Does anyone know where I can get sprint training protocols written by Gerard Mach?
Thanks
Boy at the level III school…
A dandy… to say the least 
The real question should be do you even want anything from Gerard Mach?
Level III…nightmares!
what happened?
I got cockblocked by JJ at wafflehouse! He knows I love 300 pound white women.
Wow. I am thoroughly shocked at the Holier than Thow comments on Mach. To discredit a man that has given us so much is ridiculous. No one on this site besides Charlie has given one-tenth as much to the sport as he has.
He came down here (Level 3) with his wife in the hospital in serious condition. I dont think any of us would be able to give a great presentation when more important issues are at hand. I would hope that you would respect him more than this.
Want his Material??? Based on his presentation?? The man has gotten older, not stupid. So based on your reasoning, we shouldnt take John Woodens ideas on basketball since he has aged?? Think.
If one thinks they are so far above Mach’s material, you should possibly send your application and resume to us for a speaking engagement at the next school.
I would have loved to have been in there with GM but I was still in Level II. Still it’s a step I am glad that I was forced to take-by the system. Particularly for the hurdles. Like DLive11 and T2, I’d like to know what happened that was so terrible.
Mach’s presentation was not as expected, but we did not know until later that he had some Larger Issues on his mind at the time. He unselfishly cam down here, but when he got here and was doing the presentations, he started having second thoughts and expressed the necessity of being at home with his wife. It was not the best timing, but all this is unrelated to the remarks that I think should be addressed. Questioning the man’s knowledge by anyone on this site is above my understanding. I thought this was a community of learning & fellowship. I must be mistaken because when I read that we have members that believe that there knowledge base is greater than the minds that evolved track into what it is today, then something is wrong.
If the previous posts were interpreted out of context, I apologize; but if I am correct, I hope you understand the harshness of your comments.
Dlive points to a wider issue in that we don’t respect coaches who are older and may do things differently.
I know of two coaches that have coach for 40 years each and some of the higher profile and qualified coaches dismiss this and say we don’t coach like this anymore. Even though we may not agree with everything they do - there knowledge will be and is infinitely higher than most coaches.
One of the first things I learnt from one of these coaches was do higher intensity work earlier in the week when competing.
It was probably wasn’t the right decision for GM to present at the Level 3.
People need to sit back, ask questions and listen. Remi K came to Hobart a few years ago with C Gaines and Eric Thomas and Remi took 30 minutes to answer half a question. I can’t remember half of what said but it was fasacinating to listen and watch what he did with his athletes.
Back in '99 during the AC conference, I had an opportunity to hear Gerard Mach detail the rationale of his now famous sprint work and give a brief presentation on the criteria for future (at that time) sprint training.
Understanding the history and background generally provides the prospective required to make a proper assessment. Particularly if you intend to go in a similar direction. In short, a fascinating icon.
To answer the question posted that started this thread, NYCJay, you might want to contact Numbertwo on the site. He had a few copies of Gerard’s manual a while back.
Aight… thanks. I just took the level 1 class this summer I am going to try for the level 2 this winter. How many ustaf certified coaches are in the forum? The level 1 sucked it was too generic. But I guess the 2 and 3 are better. If there is any other way besides going to the level 3 for getting Machs stuff let me know.
Thanks!
NYCJay,
You can read about the USATF Schools in the archive.
Check this link:
http://www.charliefrancis.com/community/showthread.php?t=2831
I did not attend the sprint sessions.
Nor do I have information regarding Mr. Mach’s personal issues at the time.
I do know the individuals Dlive is scolding and wish to offer an opposing view to the John Wooden / you owe respect angle.
A quick aside, Wooden’s image shines despite the fact that he ignored illegal payments to his athletes, an accepted fact. Wooden was no angel.
Most who were in Ashville, were on the hook for an average $300+ plane ticket, a couple hundred to register, and other expenses. (Not to mention my cab fare from UNC-A back to the airport, after I paid for a round trip shuttle at my arrival, that never showed to take me back)
Most in attendance were not D I head coaches but rather, I II III assistants and HS coaches, who were paying out of pocket, a pocket that for an assistant track coach, is not very deep.
Lack of awareness of Mr Mach’s issue at home does not imply disrespect. Nor am I aware of any disrespect shown directly to him at the site. I am aware that good people paid good money and did not receive value equal to their expenses. Semantics and on-line humor aside, thats all thats going on here. Dlive, youre already in the mountains, come down from the soapbox.
…and boys, next time you get the check.
Coach
I am not going to get into another arguement about the Coaches Ed. program. Every person that went through this school has paid the same amount of money, and/or paid some sacrifice. No one thinks the program is perfect, and I was not stating such. I will be the first person to point out the weaknesses, but will also be one of the first people to defend it. I think any person in my shoes would be the same way.
About the soapbox comment, whatever. I am seeing statements attacking a credible man that was caught up in a bad situation. People may not have gotten training questions answered by Mach, but damn if he didnt try.
And about Wooden, looks like you are missing the point. I was not saying Mach, Wooden or anyone is an angle or innocent of wrong doings. Are any of us? My point is that Wooden (or any elder coach) may not have a great presentation, but hearing the person talk about the past is just as satisfying.
Coach MDD, Hurldelove, Clemson, you guys are missing the points. For one, attacking Dlive for taking up for Mach is not making your case any stronger. Mach’s delivery was not the greatest, but under the pressure that Dlive mentioned? Who wouldnt be? It seems to me that the people on the soapbox or high on themselves are you guys.
Fair enough.
But:
Boy, Level III school…
…a dandy
…nightmares
is pretty tame use of the king’s english. Hardly the stuff of courtroom slander cases, let alone verbal attacks.
What in your case might be “…just as satisfying” clearly was not for others. There is a concept in business that says, “The customer is always right” I would imagine, that if a similar, otherwise credible speaker was pre-billed as, to use your words, “…may not give a great presentation” attendence would come from a daytime drive’s radius or less. Ashville is a wonderful, scenic location but not exactly on the beaten path for us non- Billy Graham followers.
You and I are not in an arguement over Coaches Ed, or its value. I have traveled to 5 schools now. The fact is Mach, Wooden, and others are published, on video, etc. To travel and take on the expense to hear them in person rightfully generates an expectation that was not met in this case. Thats all.
An aside, if you want to be in an arguement, we can be in an arguement over the use of the word “whatever” in a conversation.
I have never liked that word and do not use it myself. I would encourage you to find another way to make a point.
Those statements you mention were not the ones that set me off. It was “the real question should be do you even want anything from Gerard Mach?”
I would hope that a coach would want to add as much information and learning tools as possible to his/her library. Certianly, not all information provided by one source will be used, but something can be learned.
You are correct in that the customer’s product value should be looked at first, but to make statements about Mach’s knowledge is what I am going after. I am not concerned about the presentation at Level 3 as much as I am the comments that lessen his image.
I dont think that putting his reputation down on this website is the respectable/correct thing to do. With many young, new coaches viewing these threads on a daily basis, they may see something like that and wonder to ever read or listen to his material.
Fair enough.
See you Dec. in Greensboro? You can buy me a beer in trade for the undelivered round trip on the airport van ride.
Coach