[QUOTE=los;233615]Seem to remember in '98, they held Nationals in March, and then a comm games trials in around August in Sydney.
Why hasnt this been done since? Makes the selections much easier - whoever is in form close to the big meet gets selected.
QUOTE]
Way it still should be, imagine Melbourne getting a free shot at the ARL grand final just because they won the World Cup last time.
And JS is a great person, there are no more free rides, if things are happening because of training question your coach, if happening because of elsewhere ask questions there.
The fastest on the day gets the spoils.
are the Aust track and field titles televised on free to air or fox. would love to see them.
The sentiments in the article are a lot harder the what JS expressed in the interview on Fox Sports I saw where although disappointed he seemed more this is unfair but oh well. Sharmer was that you running with him in that clip?
hahahahahaha
I totally agree. From my experience in 1998 and 2000 Nationals were held as usual in Feb or March and a trials were held 6 weeks from the games. People who performed closer to the games were not always the same people 6mths earlier. It worked well. Those who performed near the games showed they were in shape when needed not what form they were in 6mths ago or what they had done as a qualifying time 12mths ago.
I have mentioned this to many within the realm of AA only to have them quote that it never works. What? Does it mean you have to organise another meet? Yes it may cost some $$$ but isn’t the main emphasis to have a team which performs well? Either we choose small teams of 8 to 10 where they finish all top 8 (100%) which equals more federal funding or choose 50 athletes with only 20% which doesn’t look as good (Same 8 to 10 finish in top 8).
Either have all qualifying marks as IAAF standards or make the same AA standard but across the whole range of events.
I read a reoport some months back in which head coach Hollingsworth said no Aussies would be touring Europe this year. That they would have to basically prepare in Australia and then go to the Games in Delhi. If that report was accurate, then it makes even more sense to hold trials - perhaps in Darwin or Townsville in the tropical north - around August.
And the top athletes, who make a living on the tour in Europe, can either take their chances by not returning for the Trials, or be pre-selected because they’ve earned it with current performances - people like the Aussie world champs medallists (outdoor and indoor)
This is the second time I have heard of top coaches going overseas. Paul Hallam national sprint/relay coach, Penny Gillies national relay/hurdles/sprint coach. When did they go.
A precidence has been set, part of email from Gerard Coogan now deceased. This kid at 14/11.7-100m, a pic of her running is in my album.
“Jim,
>>
>> There is going to be a giant pull for Olivia from various quarters.
>> Newcastle AS, NSWIS and the AIS are all vying to ‘own’ her.
>>
>> My own reaction is that at the age of ‘13-14’ she should remain in a Home
>> based program with mentoring for her coach from Senior NSWIS or AIS
> coaches.”
I passed her onto a Warren Medcalf former NT Institute head coach. She ended up with Paul Hallam, says he first saw her at an Olympic Youth Festival, reality is she started to beat his stepdaughter as they were in the same age group. She is now with Penny Gillies, who cares.
Keep an eye on Dylan Bennett, soon to be 13-14, My wife was his jump coach and I was his sprint coach, another one we passed on to Warren, currently member of the NSW LA’s team to compete at their Nationals. He has already been picked up by Max Debman (Newcastle AS).
Where are our short sprinters, we have some good 400m runners, one is JS, several of the others have coaches who are receiving help from Mike Hurst, help is the key word, at least he is not out to “own them”.
I was frustated back in 2003,4,5,6 just like you are now, I had to get over it.
One HD has the rights to athletics in Australia. So I guess they will show the championships down the track in an hour highlight package.
Might also pay to keep on Runners Tribe or something similar as there were a heap of vids posted there from the NZ Champs and expect similar could happen over there.
Angry Steffensen weighs up the future TIM CLARKE
April 13, 2010 - 7:36AM
Furious John Steffensen is still undecided as to whether he will run in this weekend’s national athletics titles in Perth – claiming again he has no support from those in charge of Australian athletics in his battle against injury.
The Perth-born former Commonwealth champion has been left furious in the build up to the championships at Perth’s new athletics stadium, after being overlooked for an injury exemption meaning he has to run to qualify for the Commonwealth Games.
Just 12 weeks since having an operation to cure a longstanding back injury, Steffensen says he is an 80 per cent chance to run – but the missing 20 per cent was the element that would make him competitive.
And in a blistering attack on Australia’s high performance manager Eric Hollingsworth, Steffensen questioned his credentials as a coach and administrator.
“I read Eric’s comments in the Telegraph, and I did not expect anything else from him – I don’t know Eric much as a coach so I don’t think he would understand my position,” Steffensen said.
"I love running, but unfortunately we had surgery 12 weeks ago and we ran out of time, the nationals have come in the way.
"We tried our best and we have not really made a decision whether we will run or not, we will wait until the day.
“I am about 80 per cent – but that 20 per cent is what makes you perform well, which is the sprint side of things.”
