Coaching and Care of Athletes

COACHING AND CARE OF ATHLETES - novice to be taught has a right dominant, and will take up the starting position shown by Owens in Plate XLVI, Fig. I 37. In this case he will make the first stride of the run-up with his right leg, and will take off from his right foot. To begin with, explain to the athlete just what are the principles of the broad jump and what it is you want him to do. Let him hop off the take-off board for height, lifting his left knee to hip-level, and landing on his left foot. Repeat the practice progressively with runs of three, five, seven, and nine strides. The next practice will require him to perform the actions just described, but now he must drive the right knee hard up to the level of the left and land on both feet. In the third practice as he drives the right knee hard up he should let the left leg swing back and land on his right foot. In the fourth practice the left knee is raised, the left leg swings back as the right knee is driven up, then the right leg swings back as the left knee is raised, and he lands on his left foot . In the fifth practice the left knee is raised, the left leg swings back as the right knee drives up, the right leg swings back ·as the left knee is raised, the right knee rises to the level of the left knee, and the landing is made on both feet. In order that · sufficient momentum may be generated the number of strides in the run-up must be increased as additional movements are grafted on to the mid-air action. While the foregoing techniq"Ll;e is being taught the ath~te should also receive instruction' in the rock-up-from-heel-to-to~s foot-roll action in the take-off. The coach must see also that the pupil keeps his trunk upright at the take-off and all the while he is in the air, until the mid-air running action merges into the landing-leg extension (Plate XLVI, Fig. 140, and Plate XLVII, Fig. 141). If the trunk is not kept upright the leg action will be curtailed. The arm and leg action should synchronize, as in walk– ing, and the coach should be watchful that wild arm-swinging does not interrupt the r}lythm of the jump or disturb a smooth flight. When the technique just described has been well worked in and some sort of form is in evidence instruction can be given in the proper method of completing the landing. The running-in-the-air action should cease directly the high point in flight is reached. This should be at the end of the action described in Practice 5, when a man is jumping in competition. In the course of instruction in landing consider 368