Getting more of that team aspect that so many seem to want is why I think an emphasis on relays is so important for kids-not at the exclusion of individual event, however but always keeping that as a theme. With that others are more likely to show up for practice and on time because teammates are depending upon them and vice versa. I don’t work with that age any longer but that was my observation.
Relays are a really good way for a new team as the one I am working with to get out and win as well so I agree with you. It’s fun, it requires work but it’s not terrible work and cooperation which is good and you get to feature speed.
Definitely and along the way there can be a lot of individual development. Early on I found it more likely they show up and show up on time if for no other reason other than their relay involvement. Over time the individual development would take on increased importance for them.
That’s interesting to me as I did not like the relay. I found the girls were not hard working but in retro spect the coaching was not so much hands on. Now I see the appeal and it’s a great deal of fun to coach as well as watch how they figure things out for themselves.
I totally agree Pioneer with the development opportunities.
Good stuff - nice change of pace instead of all the gossip about other professional athletes and their coaches.
Most good athletes who play team sports are more interested in “SPP” (playing their sports) they have no interest in “GPP” (weights running etc). Track practice is nothing but gpp for team athletes add in with shitty coaches who read forums and do the same workouts their coaches did. If we had more good coaches at the high school level we would see more football players etc running…
I have no proof to back this up, but here is my guess:
What do a majority of track coaches do still? Overtrain the hell out of athletes at medium speeds. The fastest kids not attending the typical high school practice might be a good thing! It keeps them healthy and keeps them from practicing running at 85%. I coach at the D3 collegiate level and almost every single freshman I get is surprised that we don’t run a bunch of 200s on Mondays.
When an athlete makes the flip to track in high school, they might drop football in the fall and/or basketball in the winter so that they can really focus on track. In my opinion, this is specializing way too early in an athlete’s lifelong development. What’s even worse is if all of the high-intensity football training and explosive basketball playing is replaced with running for the sake of volume.
Let explosive athletes be explosive year-round.
Cant agree, the kids dont have the heart, plus them dumb ass football coaches convince boys that they need to be running routes all year to get faster aka, do nothing but play ball. I have had issues getting football players to come out, even after having proven results with other kids. THere are many terrible track coaches, but they pale in comparison to the football coaches who refuse to let their athletes run track.
I know a few coaches down here who have issues getting kids to run, and they know their stuff. THe few football coaches who allow kids to run, also have an excellent football team…too bad majority of those coaches cant wrap there minds around that. IMO during the off season, every kid should be forced to play another sport…track, bball, weight lifting…not football then on to flag football, then back to football practice all summer. 99% of the parents dont know any better, but a few do. THose few, dont allow coaches to dictate what their child does.
So these tender hearted, everyone is a winner ass kids who coaches coddle are scared of real comp…Kids will do what they are told. Tell a football player he cant play ball next year if he doesnt run track…he will run track.
[QUOTE=RB34;258767]Good stuff - nice change of pace instead of all the gossip about other professional athletes and their coaches.
Oh and Mr. Anti Pro athlete talk, where the hell where you when we where talking about Anthony schwartz? He is not a pro…isnt that what you want to talk about?
Agreed that there is definitely some bad hs track training out there (and collegiate for that matter) that treats all sprinters as if they are preparing for the 400m (if they are lucky) but often their training looks like it is designed for an 800m athlete.
However, there’s also a LOT of bad football training practices being utilized so that sport might not necessarily “save” some potential track talents from bad track coaches.
[QUOTE=RB34;258767]Good stuff - nice change of pace instead of all the gossip about other professional athletes and their coaches.
Really… you had to say that… I momentarily forgot that we are here to only post what you would like to read on the forum.
The original post of this thread was about Coleman running a fast 60m. Coleman is a professional.
You are correct - there are plenty of bad football coaches but the athlete’s believe in the football training (agility ladders, bag/cone drills, mat drills etc) vs going out to the track and running laps of 400m. I always preach 90% of the battle is believing in your training. I didn’t run track in high school because I thought it was boring ( countless 200-400 intervals etc) vs competing with my football teammates etc. This is coming from a athlete who enjoyed the physical preparation side of sport!!!
My HS track training was very similar to that. I remember running 600s, 400s, and 200s (of course). We also went on a 3-mile run 1-2x per week. It was “400 training” in my eyes. As others have pointed out, it probably was better suited for mid-distance guys. I continued be a part of track because I’ve always loved to race. But I absolutely did not enjoy practice.
Fast forward to when I began training myself at 27. I now love practice as it fits what we do: run fast!
I remember wanting to improve my speed I saw an ad in the local community paper for a track club. I contacted the coach and he told me I wouldn’t be able to do speed work until I was able to complete 3-10miles training runs etc - it sounded more like cross country. I never contacted him again!!! My high school track coach is still the track coach and have done a great job sending kids to college and competing well in the state of Texas - I guess he has changed his training…
If i had to do it again I probably would have ran track because the races would have been my speed work and the 200-400m would have develop my general fitness etc. The plan was more L2S - long intervals early and more resistance, overspeed, shorter sprinters mid-late season.
So almost all training was above race distance and below race pace. With the inevitable degradation of sprinting technique.
I guess this means their baseball and football teams only train with the ball once every couple of weeks with a bag of cement strapped to one leg !
Have these guys ever seen any scientific or empirical evidence that non specific physical training/technical work in large volumes correlates to sprinting success ? Assuming they understand the statement.
Back to pro athletes. Anyone seen what training model is used at Altis
Why don’t you pay the money and attend their courses…
Its a model that aint working. lol
Jodie Williams … Another classic case of coach hopping post her time in the junior ranks, finishing up at Altis, with a horrible downward curve of times for each subsequent season.
End of 2015. So the last 2 full seasons at Altis.
Last good season was 2014 when she medalled at European and Commonwealth championships. Since then worse times and racing a lot less than in previous seasons. So 3 poor seasons, 2 of them at Altis.
Like DeG did not go to Commonwealths recently. Like De G little/poor results so far this year.
https://www.thepowerof10.info/athletes/profile.aspx?athleteid=26161