Why? The Science of Athletics

350 WHY?-THE SCIENCE OF ATHLETICS greatest ease. With training developing, however, he settled down to vaulting mainly at I I to I I I /2 ft. and in March made a new peak performance of I2 ft. 2 I/2 ins. No further contests came until May, when he won his next five contests at an average height of I I ft. 9 I /2 ins. June saw him reaching a new peak performance of I2 ft. 3 ins., when he won for the English A.A.A. against Cambridge University ; after which he settled down to a steady series of performances of just over or just under I 2. ft. for the rest of the season ; I 2 ft. thus proving to be his average peak performance that year, with an actual best peak of I 2 ft. 3 ins. In I934-35 much the same thing happened. Going up to Cambridge University he quickly struck his previous season's peak of I2 ft. 3 ins., went to I2 ft. 4 3/4 ins., and then twice in one afternoon of training cleared I 2 ft. 6 I /2 .ins., reproducing that performance in the Oxford and Cam– bridge Sports for a new English Record. · His normal seasonal peak then remained steady at about I 2 ft. 5 ins. until he went to South Africa with the Oxford and Cam– bridge team in the autumn. In South Africa he acclima– tized well and, despite the strain of constant travelling, vaulted I2 ft. 3 ins., 12ft. 4 3/4 ins., I2 ft. 5 1/2 ins., and finally reached a new peak performance of 12ft. 7 1/2 ins. · In I936 he broke the English Record on three successive Saturdays at 12ft. 7 ins., 12ft. 8 ins., and 12ft. 9 ins., at which height he won the English Open Cliampionship. The coach who studies the psychology of his charges should be constantly on the alert to ward off discourage– ment. Athletes may do well at first, may then train with admirable conscientiousness and yet seem to be making no progress. But the charting of the progress of athletes by ·graphs is an absorbing part of the coach's occupation. Wliat frequently happens in the cq.se of pole vaulters has been explained. The charting graphically of the progress of a shot putter does not show the same sudden rises, relapses and recoveries and then the same thing again at higher levels ; but, rather, a series of steps in progression.