In another stand-off between the former Commonwealth champion and Australian athletics chiefs, Hollingsworth said in interviews over the weekend that the 27-year old needed to prove himself again
“John is looking at the world through those glasses of the 2006 Commonwealth Games when he was the man,” Hollingsworth said.
“That was four years ago. He must establish himself again.”
But Steffensen said not only was that an attack on him, but also his coach John Smith, who worked with Maurice Greene in his golden era and currently has the world’s fastest woman Carmelita Jeter under his wing.
“If you keep pushing me with this back injury what type of performance do you think you are going to get out of me?” Steffensen said.
"It is about having some understanding and treating me with some respect and giving me some support knowing that I had back surgery.
"My coach believes – and he has got the fastest woman in the world at the moment – and if he didn’t he would not call me every morning at 11am from America.
“What (Eric) did say is questioning John Smith … and that is a big call from a coach that has done nothing.”
The 400m heats at the national titles will be run on Friday night.
I just wanted to comment on the Paul Hallam reference to Olivia.
When I was in Oz, Paul brought her to Nanny’s track for me to see along with another un-named girl (he wasn’t allowed to attend my seminars).
While Olivia was good, this other girl showed me more raw ability and improved with every suggestion in each run.
During a water break,I asked Paul Nancarraw who she was and he said it was PH’s step-daughter, Jascinta. Paul H had made no reference to her at all- beyond no favoritism.
At the end of 3 sessions in a week, Jascinta had improved beyond recognition and, as you know went on to do well as a finallist in 100mH at the world youth games. Olivia did well too IMO but it’s tougher in the open sprints.
I’ve lost track of what’s happened since.
My feeling (and personal experience) is that athletes shouldn’t be passed on without a very good reason and support from centers should be brough to the coach who developed them and already knows them best. This is a center-based idea rather than an athlete based free-for-all.
Olivia Tauro ran 11.71 and 23.90 and made the 200m final at the 2005 World Youth Games having just turned 15. At the 2007 Youth Games, she ran 11.83 and 24.13 and didn’t make a final. At the 2008 World Juniors, she ran 24.09. She will be 20 this year, and her PBs are all at least 2 years old: 11.68 (fom 2007), 23.62 (from 2008) and 53.21 (from 2007). She now focuses on the 400m, where she always runs a devastating first 300m and then dies badly over the last 80m or so.
You can see her running in lane seven here: http://www.runnerstribe.com/event/main/video/id/236825-NSW-Track-and-Field-Championships-2010/vid/322754-NSW-Champs-2010-Women-400
Jacinta Doyle had her best year in 2007, got slower in 2008 and doesn’t seem to be competing anymore now.
Unfortunately these types of stories are all too common amongst young Australian sprint talents.
That last 100m, moreso, the last 40m could be one of the most painful last 40m ive ever seen! lucky she made it to the line!
Coach Penny Gillies has been like a fairy godmother to Olivia, who does have some issues. If Olivia can get back in control and take care of herself she might yet do pretty well, at least she is gutsy and a personable kid.
The reason for Paul Hallum reference, a young man from my home town is an a AFL development team, apparently Paul boasted to the team that he is John Steffensens assistant coach.
Jacinta had been coached by PH for years, well before he became her step dad, she won the Aust titles back to back for a long time, Liv always came 4th. Things changed.
I passed Liv to Warren because her mom had not long had a new baby and she had a minor car accident coming to training, Warren was closer to where they live and we can communicate. I tried getting Liv in a local school and made the mistake of ringing the NSWIS for assistance, Paul was their sprint coach. Things changed from there, not long after I was deemed too professional (council employees wording) and was required to pay up to $450 for ground usage at local council parks to train even 1 kid.
I know Liv is now training with an old foe, I would really love her to do something special next weekend, only god knows how many obsticles she has had to overcome over the years.
… thanks kitkat lol
Is this story so good you felt the need to post it for the second time on this same page. LOL.
Sorry to hear all that. As an outsider, I have only the snapshot of the time I was there.
Ideally, the athlete who develops an athlete is in the best position to stay with them with support from whoever can or will help.
There’s an old saying: "Managers (read coaches do) while administrators (read federations) control. All federations live to drive a wedge between coaches on the outside and towards those they have control over. I experienced the same shit myself.
Then we have to get over it or die inside. I join cf in 2006 after wasting close to 3 grand going through the proper channels in Aust, I say waste because they do not seem to know what I wanted to learn. I wanted to learn how to understand programming, you appear to know it. Liv got to no1 here training for 2 1/2 hours a week, Warren kept her improving and at her first World Youth she was the only Aust athlete to run pb’s.
Up until recently I was coaching a young man 23, if I had not called it off he would have won the 400m at Perth this weekend, he is waiting for me to call him with a time and place. I don’t want to go there again, on the bright side it appears he is on way to being a member of the Somalian National soccer team.
KK what else is news.
Guess you are right, nothing but shit.
I have uploaded some photos have a look,