Well, I have coached athletes for 15 years so I think I have equivalent knowledge to your fathers experience. You are talking about grade school girls and boys. On all levels, regardless of age, the kid’s who stand out have been the ones who for whatever reason, are fore foot runners. The interesting thing is that when the masses “get” it technique wise, that gap between the born freak athlete and joe average closes significantly. I have watched a kid who in 5th grade ran 4.95 hand time 40. Every year he was faster and still is. The interesting thing is he ran 4,52 at Michigan State camp going into 9th grade. A kid I have trained along with him ran a 6.2 in 6th grade. Last summer at U of M camp, he ran a 4.63 going into 10th grade. Oddly, the fast kid works half as hard and has lousy technique on every drill. The slower kid works his butt off trying to perfect everything including me barking toe up through A skips every workout. Oddly, I don’t have to say it anymore, it is unconcious competence, hence James comments. Asafa Powell is one of the greatest technical runners ever and look at his a skip on youtube. Toe up.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ad0ToqBV3fo