I’ve recently taken over a Track program up here in Alberta for a small local High School with a population of approximately 800 students. Obviously, the times/distances are obviously at a much lower standard compared to what you guys have down there at the states.
I have several great athletes, but I’m struggling with a mediocre one.
I’d like to receive some insight on an athlete of mine which doesn’t excel at really anything (for a lack of terms), but has shown hope in several events.
He’s a Grade 10 athlete
First year training, and probably has trained for the first time in his life (Track-specific) this March till now (2 months of 3x a week training)
Long Jump 5.3m (Probably puts him 5th in the city, and it takes a 6m Long Jump to go to Provincials)
Study the GPP video in the online store and the numerous short to long threads. I would recommend a steady dose of accel and max speed work up to at most 150 meters, if that far at all for the next year.
Fitness should help as well. Search for “Tempo” and related threads as there are numerous on the forum, and also in CFTS in the online store.
Try to find out their basic 2 principles (Stride Length and Stride Frequency) test 30m fly may help with your answers.
Do you have any of these figures to work with?
At this level, general fitness and strength work will improve both. There is no need to test them. It will tell you what is already clear, strides are short and frequency is average at best, because strides are so short.
Or the athlete is tall and may have long, slow strides. Anyone can guess what is wrong. Its easy. Lets see, the athlete has slow freq and short stride lol. Both elements are missing. If they are strong, then what is missing? Must be technical flaw which, when videod, may give the athlete a better visual tool to work with and correlate what the coach may be aiming to change and benefit the athlete. Or as their training age is so young, then time will tell what is needed to improve. IS there a great accleration with a decrease in MV from an early onset (more conditioning) or slow accel with minimal MV loss (accel work needed) or both (Basic plyos, conditioning work, Tech work and accel work).
Testing (could be a test for each segment of the training element) the athlete/s always gives a fresh and challenging section to training. As a teenager I loved this and even as an adult. Challenging your team mates and see how you can improve. Makes for a high intensity session and brings in a pattern of results to work with over time.