Coaching Management VOL. XII, NO. 1
T R A C K
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Managing Risk
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Understanding Amenorrhea
F I E L D
P R E M I E R E
NO ONE LEFT BEHIND Making every athlete part of the team
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Coaching Management Track & Field Edition Premiere Issue 2004
CONTENTS
Vol. XII, No. 1
p. 2
p. 22
Welcome to the premiere edition of Coaching Management Track & Field, a sister publication to Athletic Management and Training & Conditioning. CM Track & Field will publish twice a year. Look for the next issue this September.
p. 28
COVER STORY
No One Left Behind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Regardless of their abilities, all athletes can be involved in the team’s overall mission. Coaches share strategies for making sure every athlete feels part of the team.
LOCKER ROOM
Bulletin Board . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
SPORTS SAFETY
Talking with athletes about supplement use… Are Division I program cuts a trend?… Pole vault safety depends on coaching education… USTCA courts high school coaches … Coaching an athlete with a disability… Chi Alpha Sigma honors athletes’ academic excellence.
The Risk Factor
Q&A
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Three-time Patriot League Coach of the Year Matt Centrowitz talks about the challenges of creating a new program, the importance of hard work, and the benefits of constant change.
SPORTS MEDICINE
One Out of Four . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 The latest study shows that out of every four female athletes, one is suffering from amenorrhea. And the ramifications for their health are truly frightening. Advertiser Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Track & Field Facilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Catalog Showcase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Strength & Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Editor-in-Chief Eleanor Frankel
Editorial Assistant Greg Scholand
Prepress Manager Adam Berenstain
Circulation Director Mark Shea
Associate Editor Guillermo Metz
Production Manager Kristin Ayers
Ad Materials Coordinator Mike Townsend
Art Director Pamela Crawford
Assistant Editors RJ Anderson Kenny Berkowitz David Hill Dennis Read Laura Smith
Asst. Production Manager Kristi Kempf
Special Projects Dave Wohlhueter
Production Assistant Jonni Campbell
Administrative Assistants Sharon Barbell Daniela Reis Amy Walton
Business Manager Pennie Small
IT Manager Mark Nye
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Follow these practical steps to keep your athletes out of harm’s way—and your program out of legal hot water.
Publisher Mark Goldberg
Art Assistant Dina Stander
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COVER PHOTO: HUNTER MARTIN/UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
Performance Apparel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Team Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 More Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Advertising Sales Associates Diedra Harkenrider, (607) 257-6970, ext. 24 Sheryl Shaffer, (607) 257-6970, ext. 21 Business and Editorial Offices 2488 N. Triphammer Rd., Ithaca, NY 14850 (607) 257-6970, Fax (607) 257-7328 info@MomentumMedia.com Mailing lists for Coaching Management Track & Field are provided by the Clell Wade Coaches Directory.
The Coaching Management Track & Field edition is published in January and September by MAG, Inc. and is distributed free to college and high school coaches in the United States and Canada. Copyright © 2004 by MAG, Inc. All rights reserved. Text may not be reproduced in any manner, in whole or in part, without the permission of the publisher. Unsolicited materials will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Coaching Management is printed by Banta Publications Group, Kansas City, MO. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Coaching Management, P.O. Box 4806, Ithaca, N.Y. 14852. Printed in the U.S.A.
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bulletin board Coaches are Key in Supplement Decisions Young track and field athletes who count Olympians among their heroes received a disappointing message this fall, when elite runners in the U.S. and abroad tested positive for tetrahydrogestrinone (THG), a new designer steroid engineered to escape detection by traditional tests. When the top runners in the world are turning to drugs to achieve their goals, convincing high school athletes that working hard and eating right is still the best way to get results can be a challenge, but coaches can play an important role in shaping youngsters’ attitudes.
and gas stations and on the Internet to adults and minors alike. Androstenedione, a steroid precursor, is another supplement banned by the NCAA but unregulated in high school athletics. “There is a very high level of concern over androstenedione,” says Beste. “It can have the same negative effects as being on a steroid.”
“Mislabeling runs rampant,” Beste says. “Products can contain ingredients that aren’t listed on the label. Then there’s the question of whether kids are taking the amount the label says. My gut feeling is that they’re not—I think almost all of them take a lot more.
about the issue between coaches, athletes, and parents. “It all starts with what you say, and silence is not an option,” Beste says. “If you don’t talk to your athletes about the dangers of supplements, they assume that taking supplements is okay with you.”
“But the biggest concern is philosophical,” he continues. “When high school athletes get
“Educating athletes about the dangers is the first step, and it starts with frequent discussions,” agrees Mark Burandt, Activities Director at Fond du Lac (Wis.) High School. “It’s not enough to not encourage the use of supplements— coaches need to actively discourage it. Our coaches discuss supplements at least once a week with their teams, because you can’t just say the right thing and expect a light bulb to go on. It’s a long-term building process.”
“The first thing coaches need to do is educate themselves on what athletes are likely to use and the dangers involved with various supplements,” says Iowa High School Athletic Association Wellness Coordinator Alan Beste.
The approach coaches take with their athletes is just as important as content of the message. “Coaches have to communicate that they are talking about supplements because they care about their athletes,” Burandt says. “Until you get that message across, they’ll perceive anything you say as just one more adult preaching to them.”
One million American youths between the ages of 12 and 17 use nutritional supplements, according to a 2001 study by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s Healthy Competition Foundation. Topping the list of substances that have caused concern is ephedra, an herbal stimulant containing the alkaloids ephedrine and pseudoephedrine.
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Regina Jacobs is one of four U.S. track and field athletes who have tested positive for the designer steroid THG. Coaches can help young athletes make good choices about supplements by communicating with them and their parents about the issue. While most coaches and athletes are aware of the risks these supplements pose, even substances that appear to be safe can pose hidden dangers. Legal and readily available nutritional supplements can be dangerous if mislabeled or not used correctly.
the message, ‘You can’t achieve optimal performance naturally; you have to take something,’ it’s a short path to ephedra and andro, and the only place to go from there is steroids.” According to Beste, the solution is open communication
The messages needn’t come in formal presentations, either. “Take advantage of teachable moments,” Beste advises. “Pay attention to current events, and when you see a newspaper story about the
GETTY IMAGES MATTHEW STOCKMAN
Marketed as a weight loss aid and performance enhancer, ephedra is sold under enticing product names like “Ripped Fuel” and “Stackers,” and added to other nutritional supplement mixes. The use of ephedra has been associated with irregular heart beat, high blood pressure, seizures, heart attack, and stroke, and linked to 54 deaths since the mid1990s. Ephedra is banned by the NCAA, NFL, and IOC, but it is nonetheless legal in most states, sold by supermarkets
Beste agrees. “Your message needs to be, ‘This is very dangerous, and I’m concerned about this issue because I care about you,’” he says. “Saying, ‘If I find out that anyone is using ephedra, they’ll be off the team’ is the way to ensure that no one will tell you anything. Whether or not you leave the door open from the start will determine how communicative your players will be with you about the issue all year.”
results of an athlete using supplements, take it to practice and discuss it with your players. Print copies and post them in the locker room or pass them around. Your words have a lot more impact when players can link them to something real.” Educating parents is equally important. “Parents see these supplements at the supermarket and think, ‘If these weren’t safe, how could stores sell them?’” Beste says. “Coaches need to provide parents with the same information they’re giving players. Try talking to parents after games. Get them together and discuss how the game went, and then spend a few minutes telling them where you stand on supplement use.” Other ideas: ■ Start an e-mail list for parents and use it to communicate about supplement use. Invite parents to give you their e-mail addresses, and tell them you’ll use the address to contact them periodically about issues of concern.
