Coaching and Care of Athletes

CHAPTER XX RELAY RACING RE~AY racing should be strongly encouraged. It provides that mythical 'team spirit' which many British schoolmasters still maintain to be lacking from tra.ck and field events, with the result that athletics remains a 'mino:r' sport at British Public Schools. Relay races, -moreover, make a strong appeal to the spectator public. From the coach's point of view relay racing is invaluable, because it brings larger numbers of men to the track than would otherwise take up athletics. Apart from this, by encouraging field-events men to take up relay racing and by promoting special competitions of this kind, confined to field-events men, the coach can improve greatly the physical condition and general ability of his throwers and jumpers. Finally, the variation in distance of relay races brings every type of runner, from sprinters to distance men-not excluding hurdlers-into the sport. The introduction of the baton, which must be passed from one runner to the next within a zone of 20 yds., provides the hazard which thrills the spectators, and also the problems in technical skill which confront the coach and his athletes. The usual relay races are 4 X II o yds.; 4 X 220 yds.; 4 X 440 yds.; 4 X 88o yds.; 4 X 1 mile, or the corresponding metric distances; 1 mile medley sprint relay of 440, 220, 220, and 88o yds.; 2! miles medley distance relay of !, t, !, and 1 mile~ English 1 mile medley relay of 88o, 220, 220, and 440 yds.; and the inter– national 1000 metres medley relay of 100, 200, 300, and 400 metres. There is also the shuttle (3 ft. 6 ins.) hurdles relay of 4 X 120 yds. and the shuttle ( 2 ft. 6 ins.) hurdles relay of 4 X 220 yds. There is no need for me to enter into details of running and hurdling training for relay racing. Full instructions in this ·respect are given for each racing event in its appropriate chapter. Much practice in baton-passing is essential, and must be worked by the coach into the training schedule of those athletes who are going to run in the relay teams. Special practice in starting is also necessary, because the holding 266