Coaching and Care of Athletes

• THE POLE VAULT of all the knowledge the coach can impart concerning the theory of this complicated and difficult event. He should study text-books, photographs, films, and diagrams. Besides listening to his coach, he should discuss the event with other athletes, and listen to the advice of champions, which he will discuss subsequently with his coach. For the first two weeks of the first month no vaulting should be attempted, the time being occupied in jogging 440 yds. to a mile and striding roo to 220 yds. on Monday, Wednesday, and Satur– day. There should be some sprinting at three-quarter effort, pole– planting at a walk, and easy running with the pole in the second week. On Tuesday and Thursday the athlete will work in the gymnasium for strength, suppleness, and agility, doing free exer– cises, rope-climbing, hand-stands, and apparatus work. On Friday he will rest. Form exercises should be practised each day. In the third week of the first month he will commence vaulting, when his schedule should be somewhat as follows: Monday. 5 mins. of body-bending and stretching. Run 88o yds. at quarter effort. Pole-planting at a trot six times. Sprint 75 yds. at three-quarter effort three times. Practise press-ups and pull– ups. · Tuesday. Work I to 2 hours in the gymnasium. Weanesday. 5 mins. of exercises. Stride roo yds. twice at half effort. Sprint 30 yds. at three-quarter effort twice. Run 27 yds. at half effort twice, carrying the pole and striding evenly. Practise approach run at three-quarter effort, working to check marks (if used) three times. 5 mins. of pole-planting with half-effort run, striding evenly. Prastise press-ups and pull-ups. Thursday. Work I to 2 hours in the gymnasium. Friday. Rest. Massage. Saturday. 5 mins. of exercises. Stride IOO yds. at half effort twice. Practise even-striding approach run twice, working to check marks (if used) at half effort, with pole-planting. Take six vaults at quarter– effort height,! concentrating on pole-planting, hand-shift, and take– off. Jog 440 yds. Practise press-ups and pull-ups. By the second week of the second month the athlete should be ready to tackle the following schedule: Monday. Trot 440 yds. 5 mins. of exercises. Sprint 30 yds. with pole at three-quarter effort three times. Light work at high jump or 1 For an athlete who can consistently clear I r ft. quarter-effort height would be 8ft. ro ins.; for ro ft. it would be 8ft., for 9 ft. it would be 7 ft. 2 ins., and so on. Full tables of effort are given in my Athletic Training for Men and Boys (Shaw). y 337