Coaching and Care of Athletes

COACHING AND CARE OF ATHLETES directly from in front, at a slower speed and with smooth action developing from almost a walk to a quicker cadence in the last three or four strides. At a little more than 4 ft. in front of the bar a stamp of the heel, rocking up on to the toes, followed by a full left-leg drive, in the case of Landon, lifted the body straight up, while the right foot was swung up to above bar-level, the arms at the same time being swung shoulder high. Thi~ combination of actions carried the jumper up to a position partly over the bar. The body– turn to the left commenced as the' right foot passed over the bar. As the hips rose above the bar the straightened left leg rose in a full sweep to the left, with the trunk leaning to the left and depressed well down over the left thigh. (See Plate XLI, Fig. 123, of J. P. -Metcalfe, Australia, and Plate XLI, Fig. 124, of G . Spitz, U.S.A., who jumps from his right foot.) As the left leg crossed the bar the jumper's body was turned so that the chest was almost square to the ground, as shown by Dick Landon, U.S.A., in Plate XLI, Fig. 125. As the left leg swept across the bar the right leg dropped to a vertical position, while the trunk was raised almost to the perpendicular, as shown by Landon in Plate XLI, Fig. 126. A quick backward swing of the left leg brought the body finally out of the lay-out and turned the trunk to face the crossbar as the athlete threw his arms above his head and landed on the left foot, facing his take-off. There are_ almost innumerable technical variations of the Eastern, Western, and Straddle styles which suit the peculiarities of individual athletes. The coach should not cfieck such variations, provided they do not contravene accepted fundamental principles, nor hamper the athlete's action or impede his progress. For example, the greater number of athletes use an eight-stride approach, which is not fast, but Clinton Larson, Brigham Young University, U.S.A., who won the American national title at 6 ft. 6! ins. in 1917, took a 20 yds. run, or more, at almost 100 yds. sprinting speed, and yet retained sufficient control for a hard enough foot-stamp in taking off to throw him straight up jnto the air. There are also numerous what one may term 'freak' styles, which yet have yielded good results to individuals or small groups of athletes. Larson's method is a case in point. At the end of an amazingly £ast approach he took off from the left foot and rose to bar-level in the Eastern style, but then shot his legs straight out, jerked up his stomach, and at the same time allowed his 346