Coaching and Care of Athletes

COACHING AND CARE OF ATHLETES the root of the first finger. Do not let this remark lead to the shot being placed too near to the thumb. If the balance is unevenly distributed either the thumb or little finger is likely to give way, and may become badly strained. Other faults contributing to poor performances are not keeping the elbow directly behind the shot, not disposing the shot over the right foot, not keeping the elbow up as the hips rotate, and using the wrist and fingers insufficiently in putting the shot into flight. Imbalance, with or without undue muscular tension, is the major fault to be found in the initial stance of many athletes. The athlete maz be positioned in front of and obliquely .to or side– ways to the li ne of direction, but see that he adopts the particular stance which suits him best. When a man effects a poor landing in the completion of the shift analyse his leading-up activities. H~ he waited too long, and probably tensed his muscles, before initiating the leg-swing? · Was the swing of the left leg made in the proper alignment? Was his body in balance when the leg-swing was made? In relation · to the shift itself the coach should consider the correlated speed of the shift and effort of delivery. Is the shift made at optimum speed? Are the path of the athlete and the path • of the shot straight forward? Is the athlete relaxed? Does he drop his trunk to the right during the shift'? Or do·es he twist his shoulders from left to right on landing, thus taking the shot out oLits proper alignment? Is the left foot put down too far to the left of the line of direction? Does the weight of his body go forward on to the left leg too quickly? Has the athlete failed to bring his right leg forward during the shift, and therefore cannot put the right foot down in such a way that the centre of gravity comes over it? Is the shift too long or too short? Does the athlete check his for– ward momentum at the completion of the shift? The major fault to watch for in the delivery action is failure to drive from the right leg and to make the drive come right through so that it can be taken up by the left leg. Other contributory causes of non-success are failure to straighten the left leg fully; to rotate the hips rapidly enough; to synchronize the right-leg drive with the raising of the right elbow and the left-leg drive with the thrust of the right arm and final extension of the wrist and fingers ; and to time the rapid rotation of the hips to co– ordinate with the leg and arm action. Yet other errors to watch for are the bending of the left knee as. the put is made, the dropping 4 1 4