Ask players to sign a pact that states they will not use supplements during their team’s season. ■
■ Host a sports nutrition night for parents and athletes. Involve your school’s athletic trainer, school nurse, or physician. Provide information on supplements and their risks, and allow plenty of time for discussion.
Help your athletes form a “chemical-free society” at the school so athletes attempting to avoid supplements, drugs, and alcohol don’t feel like they’re alone. This society can provide peer support and opportunities to socialize with others with the same goals.
STEPHEN NOWLAND/NCAA PHOTOS
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For more information, visit www.drugfreesport.com /choices/coaches/index. html or www. healthycompetition.org.
Getting Proactive in Wake of DI Program Cuts During the past year, at least five NCAA Division I schools announced they were dropping all or part of their men’s track and field and cross country programs—Fresno State University, University of Toledo, Marshall University, Ball State University, and West Virginia University. The cuts sent a tremor through the track and field community and have many coaches asking if the moves represent a growing trend.
While it may be difficult to accurately determine the true health of collegiate track and field, Milliman and others say much more can be done to ensure its survival. “The first step is to make track more visible,” Milliman says. “Track coaches need to be more actively involved in their communities and not be invisible on campus. The noisy wheel gets the grease.”
attitudes that can be gained through non-revenue sports like track and field?’ “Individual schools need to go and sell the sport to their community,” he continues. “Especially at the high school level and below, coaches have to sell the fitness benefits of the sport. There is concern across the country about the fitness level of our kids—
Despite the high-profile cuts, gauging the state of collegiate track and field is a murky undertaking. Some people point to the fact that, overall, track and field is one of the fastest-growing sports across all three NCAA divisions. Others claim that statistic merely reflects the steady growth in the number of NCAA institutions over the past decade. The United States Track Coaches Association (USTCA) has formed a task force to look into the issue. Members will attempt to better understand the current status of the sport and develop recommendations for shoring up track and field programs on campuses. They planned to present their findings and ideas at the Association’s annual meeting in December (after this issue had gone to press). “We’re concerned that track is one of the programs that tends to get cut,” says Dave Milliman, Deputy Executive Director of the USTCA. “The task force is our way of saying, ‘Sometimes, we sit in our offices and go to our practices and work with our athletes, but we don’t see the forest for the trees. Well, here’s the forest. Let’s everybody pay more attention to it.’”
NCAA Division I men’s track and field and cross country shrank by at least five programs leading up to the 2003 championships, sending coaches looking for ways to shore up their teams. A USTCA task force is examining the issue. Bob Fraley, Fresno State’s Director of Track and Field, agrees that the best way to save the sport is to make some noise, and that includes reminding administrators about the values of the sport. “Track is a participatory sport,” says Fraley, “and it’s up to coaches to ask administrators the tough question: ‘Is the athletics program there to make money, or is it there to teach principles, values, and
every day, you can pick up a newspaper and read another article about childhood obesity. Track and field has the potential to make a great impact on kids’ health, because kids can participate no matter what their fitness level—there is something for everyone. Those of us within the sport should be going into middle schools and high schools, taking that message to principals, administrators, and athletic directors.”
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bulletin board Another way coaches can help is by working to ensure that their programs get some space in local newspapers and other media. “Administrators look at track and field and say, ‘We don’t think it’s very viable in our community because there’s no newspaper coverage, and we never see it talked about on TV,’” Fraley says. “That gives athletic directors and college presidents the feeling that this sport is not important to people. “The solution is publicizing the sport,” he says. “Make sure it’s covered in the local papers, the national papers, and on TV. Make sure people are talking about it.” Fraley is taking a two-pronged approach to selling the sport, promoting both its participatory benefits and its entertainment
value. “At Fresno State, we’re doing everything we can to get track back,” he says. “We’re going out into the community, showing that it’s not just a college track program, it’s an educational program. Our athletes and coaches do clinics and track meets for kids at the local schools.”
contest, waves a bright orange flag, and puts the two top competitors front and center. Then, just before their tosses, the DJ plays 20 seconds of music for each athlete and we ask everybody in the stands to clap. That puts a spotlight on where the action is and helps fans to know what’s going on.”
And he’s putting a lot of effort into attracting fans into the bleachers. “You have to make it fun for the fans,” Fraley says. “For example, we play music at all of our track meets now. We use it to clue the fans into what’s going on in the meet, by drawing attention to the action on the field.
That effort also gives the athletes a boost, according to Fraley. “Not only does it get the fans excited about each event, but all that attention is great for the athletes,” he says. “Guys who previously had a best toss of 55 feet, with all of this spectator noise and music, are throwing 57!”
“For example,” he continues, “in the shot put, when you get to the sixth round, there’s just the top two athletes left. At that point, our official stops the
Updates of the task force’s work will be posted on the USTCA’s Web site at www.ustrackcoaches.org.
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Alongside proper facilities, educated coaches are critical to pole vault safety. Oregon’s Becky Holliday (left) set an NCAA meet record at the Division I Championships in June with a jump of 1405.5.
certifying pole vault coaches. The PVSCB offers a Web-based course on pole vaulting that includes sections on NFHS rules, safety, the physics of pole vaulting, and basic pole vaulting progressions. After passing tests on each of the sections, coaches are certified for two years and receive a certification card and a copy of the NFHS rulebook. There is a $19.95 fee charged to take the course and the tests.
RICH CLARKSON/NCAA PHOTOS
“We think that any high school teacher could take this course and become a competent pole vault instructor,” says Johnson, who is also Pole Vault Safety Chair for USA Track and Field. “We’ve certified over 1,000 coaches since January 2002, and we want every school that offers pole vault to have someone who has passed this test.”
Jim Lonergan, Founder of the Illinois Pole Vault Coaches Association and Assistant Track and Field Coach at Maine
South High School in Park Ridge, Ill., agrees that coaching education is an important piece of the puzzle. “I think we,
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as the pole vault community, needed to take a comprehensive approach,” he says. “Helmets alone aren’t the answer. Bigger pits alone aren’t the answer. Poles alone aren’t the answer. Even teaching alone is not the answer, although I believe that’s the greatest variable. It’s all these things together.” Since a series of pole vaulting deaths two years ago, efforts have focused on improving facilities and equipment. High school and college rules were changed to expand the area covered by the landing pits, prompting some people to fear that schools might drop the event altogether rather than make the costly modifications. However, Lonergan believes the changes were well accepted.
