Contracts and payments are applied to the elite top end market, guys capable of running sub 10. As Joss as come close to this level combined with his history of jumping ship. Contracts would be appropriate for this situation. Payments and fee’s for the average 11s isn’t really appropriate unless their making $ from the pros.
You make a good case. But “if” the nature of the contract was in part responsible for Ross jumping ship, then what has it profited Tony, other than to save him the agony of another split? Now he has a split, no elite talent and no contract either.
Maybe the split was based on differences in methodology. Obviously Tony and Emil had different concepts on sprint training. One heavily believed in resistance work and while the other didn’t. Ross probably wanted to include some of what he did with Emil when teaming up with Tony. Apparently Tony wanted to work his system rather then include some of Emil methods. Whilst the split did occur differences in methodology played a heavier role. The end result as you put it, is no elite talent or contract. But the cause maybe methodology rather then the nature of the contract.
Giving Ross the opportunity to sign the contract saved Tony not only the agony of another split. It also saved him investing his time into Joss when the relationship didn’t have a long term future. I believe the “contract” forced Joss to make a clear decision which benefited both parties. Ross did have doubts about how far Tony could take him. That was his incentive for the first split, going back to him to me seemed circular.
That would be an interesting insight.
I believe coaching fees are a contract themselves. It outlines to the athlete that the coach has an experience and expertise that is worthy of any reward. I have a number of athletes in a mix of pro and amateur events. Basically a small fee and a small precentage of any prize over $100. I can honestly say, that other than a very successful pro season, I would rarely come out signifacantly in front. I don’t believe in coaching the high numbers Youngy seems to, as I do enjoy giving more time to a few really dedicated individuals. My programs are very individual and incorporates a range of methodologies, some pronounced through the information from a few well known coaches.
I whole heartedly believe that a coaches recognition is secondary to anything the athlete accomplishes. One of my motos would be to get better and better at what I do and rewards will take care of themselves. The small financial stream only allows me to devote more time to the athlete.
Charlie does raise some interesting points regarding the agent drumming up the $$, however I have found that my role as the coach has me taking on a larger role these days- eg. creating sponsorship avenues for the athletes, organising travel arrangements and meets…
Some sort of sunset clause that extended a year after the association was terminated???
I know of a pole vault coach that enforces such a clause.
I have my reservations. An athletes time is short and having to pay all those before the next coach on any future success is likely to lead to a resentment to the whole process and the sport. It could have been suggested in an earlier post, the effort for the athlete might become too much and remove themselves form the sport entirely.
My understanding from some “in the know” is that the primary reason Ross left Fairweather in the first instance is that he had basically been running 10.2 every season and despite assurances that “this year will be The Breakthrough season, just have patience” at the age of 26 Ross ran out of patience on a program he interpreted to be basically the same each year.
So the methodology was definitely an issue for Ross, so it seems. He wanted to change the structure of the program so that he wasn’t sprinting the day after being torn down in the weights room. And he wanted to change the content of the sessions, so he wasn’t doing starts in the same session with sand hills which intuitively seemed illogical, so he is supposed to have remarked to one board member.
And he wanted to try something that seems to have worked for 100m guys such as Ben, Donovan, Bruny, Obadele, Tim, Olusoji, Asafa etc, etc - a S2L training system where he could improve his acceleration speed in a highly specific process.
He did not want to race 200m and could not see the need to train at distances of 200m or more. He also queried two weight training sessions per week in GPP when people on the pro tour he had spoken to were telling him they were doing at least three and mostly more sessions per week during their GPP and pre-competition phase, virtually opening up with 10.1 or better (eg Asafa was still lifting four times a week in Melbourne before the 2006 Commonwealth Games).
I think the contract imposition was perhaps the last straw on top of Ross’s other concerns, which included a desire not to live in the city.
Ben, Donovan, Bruny, Obadele, Tim, Olusoji, Asafa etc, etc - a S2L training system
Apart from those listed above, what other successful 100m sprinters have followed S2L???
I thought Asafa did Long to short? Other athletes could include the east german women in the 400 from what i remember and people like Gay, Spearman etc do a combination as does Atkins where they do acceleration from day one but also longer stuff. I call this Ends to Middle! 
the coach will always be the chief “scrounger” till results are high enough to engage an agent.
But it’s after the agent arrives that there’s enough money for it to be a dividing issue
Yes, Asafa is L-to-S but lifts less reps more often in the week, therefore less stiffness.
Re the training journal, yes that would be fantastic but I doubt it would happen…would be nice if I was wrong though 
Would be good to know what Asafa’s program looks like. I suppose someone has already posted on that. If so, please put up a link to that thread. I was told Asafa went S2L but his tempo extended out further, to 300m, and he raced the occasional longer distance, starting with a 400 at the beginning of his season and then much later in the year he would throw in the occasional 200m. Anyway, maybe someone has an article on how Asafa trains…