time trial let them jog and rest for a further 20 Inins. Then have them out again for a trial in the 4X I IO yds. relay, after you have given them a brief baton-passing practice. Finish off with a little very light jogging, and get the men to their showers and the massage table. It is par– ticularly important on the peak day of the schedule training for the week that sufficient massage should be given to each man. Wednesday. After Tuesday's heavy work-out I should give the men a little light jogging, instead of the usual limbering-up process, with body-bending and stretching exercises to help eliininate the sore– ness and stiffness of the muscles which were used fairly strenuously upon the preceding day. For the remainder of Wednesday's training session I should encourage the men to potter about the ground, getting a sun-bath if the weather is warm enough. For the rest they should only play at their subsidiary field events. For those who do not take up any field event I should organize some fairly light stunt games. Finish off the Wednesday's training with a little light jogging, wearing the sweat suit, and a very light stroking massage, with the masseur devoting perhaps 5 Inins. to each man. If time perinits the coach should give his athletes what I term an encourage– ment talk. This will point them to a decent effort on the Saturday, and will help to settle their Ininds after any small defects that they may have shown in the Tuesday trials. Thursday. After limbering up and the usual exercises give the men a short, sharp bout of baton-passing, paying particular attention to smartness and keenness. A little practice of a very light nature in any field event may follow, and then I should recommend some agility exercises to finish off the day. I do not think that even the cooling-down jog-trot run should be included in the Thursday's programme. Friday. If there are trial heats, or a competition, on the Friday, 1 97