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bulletin board “We didn’t see any unsafe pits last year and every place we went was in compliance,” he says. “We got new pits because our old ones, which did not comply with the new rules, were 12 years old and would have had to be replaced soon anyway. But I was expecting a bigger battle [to get the expenditure approved]. I simply presented it as a matter of, ‘If we’re going to have pole vault, this is what we have to do.’
able to go out and buy an upgrade for only $1,000.”
“The expense can be significant,” adds Lonergan, who says his school spent about $12,000 on new pits. “But if you take care of them, new pits come to about $1,000 a year. And some schools were For more information go to: ■ www.pvscb.com ■ www.polevault.com
■ ■
“Even though the changes were made on short notice, most coaches knew they were coming because we had been talking about them for two years,” Johnson says. “But they still presented some problems because they came down at the same time as a budget crunch hit many schools.”
grams before its alumni came to the rescue. “A group of Bloom vaulters got together and raised enough money to buy a new pit setup,” says Johnson, a former Bloom vaulter now living in California. “Then they decided to start a pole vaulting club [for nonstudents]. This way people have a place to vault, and the school has pits that comply with the new rules.”
Where money has been a problem, some schools have found unique solutions. At Bloom High School in Chicago Heights, Ill., budget problems threatened to shut down one of the state’s most successful pole vaulting pro-
A high school rule change for 2004 addresses the placement of the standards that hold the cross bar. The standards must now be placed between 15.5 inches (40 centimeters) and 31.5 inches (80 centimeters) from the back of the plant
www.skyjumpers.com www.polevaulteducation.org
COACHING MANAGEMENT
With these changes in place, most of the work on equipment now focuses on establishing standards for helmets and pole ratings. Although four states (Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin) require high school vaulters to wear helmets, no helmet has been designed specifically for pole vaulting.
To read a 2002 article about helmets and larger landing pits from Athletic Management, go to www.athleticsearch.com and type “pole vault” in the search window.
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box. According to Lonergan, this change should reduce the chances of vaulters missing the pits since it will make them jump further out to clear the bar. He says most good high school vaulters already have the standards set between 22 and 30 inches from the box.
The American Society for Testing and Materials (which establishes standards for many items and materials, including sporting equipment) has recommended that vaulters use approved skateboarding and lacrosse helmets (without the mask and visor) while it develops standards for a pole vaultspecific helmet. A committee to establish the helmet standards has met several times, most recently in November, and may finish its work as early as next summer. At the same time, a separate ASTM committee is working to establish standards for setting pole weight ratings. Current high school rules require vaulters to use a pole rated for their weight, but different manufacturers are following different procedures to establish that weight rating. Once a
firm standard for rating poles is set, vaulters will see consistency in ratings from pole to pole. In addition, poles may also be rated for different weights based on grip position, which would allow schools to buy fewer poles.
USTCA Opens High School Branch High school track and field coaches have a new opportunity to make their voices heard at the national level, thanks to the formation of the National High School Track Coaches Association. Formed as part of the US Track Coaches Association, the NHSTCA is slowly gaining momentum. According to USTCA Execu-
tive Director Jimmy Carnes, about 1,000 coaches have joined the NHSTCA so far. The organization is working on several goals, including naming a representative from each state, presenting coach of the year awards for each state, and creating a communication network to connect coaches across the country. This is not the first attempt to form a national organization for high school coaches. Several years ago, a similar effort by a group of coaches independent of the USTCA failed to get off the ground. However, Carnes believes high school coaches are still seeking a national forum and that this time there’s a better chance of meeting their needs. “At our convention last year, a group of high school coaches
raised the issue that they don’t have a voice at the national level,” says Carnes. “We decided the time was right to try a national high school organization again. We have long offered high school track coaches membership, but we decided to go the extra step and designate a segment of our organization as the National High School Track and Field Coaches Association.” The USTCA’s first move was to designate a seat on its board of directors specifically for high school representation, alongside members from NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, the NAIA, and community colleges. But the biggest challenge has been contacting high school track coaches to let them know about the new association.
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One reason the USTCA may succeed where others have failed is that technological advances have made it easier to reach high school coaches. “The only way we can really afford to do this is by using the Internet,” Carnes says. “We’re sending out some mailings, but that gets very expensive.” A school’s membership costs $25 and includes the entire cross country and track and field staff. Membership benefits include a subscription to the association’s quarterly magazine and an instructional video on CD-ROM. “We took some of the top coaches in America and videotaped them showing different training techniques,” Carnes says. “Then we took frames from those sessions and put together a package for teaching various skills, such as hurdles, sprints, and so on. We put it together as a package of five CDROMs, each focusing on different track and field events. It was costly to do, but now that it’s finished it doesn’t cost us very much to make more To learn more about the NHSTCA, go to www. ustrackcoaches.org/Web/ NHSTCA/homepage.htm. Once there, you can apply for membership by clicking on “Membership Application.”
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CDs. So we can afford to give it to the high school coaches as an incentive.” The long-term direction of the organization will be left up to those who join. “When we get the members, we’ll let them decide how they want to do it,” Carnes says. “But the hope is that we’ll continue to grow until we have a communication system for all the high school coaches in the country.”
Cross Country Courage Anthony Sumner is a cross country runner for Corunna High School in Michigan. His coach, Gordon Aldrich, says the sophomore is like every other athlete on the team when it comes to having drive and competitive fire. The only difference is that, due to cerebral palsy, Sumner navigates cross-country courses using a four-wheeled walker. The disease, which is the result of damage to the brain before, during, or shortly after birth, is marked by muscular incoordination and speech disturbances. According to Aldrich, coaching an athlete with a disability is as much about knowing when not to help as knowing what help to give. “Anthony wants to feel like a part of the team and do things on his own,” says Aldrich. “What he doesn’t want is to be treated differently or given special attention. He doesn’t want any help getting on and off the bus, and he doesn’t want any help getting up if he falls on the course.” While Aldrich admits that it is often difficult to refrain from helping Sumner when he falls, allowing him to pick himself up is probably the best coaching he can give. “Besides,” says Aldrich, “he’s so independent he would get mad if we ever tried.”
Sumner started the 2003 season with a goal of completing a 5K race. He worked toward that goal first by completing a half-mile portion of a race, then bumping it up to a mile, then a mile and a half, then two miles. “Eventually,” says Aldrich, “Anthony completed the 3.1 miles. So far he’s done that three times.” Aldrich adds that during the season Sumner has brought his time down from over an hour to 56 minutes. Aldrich estimates that Sumner runs approximately 14 miles in between meets while taking part in the team’s practices. Aldrich keeps Sumner’s workouts as similar as possible to the rest of the teams’, with a few modifications. He dials back the distances, and if a racecourse presents major hills or dangerous terrain, he’ll pick and choose the parts of the course Sumner will run.
when Sumner has reached his limit by having open, frequent discussions. “We talk all the time, and if something is hurting, Anthony tells me,” Aldrich says. “Then we back off his training or have him
At Corunna (Mich.) High School, cross country runner Anthony Sumner competes with courage, while also teaching his teammates about perseverance.
