Coaching and Care of Athletes

COACHING AND CARE OF ATHLETES Occasionally one finds a man combining the high and low hurdles events successfully. For example, there was G. C. Weight– man-Smith, C.U.A.C. and South Mrica, who in 1928 won the Oxford and Cambridge high hurdles in 15"4 secs. and the low hurdles in 24·8 secs., to equal Burghley's record. At the Olympic Games in 1928 Weightman-Smith made a world's r ro metres high hurdles record of 14·6 secs. There was also R . I. Simpson, of Missouri, U.S.A., former holder of the world's high hurdles record of 14·6 secs., who in 1916 equalled the world's 220 yds. low hurdles record of 23 ·6 secs. Weightman-Smith and Bob Simpson were both big, powerful, loosely built fellows with long legs. Something of Weightman– Smith's strength, suppleness, and sense of timing may be realized from the fact that he was the first South Mrican, and the second man in the British Empire, to throw a javelin beyond 200 ft ., .. and this he did with very little knowledge of technique, wlien he recorded 20 r ft. 4 ins. in a match between Oxford and Cambridge and Waseda University, Japan, also in 1928. Other outstanding low hurdlers have been Alva Kraenzlein, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., who set the world's record at 23·6 secs. in 1898; Wendell, of Wesleyan, U.S.A., who equalled it in 1913, as did R. I. Simpson in I 9 r 6; Brookins, of Iowa, who brought it down to 23 secs. in 1924; the Frenchman Georges Andn~, now editor of L'Auto, who competed in the Olympic Games in 1908, 1912, 1920, and 1924; and the Englishman Oswald Groenings, whose world's record for 300 yds. over ten flights of 36 ins. hurdles has remained unbroken since r 907. Latest and best of them all is the American negroJesse Owens, who in one afternoon made four world's records, including a 220 yds. low hurdles record of 22·6 secs. The sequence of instruction is similar for low and high hurdles. Teach your men to run with a long, fast stride, and work to inculcate enough driving-force to carry them through the races. Starting and sprinting practice is essential, with work at three– quarter effort at distances from 300 to 440 yds. once or twice a week. Work your men fast over two hurdles, increasing the number to four. Work for a 13-ft. clearance, with an elongated stride action. Do not teach exaggerated body-dip, close clearance, or a high snap-up of the rear knee. The low hurdler's motto should be "More speed and less -spread." See that your low hurdler does not contravene the aforemen- 304