Exactly!!! Well, I’m not here to take sides but I feel as though I can jump in and speak on this issue because I’m an athlete who is currently in the trenches coaching myself due to the fact that despite all the “certified” coaches that are here in the states, I have yet to find one coach that knows how to build a solid sprinter from the ground up. I do know about John Smith and others but due to the scarcity of the good coaches the price to be coached by one of these gurus is WAY out of my price range. Put it this way; I could pay a mortgage with the amount of money these few good coaches command.
Anyhow, James Smith is absolutely correct in his thinking and I think he is doing a wonderful thing by calling out the huge flaws in the system. For people who want to bash Mr. Smiths ideas it’s of no suprise to me because now coaches would actually haft to produce a before and after result to get paid instead of just recruiting the best and getting paid!
Sadly, however, the system as we know it is not designed to produce elite athletes, nor is it designed to truly enlighten man and if any joe smow thinks he is going to change this I’m telling you right now there are powerful well connected men who will stop you.
More or less, the system is about producing worker bees and to control the thinking of mankind; the sports aspect is there to produce additional revenue and to provide school spirit. A school could care less if a student goes 9.9 which is why standout athletes receive no financial compensation and to add insult to injury the school will use that athletes face to recruit new athletes and sell merchandise.
So, at the end of the day, the best we can do; as far as the athletes and the good coaches is to take care and look out for each other. It’s the only way we can get what we need/want and at the same time further human athletic excellence.
~100m001~