“One of the things I’ve learned is that, as much as possible, you want an athlete with a disability to become totally immersed in the program—encourage them to do all the events they can possibly can,” says Aldrich. “You have to let them grow physically, emotionally, and competitively. And just like with any athlete, sometimes you have to let them go where it hurts, without letting them get injured, of course.” Aldrich says he challenges Sumner during practice by asking if he thinks he can do a little extra such as one more half-mile or another lap on the track. Even as he’s pushing, Aldrich keeps a careful eye out for
take a day off.” Aldrich also keeps in constant contact with Sumner’s friends on the team. He knows there are times when an athlete may be too proud to tell a coach when he’s injured, so he tries to keep as many channels of communication open as he can. Aldrich, who has had other athletes with disabilities pass through his program, says that while competing and being part of a team is great therapy for athletes like Sumner, his presence also has a powerful influence on the team has a whole. “Some of the kids see the struggles Anthony encounters and say, ‘Holy cow, if he can do this, I can do tremendous things.’”
JOHN JOHNSON
“There are some 19,000 schools, and it’s hard to reach all those coaches,” says Carnes. “We started with the 800 high school coaches already on the USTCA’s membership list, and adopted them as the first members of the high school association. From there, we’re doing everything we can to let people know about the opportunity. We’re contacting as many people around the country as we can and saying, ‘Do you know five other people we can write to?’”
New Society Honors Academic Excellence At a time when reports of academic fraud and cheating scandals threaten to stain the reputation of the nation’s collegiate athletic programs, an up-and-coming organization is working to return honor to the term student-athlete. Chi Alpha Sigma, the National College Athlete Honor Society, recognizes student-athletes whose classroom achievements mirror their success on the field or the court. Modeled after other college honor societies, Chi Alpha Sigma is open to juniors and seniors who have maintained a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.4 on a 4.0 scale, while earning one
or more varsity letters. However, for a student-athlete to join, his or her school must have a chapter on its campus. Over 60 institutions in 25 states have taken the steps to include qualifying student-athletes in the organization, and the push is on to add more. To start a charter in Chi Alpha Sigma, each institution pays $100 the first year and a $50 yearly renewal fee, regardless of the number of honorees. The school’s payment covers any cost to the student-athlete—something relatively unique for college honor societies, which routinely charge honorees $50-$100 per year to be included in their society. A member of the athletic department, usually an assistant athletic director, academic advisor, or coach, acts as a
chapter advisor and is empowered to enforce Chi Alpha Sigma’s constitution and motto of “excellence in athletics.” The chapter advisor also plans and facilitates an annual end-of-the-year meet-
began the organization in 1996. “I felt we needed to renew the emphasis on the ‘student’ part of the term ‘student-athlete,’” he says. “There are 66 honor societies in the country representing
“There are 66 honor societies in the country … but there was nothing for athletics. The National College Athlete Honor Society honors student-athletes the way Phi Beta Kappa recognizes its scholars.” ing where honorees are inducted into the society and receive a certificate from the national headquarters. Nick Mourouzis, Head Football Coach and Professor of Kinesiology at DePauw University,
economics, mathematics, theater, and so on, but there was nothing for athletics. The National College Athlete Honor Society honors studentathletes the way Phi Beta Kappa recognizes its scholars.”
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bulletin board which would provide funding for an executive director and a national office. In the meantime, he is working toward getting the society certified by the Association of College Honor Societies and continuing to sell the idea to coaches and administrators nationwide.
Mourouzis, who is retiring this year after his 22nd season at the helm of the DePauw football program, has worked tirelessly to increase awareness of the fledgling honor society. He has brought on board several large NCAA Division I universities as well as numerous Division II, III, and NAIA institutions, and has plans for many more to follow.
“With the concern about athletes graduating, this certainly adds to the credibility of the athlete as a scholar,” says Dr. Dorothy Mitstifer, Executive Director of the Association of College Honor Societies.
Eventually, Mourouzis would like to see Chi Alpha Sigma obtain a corporate sponsor,
“I support it. Anything athletics can do to make itself look better would be wise.” For more information, go to www.ncahs.org.
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MICHAEL SALERNO
Student-athletes from the University of Rhode Island are among the 2,000 individuals from more than 60 schools who have been inducted into the honor society Chi Alpha Sigma. The growing organization recognizes athletes’ academic achievements.
Mourouzis notes that while Academic All-America programs are in place to honor student-athletes, that recognition is allotted to only a handful of students per sport. He estimates that Chi Alpha Sigma has between 1,800 and 2,000 student-athletes in its local chapters.
Matt Centrowitz American University
In an era dominated by athletic budget shortfalls and program cuts, American University has seen its track program reborn. Shut down for more than a decade, the program was restored in 1999 under the direction of Head Coach Matt Centrowitz. Already serving as the school’s part-time cross country coach, Centrowitz spearheaded a proposal that garnered the support of American’s administration, and men’s and women’s track were added to the school’s offerings (field events are still not offered). A member of the 1976 and 1980 U.S. Olympic teams and four-time 5,000-meter national champion, Centrowitz began his coaching career as an assistant track coach at St. John’s (N.Y.) University. In the mid-1990s, he became middle-distance/distance coach for the Reebok Enclave, and part-time cross country coach at American. Since heading up the American programs, he has been named Patriot League Coach of the Year three times, and has led his teams to strong finishes in the National Distance Medley Relay Championships and the Penn Relays. Centrowitz’s athletes have captured nine Patriot League individual titles, 17 all-league honors, two all-region honors, and one all-East award. At the same time, his student-athletes have performed well academically, with 20 members of the cross country team and 23 members of the track team making the Patriot League’s academic honor roll.
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work. I think you can mislead a kid into thinking that’s what college is going to be like. And like any journey that you start on the wrong foot, it’s going to be hard to finish. What do you tell recruits about your approach? We actually talk about their goals, because I look at my job as helping them reach their goals. My job is to assess their strengths and help them eliminate their weaknesses. If they want to stay at home with the same kids they went to high school with, then this is not the place for them. But if they want to be challenged in class and learn something different as athletes, then it might work out. Every kid who comes here has to do things he or she never did in high school.
In this interview, Centrowitz talks about the difficulties of creating a new program, the importance of hard work, and the benefits of constant change. CM: How did you restart the track program at American? Centrowitz: By the late ’90s, I’d been working part-time for six years as cross country coach at American University, and my full-time job was working with the Reebok Enclave. We didn’t have any scholarships at American, and it was basically a glorified intramural program. There was no recruiting or anything like that. A group of us presented an outline for a track program to Dr. Lee McElroy, who was the athletic director at the time, and he thought it could be a very inexpensive way to add diversity to the athletic department. He was a UCLA football and track athlete, and saw the potential value of track at American. At first, we had to ask people to use their imaginations: “Over here is going to be a locker room, and over here are going to be some runners, and here there’s going to be …” But people bought into it anyway, the most prominent being Samia Akbar and Sean O’Brien [both of whom
were NCAA Outdoor Track All-Americans while in the program, and now serve as assistant coaches]. They were the best two athletes I could have gotten, and both of them are now going to grad school at American, so I feel very proud of their accomplishments. How do you approach recruiting for your program? I think recruiting can confuse kids more than help them, and that was certainly my experience when I was the number one high school miler in the country. It was very misleading and unprofessional— especially some of the promises that were made. So I make sure recruits get as accurate a picture as possible of what American is like. Right now, my daughter [Broadneck (Md.) High School senior and middle-distance runner Lauren Centrowitz] is being recruited pretty heavily—but all her campus visits seem to be on the weekends. I don’t have my prospective student-athletes visit on the weekends, because there’s nothing going on that revolves around school-
Senior distance runner Matt Seymour competes at the 2003 NCAA Regional Championships at George Mason University.
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If they want to be good runners, they’ve got to work outside of their comfort zone. They have to go out and run in the snow, the wind, and do whatever it takes. They have to go out in splits they’re not comfortable with, and whether they’re faster or slower than their usual system, it’s going to be different. Change is difficult for everybody, but if they don’t have a willingness to change, they’re not going to make it. Most of the student-athletes I work with were not national-level runners in high school. So if they’re not willing to change, how can they possibly expect to succeed in college? How do you get them to change? That’s where coaching comes in. Everyone is a little different, so I don’t have a set system. Whether it means training more or less, we’re going to do something different. Whatever people respond to, that’s what we’re going to do. Some people might respond really well to hill work and some might respond to long runs. It’s about getting results. I purposely set up my program to be dif-
ferent and to keep evolving. If it’s the same every year, then I’m going to get bored and stale and so are the studentathletes.
competition, and that’s really the bottom line for our sport, man against man and woman against woman. It’s a foot race, not a time trial.
How do you describe your relationship with your athletes? If student-athletes understand that you’re there to help them, if they can see and feel that, then they’ll work with you. I always try to be very clear and methodical, but being from New York, I have a tendency to talk fast, not complete sentences, and even get a little hot-headed. Sometimes those things can work against me. But New Yorkers are also very direct, open and honest, and I’m willing to take criticism as well as give it. If one or two kids aren’t running well, we take a look at those one or two kids. But if the team is not performing the way it should, then we take a look at the team, including me, and what we need to do differently. If I want to share in the successes, I have to be willing to share the blame.
How has the new format for Regionals changed the way you coach? My emphasis has always been on competition, not on racing the stopwatch. You get to the starting line, and when the gun goes off, you’ve got to beat ‘X’ number of people. And if you do, then you climb the ladder to the next level, where you’ve got to beat a better crop of people. That’s what running is all about. You have to be able to compete, and that’s not the same as running a time trial.
What do you think of the new format for Division I Regionals? I think it’s great. The emphasis is back on
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don’t know of any job where you get paid before you do anything. What do you tell your student-athletes about your experience in the Olympics? We don’t really talk about that. We’re focused on reality, where we are today. I don’t think of myself as Matt the Olympian,
test, you work a little harder. There are always going to be setbacks, but you can work through them. That’s what I saw my coaches do. It’s hard work, but if you love doing what you do, it’s really not that hard. If you’re a true runner, you have no choice. You
There’s more than one way to do anything, so we all make suggestions. It’s not important whether our student-athletes take those suggestions from me or someone else, as long as they’re moving forward.
I see myself as a reflection of all the programs I’ve been involved with and all the great coaches I’ve learned from.
have an obligation to work that talent, and if you’re not true to yourself that way, you won’t be a runner.
What’s the most valuable lesson your coaches taught you? That hard work solves 98 percent of the problems out there. If you can’t pay your bills, you get another job. If you fail a
What do you do with the student-athletes on your team who aren’t distance runners? I have assistant coaches to help me in those events, and as long as they don’t
look and sound like me, it works. Because the last thing we need to have here is two of me running around. There’s more than one way to do anything, so we all make suggestions. It’s not important whether our student-athletes take those suggestions from me or from someone else, as long as they’re moving forward. What do you think of the results you’ve gotten so far? I’m pleased for the athletes, and I’m looking ahead to see what I can do better. I feel proud that we’ve added track to the program, and that the university has backed us. We’re headed in the right direction, and we’re moving forward at a good pace. Every year we get a little better, and I plan on being here for the next 15 to 20 years. By then, I’ll have less hair, and hopefully fewer pounds, but I definitely want to be standing around here with a stopwatch. I’m in no rush to become number one, because I’ve already been on top as an athlete, and I know what it’s like. So when I get there again, I want to make sure I’ll stay up there for a long time.
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he inherent contradiction of track and field: It is a sport of purely individual performances, and yet it has teams. Most of the time, this is fine. The chance to stand, solitary, on the podium without sharing the glory can be a great motivator. The drawback, however, comes when athletes falter and don’t place. Or when athletes look at their times and realize they aren’t stars, that they aren’t going to qualify for the next level of meet despite all their hard work. This is when the coaching of individuals on a team gets tough. Being part of the team, one of the primal joys and benefits of sports participation, loses some meaning. It’s one thing to take pride in crucial but anonymous offensive-line play, good glove work and solid base running, knowing you’ve contributed your unsung but vital part to the group effort. It’s another when your personal-best time, distance, or height is nowhere near good enough to earn team points. “I’ve been in this 20 years, and I’ve been where the focus is completely on individuals, which worked great, but it felt like there were lots of cheerleaders,” says Curtis Frye, Head Coach at the University of South Carolina. “It created the haves on the track and the havenots pulling for them—the kids who were not making the athletic contributions. They’re really excited to see their friend set a national record, but deep down inside they’re just like fans at a football game. They came, but it’s like they never even played.” Forging a team out of disparate individuals is a challenge in any sport, but it is perhaps greatest in track and field. And yet Frye and countless others do it, for the betterment of their organizations and, most of all, their athletes. How? Individuality Celebrated One of the most common approaches to dealing with the inherent contradiction is to not fight the individual-as-supreme idea and
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unapologetically focus on the performances and development of individual athletes. In some respects, the ability to embrace individual successes gives track and field a tremendous advantage over purely team sports. Gwen Harris, Head Coach at the University of Pennsylvania, says that a national team championship isn’t realistic for many college programs, particularly those that cannot afford a lot of scholarships, but an individual championship is. “If you can’t have a team at the highest level, you have individuals at the highest level,” Harris says. “And if you look at most schools, unless they have a lot of money, that’s what they’re doing.” The trick, however, is to approach individual striving and glory as something done together, pushing one another and sharing in each other’s achievements. This strategy acknowledges the individual orientation of the sport but makes all the work a group effort. Not every trout will make it to the spawning grounds, but they’ll swim upstream together just the same. “This is the way we explain it to our athletes,” says Pat Henry, Head Coach at Louisiana State University. “‘You might not be able to contribute to the team for a year or two years or maybe even three years, but that doesn’t keep you from continuing to improve yourself.’ “We’re going to travel with people who can compete at a certain level,” continues Henry, “and they know what that level of competition is. If they’re able to get there, then they’re going to start traveling and the opportunity to become better becomes greater.” Part of the job with this approach is to help all the athletes see their improvement. “It’s all in goal-setting,” says Scott Dalton, Head Coach at Middletown (Ohio) High School. Carefully designing goals for their individual improvement, and then working to meet the goals, is what keeps athletes who David Hill is an Assistant Editor at Coaching Management.
COVER STORY
Behind
Regardless of their abilities, all athletes can be involved in your program’s overall mission. Coaches share strategies for making sure every athlete feels part of the team. BY DAVID HILL
BRIAN WAYNE
COACHIING MANAGEMENT
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COVER STORY
aren’t the team’s stars motivated and interested, he says. “We set long-term goals and shortterm goals,” Dalton says. “If we have a meet and we have a certain time to hit, or a certain place to finish, that’s the goal for that meet, a short-term goal. The long-term goal might be an individual’s time through a season. It’s all about each person improving and hitting his or her own best, or just giving that effort to get as close as possible to the time that’s predetermined in their training program.” Another key strategy is to find levels of competition appropriate for all abilities. “We don’t go to quad meets or tri meets,” Dalton says. “We really only go to the bigger meets, and everybody runs. We make sure there are open races, j.v. races, and freshman races, along with the varsity races. So no one ever sits.” One way to ensure such competitive opportunities exist is to host them yourself. “We put on a lot of home meets,” Henry says, “and that gives the opportunity to compete to a lot of people who aren’t good enough to travel yet.” Many teams have intrasquad meets. But Henry’s coaching staff also has a tactic to combine both progress monitoring and ability-appropriate competition. “We have a team competition in the fall where everybody competes in five events,” he says. “They are not necessarily track events but they’re all strength development events that measure certain attributes we feel are important to becoming a good athlete. “We’ll compete in a standing long jump and a standing triple jump,” Henry continues, “and we’ll compete in an over-the-back throw with the shot put, a between-the-legs throw with a shot put, and a run for 30 meters out of the blocks. We all compete in and test on those events during the year, so they can see an improvement in themselves and can see what the program is doing for them.” Another way to motivate athletes and make them feel part of the team is to publicly recognize goals met, significant improvements, and outstanding performances—regardless of the athlete’s level or role on the team. “We have a team meeting every Wednesday where we highlight the best performances of that week,” says Frye. “The first thing we 16
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do is have everybody who’s had a personal best for the week stand up. And then we have everybody who is leading the nation stand up. We try to have a bar for everyone to reach, from personal best to NCAA national qualifying, to
leading the world at that time of the year. We try to recognize performance and try to keep everybody else aware, so they feel as though they have something to do with the performances and improvement of other people.”
DUELING DUAL MEETS? Every spring, college baseball becomes the top sport in Louisiana, if only for a day. The showdown between Tulane University and Louisiana State University is so big that it is sometimes staged in the vast Louisiana Superdome. Could the same thing happen to track and field? Could the Green Wave and Tigers pack a stadium to see a showdown between the state’s largest Division I universities? And if so, could similar intense head-to-head contests fire up interest in collegiate track and field, if only for a day? Probably not. “We don’t have the same school-againstschool rivalry in track and field,” says Pat Henry, Head Coach at LSU. “Most sports are purple beats green, LSU beats Tulane. That’s the goal. In our sport, the performance is the most important thing. It’s the actual time or distance that determines success. It’s not always who you beat. It’s how fast you run or how far you jump. That may be what our general public doesn’t understand. We don’t do a good job of educating people as to what is a great performance in our sport.” Henry doesn’t dismiss the appeal of dual scored meets. In high school, he says, there typically is a lot of interest in a school beating another in the team score, and to a degree, that sometimes continues at the collegiate level. But even when the excitement bubbles up, it’s not always the central team goal. “If we beat Florida in relays, most people think that’s great for the relay team,” he says. “But for a track and field coach, if we run slow but beat them, that wasn’t a success.” But wouldn’t more emphasis on scored team-vs.-team competition at least spur more team unity among squads? Not necessarily, some coaches say. It can even backfire. Curtis Frye, Head Coach at the University of South Carolina, says focusing on the team score could lead to packing events with the same, most-talented athletes from each discipline. “We could have a team that didn’t involve interaction between all the team members,” Frye says. “The athletes would only interact with other athletes from their own events. So having scored meets doesn’t guarantee that you’ve got the camaraderie and the friendship-building that I
think young people need while they’re in college.” For a few years, the Southeastern Conference mandated that member universities hold four-way scored meets with other conference schools, but they didn’t always work well, Henry says. “They weren’t competitive, because you’d have a steeplechaser running and there were maybe three guys running the steeple. And there may be nine people running the 5,000 and there may be only three high jumpers. That makes it tough to have a competitive environment that everybody can get very excited about.” The desire to win a head-to-head competition motivates athletes, but that neither requires dual meets nor is guaranteed by them, says Henry. “Let’s say I’m going to dual a certain team,” he says. “They’d better have people in every event area, and if they don’t, it’s me running against me. So you’ve got to really pick the institutions that you’re going to have dual meets with. When you start looking across the board and are trying to have distance runners, sprinters, jumpers, throwers, it becomes difficult. And when you’re trying to be very good at a high level, whether your goal is to win an SEC title or be successful at the NCAA level, you’ve got to have great competition for your athletes. “Competition is what makes people better,” continues Henry. “Right now, I don’t think small meets provide an environment to get better. I think the focus instead should be on big competitions, because the numbers provide an environment for somebody to be successful in every discipline and every event area.”
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All For One Goal The broad approach taken by many successful track and field coaches is to focus on goals common to all the program’s athletes. Individual striving is put in the context of collective goals. The job for the coach is to set the goals and expectations, then remind athletes of them so often that they become second-nature. The first step toward setting collective goals is deciding what you want for your team, according to Ron Mann, Head Coach at Northern Arizona University. “It’s important that you have a set of guiding principles, that you have a mission statement and a vision of where you’re trying to take that program,” he says. “My coaching staff and our athletes know very clearly what our mission statement is. We plan to be a conference contender, a regional power, and a national representative. Everything that we do focuses on that end.” Putting the mission in such concrete and clear terms shows each athlete that his or her performance target, whatever it may be, is part of the overall aspiration. There is a team goal for each level. “They know that their meeting the goal of qualifying for the conference is just as important as that of the person who is qualifying for the nationals, because that person who is qualifying for the conference meet is reaching one of the goals we have,” Mann says. “And one goal is no more important than another. They’re different. But they’re no more important.” Mann’s word is “teamsmanship,” a term for finding and highlighting interdependencies among disparate athletes. In track and field, perhaps the most obvious tool for highlighting interdependencies is relay events. Each leg can become a role for an athlete to fill and build his or her sense of responsibility and mutual benefit. A relay, Harris has found, presents an opportunity to emphasize that sometimes team success is the immediate priority. “I love good relay teams,” says Harris. “I’ve had an athlete to whom I said, ‘Okay, you need to get your time down, but you know that your priority is to be on this relay team,’ and ‘You can run this curve really well, so I need to be sure that you’re here doing that.’” 18
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Relays truly require a team concept, says Frye. “We go to a lot of relay meets in the early part of the season, trying to create that sense of dependency, because you can’t run a relay with four runners. You have to have six people, and they have to know their roles, and all of them have to feel like they are capable of stepping in and being the number one at any time. And they’ve got to run in different positions. Sometimes you’ve got a person who’s the leadoff leg but if an injury happens, he’s got the experience so he can move to another leg. “Athletes will also work harder on a relay because they don’t want to let other people down,” Frye continues. “Relays get people who think they are hotshots understanding that, ‘We as a
where our rankings are going and what we’ve got to do in each event to move ourselves up the ladder, so everybody on the team knows their part,” says Frye. “It’s a computer formula—no matter how good the best athlete you have, the second-best athlete you have gets half the value. So you’ve got to have two athletes that do well. We have athletes in some areas who are not All-Americans, so that gives the person who can score in the dual-meet rankings the opportunity to contribute to the team.” While a national title or top national power ranking might not be a realistic goal for all programs, don’t overlook the team aspirations that are within reach. When Harris took over the Penn team for the 2002-03 season after coaching 17 years at James Madison Uni-
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he University of South Carolina track and field program runs the gamut from athletes with Olympic and world championship experience to nonscholarship athletes who don’t travel to away meets. Still, there’s a chance for nearly everyone to be a champion. “We have what we call state collegiate meets,” says Head Coach Curtis Frye. “They’re for all colleges in the state. Last year I think we had 10 or 13. “The way it works is, only two members from any school can score in a competition,” Frye continues. “And that keeps all the big
group are no better than the weakest person, and I’ve got to encourage that person because that person is the best person we have for the four. I can’t destroy that person’s morale, because then who will I turn to?’ And then they will resolve: ‘This is the best person we have and this is who we’ve got to support. We’ve got to encourage them.” Watching team point standings in your respective conference or league provides another team goal to focus on. High school coaches can do this with the help of Internet-based rankings services. Even if athletes haven’t yet contributed team points through a meet finish, they can soak up the all-for-one, one-for-all mentality. “We bring attention each week to
schools from loading up and having all eight of the scores in, let’s say, the 100 meters. I can have only two scores. And then the College of Charleston and Coastal Carolina and all of those smaller schools have a chance in some events, and there are some events that they’re very strong in that I’m not very strong in, but my two people get a chance to score in that event.” Because of the two-people-from-a-team rule, a school can’t rely on a few top athletes to earn team points. Everyone on a team, even those who’d have little chance at a conference or national meet, can have a chance to contribute an event victory or high finish.
versity, she quickly detected a motivating factor she can’t take credit for but is strong nonetheless. “The Ivy League championship is huge,” she says. “Kids come up to me and say, ‘Coach Harris, I want that ring.’” Sweat-Free Team Building Building a truly well-rounded team, however, doesn’t stop at the outer edge of the track and pits. Much of the work can and should be done elsewhere. “We come together before each race and talk,” Dalton says. “And then I leave and everybody talks together before each cross country meet so the kids can talk about what’s going on.” Farther away from the track, Dalton’s team helps run the Special Olympics in
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the spring, even though it’s during their track and field season. “It makes some of them realize how lucky they are to be able to run a 4:06 mile or whatever they do,” he says. “We go to running camps during the summer. We do a candle sale in the community as a fund-raiser. The whole team does this, the 21st man and the number one.” Lee Webb, Head Coach at Logan High School in Culver City, Calif., puts up posters in the locker rooms, and
calls the local paper to get event announcements and results publicized. The team also puts on a summer camp and sponsors a fall Pumpkin Fun Run. They all build excitement about the program. “That’s the thing about track and field: Everybody participates,” Webb says. “You don’t take the top 15 who come out and focus on them. You play up improving your personal results as well as the chance to be on the team and wear the uniform.”
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COACHING MANAGEMENT
Another tactic is to find leadership roles for all team members. “We talk about how many athletes can contribute to being the best academic team on campus,” says Frye, “and compare the team GPA to last year’s team GPA. We emphasize things like how many points were scored by our freshman group, what was the GPA of the freshman group, and how many students scored a 4.0, a 2.0. and even 1.5 or below. We don’t call out names but we emphasize that we have some students who are not holding up their part.” The off-track competition extends to community service, Frye says. “We try to make sure we do more community service than other teams on campus, or we try to get more canned food for Thanksgiving. We put girls versus guys, sprinters versus distance people. And we have nights out bowling. We divide into groups. We try to make the experience as good as possible, but competitive and dependent.” Holding office is another way to contribute. Frye’s coaching staff appoints members to the student-athlete advisory council, typically mixing juniors with seniors and athletes from different events. Captains are elected by athletes, but coaches require them to campaign, he says, on platforms such as holding more coach-free team meetings or improving study halls. “This is a way of rewarding years of experience and involvement in the team,” he says. Ultimately, though, it’s up to the athletes. If the coaching staff has laid the groundwork, they’ll come through, and the joy of teamsmanship will transcend the events, times, and distances. Mann relates what happened at the 2002 Big Sky Conference indoor meet. Ida Nilsson, who had already won the 5,000meter run and mile and was set for the NCAAs, wanted to help pace teammate Susie Rutherford, who was close to qualifying in the 3,000-meter run. “Susie had a qualifying mark, but we all knew that it wasn’t fast enough to get into the national meet, so Ida entered and took her through,” Mann says. “Susie hung on as long as she could and couldn’t hold on any longer and she didn’t end up qualifying, but what a wonderful tribute that was to both of them. And they’re still friends to this day. Isn’t that what life is all about?” ■
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Joe Rubio’s Rubio’s Training Training Tip Tip Joe for the the Month: Month: for ne of the critical errors young coaches make is that they attempt to raise several training stimuli at the same time. Doing so usually results in a hurt athlete or one who fails to improve throughout the season. For instance, inexperienced coaches will ask their young distance runners to attempt new weekly mileage PR’s while also trying to maintain their schedule of two to three track sessions a week. These athletes usually crash and burn, particularly if they are new to running.
O
I fully understand this situation because I experienced it firsthand when I started my coaching career. Like many athletes, I tried my hand at guiding athletes back in 1993 because I felt I’d be a good, solid coach. I had guided myself to a couple of Olympic Trials appearances and had helped some friends race well using the same basic training I had used to gain success. I thus rationalized that the only prerequisite to turning any local talent into an All-American was to give the kids the same workouts I did and the rest would fall into place.
ning percentage, and I realized something very quickly. I hadn’t a clue what I was doing. I essentially killed the entire team’s season. The above example points out something it took me years to understand: For a program to truly succeed, the
With this confidence, I tried tackling the local community college team as part of my Masters curriculum. I started out my coaching career doing what I assumed to be the correct method. I took out my past training logs from my old community college days and gave these same workouts to the team. We had success using these workouts in 1981, so I assumed we would have similar success in 1993 using the same stuff. I was wrong.
workload assigned to each athlete has to be appropriate for that particular athlete at that point of the season. Every time I have an athlete develop injuries, race below their capabilities or falter badly as the season progresses it is because I have failed to adequately estimate the workload that is appropriate for that particular athlete. In other words, like many inexperienced coaches, I had failed to use the principle of "progression" properly or put another way, I assigned too much work at too fast a pace and too soon for that athlete. The result was a broken kid.
The workouts I assigned were demanding and the kids jumped in with abandon, attacking everything I gave them daily. We ran a ton of miles and we ran them hard. This worked well for about three weeks, and then it became apparent something was wrong. Nearly everyone became injured and morale was low. Almost the entire team was in the pool trying to get in shape. One lucky sole was able to continue running the actual workouts only one month into the program. This was not a good win-
Please do your best to avoid making this mistake. Stress of any sort needs to be incorporated slowly enough so that the body can adapt without breaking. Increased mileage and increased intensity are two different stresses that need to be adapted to individually. Increasing both at the same time should be avoided. Start with one, and then raise the other. For instance, try raising the mileage by spending the summer and early fall months adapting to new mileage goals before pushing the limits
on the effort of the regularly scheduled workouts. Yes do some faster work during this time, but keep it very manageable and within the capabilities of each runner. Once they’ve adapted to the new mileage goals, then it will be time to increase the volume of intensity run each week while maintaining these
weekly miles. Until then, adapt to the easy mileage first and be patient before hammering the scheduled workouts. As the athlete matures it becomes less stressful to jump back into more intense training weeks. It’s just one of the added benefits of long term training that once you have successfully attained a fitness level, resuming that same level of training is easier and less stressful than it was to initially attain that level in the first place. Therefore, a more experienced athlete can get back up to a higher weekly volume of mileage sooner, they can also get back on the harder workouts sooner than an athlete with less training background. The bottom line though is do not assume (as I did) that a young runner can jump into the level of training of a more experienced runner and survive. Most will not. Joe Rubio is head coach of the Aggie Running Club located in San Luis Obipso, California. For questions or comments, please contact Joe Rubio directly at joe@vsathletics.com
THE RISK
Follow these practical steps to keep your athletes out
This article is about the most boring subject there is in sports: safety. It’s boring, that is, until an athlete gets hurt.
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The Right Attitude The key to lowering the risk of injury is to make safety important by making it a regular topic of conversation. Explain to your athletes the danger of attempting throws or jumps they haven’t been adequately trained in. Correct safety problems immediately. Say, “No, we won’t practice,” if a situation is hazardous. In addition, talk to your athletes about their responsibility for their own safety and the safety of others. Explain to your throwers what could happen if they leave their shot or discus where someone
could trip over them. Show your javelin throwers how to scan the area before starting their practice throws. When athletes hear you preach safety, they will be less apt to attempt risky behavior. When parents see you take safety seriously, they will trust you and your judgement, even after an injury happens. When you put a priority on safety in your planning, you will be able to spot hazards more easily. Knowledgeable Coaches Unlike most sports, track and field is a combination of several events, each of which carries its own level of risk. Therefore, the most significant part of any risk management plan is the hiring of certified and qualified coaches who are intimately familiar with the risks of each event they coach. Running a track and field event when
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Coaches must know and appreciate their risk management duties. The implementation of solid safety rules will not guarantee your athletes freedom from injury, but it will lower the chances of both common and serious, catastrophic injuries. Lowering the chance of injury lowers the chance of expensive, time-consuming, programshattering lawsuits. The following are your legal responsibilities as a coach. They are based on a consensus of opinions by those in athletics, an ongoing review of court cases, and my years of experience as an athletic risk
manager. They are also what a good coach does—offer a worthwhile athletic experience that manages the risks of participation. However, when in doubt about your duties, seek the advice of your school’s legal counsel. Do it before an accident.
SPORTS SAFETY
BY DR. RICHARD P. BORKOWSKI
FACTOR
of harm’s way—and your program out of legal hot water. you do not have a coach who is thoroughly familiar with the risks involved creates a major risk. If you don’t have a qualified coach for a high-risk event, don’t do the event, or send your athletes to specific event centers or to a school with a qualified high-risk-event coach. Track and field requires at least two, and preferably three, coaches. This is critical because of the numerous and varied events and because of the large area that needs to be supervised. Coaches are required to know the rules of their specific sport and fulfill the requirements of national and state associations. Read the rulebook every season. Attend state and local meetings. Never ignore any regulation that pertains to a safety issue. There is no excuse for not staying current with all rules and regulations. Just as important, follow your athletic department rules and regulations. Talk with your ath-
letic director at least once a year about safety-related issues. In addition to event rules, competent coaches know the basic rules of health safety. You are not expected to know all that an athletic trainer knows, but do stay current on the major guidelines. For example, it would be considered a breach of your duty as a coach if you prevented your team from taking water breaks during practice. If you recommend any type of nutritional supplements to your athletes, be sure there are absolutely no risks involved with taking them. Know about proper warmup and cooldown. Warn of Risks Some coaches feel that if you inform student-athletes of potential injuries, they will stop participating. This has proven to be untrue. In fact, warning and obtaining an informed-consent
form from athletes and parents is an established duty, and informing people about the potential risks of participating in any activity actually reduces injuries. It may seem obvious that an athlete can get hurt in track and field, but informed-consent forms help spell out just what the potential risks are. The form should include pertinent words in large print, such as “Warning,” “Attention,” and “Please Read.” The heading on the form should also be in large print. The form should cover all phases, sites, and timeframes. Your legal counsel should review the informed-consent form. After it has been signed, give a copy to each student-athlete’s parents, and keep the original. It is important that the recipient understands the seriousness of the consent form. Have a parent-information meeting to discuss the risks and benefits of participation. Ask parents and athletes if they have any questions and if they understand what they are signing. They should know that signing the form is voluntary, and that by doing so, they are agreeing to accept the risks that come with participation. Even after the form has been signed, warnings and reminders should be issued. They should be frequent and given within the context of normal instruction. Super Supervision Lack of supervision is the most-cited complaint against coaches. The coaches’ presence during an activity is the first line of defense against potential problems. Permitting athletes to remain on the track or field for extra practice without supervision is not an option. Being there, however, is only the first step. Supervision means controlling the situation through your knowledge and planning. First, you must be completely familiar with the activity you are supervising. You must plan appropriate activities Richard P. Borkowski, EdD, CMAA, is a sport safety consultant based in Narberth, Pa., who served as the Director of Physical Education and Athletics at the Episcopal Academy in Merion, Pa., for 33 years. His most recent book is titled Coaching for Safety, A Risk Management Handbook for Coaches, published by ESD112 in Vancouver, Wash.
COACHING MANAGEMENT
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SPORTS SAFETY
for the group you are working with, taking the time to foresee potential problems. You must do your best to keep your team members in view and continually scan the area. A track coach must get into the habit of circulating throughout the entire area where athletes are practicing or competing. The ability to scan a large area for potential danger spots is critical in track and field because of the wide separation of events. Avoid distractions. Supervising the pole vault is not the time to talk with others. Don’t forget that it’s also your job to supervise students who are helping out with events. In Pennsylvania, a track coach instructed two non-javelin throwers to mark throws. It was their first javelin experience. Both markers got distracted from their task and spent more time watching the running events. The coach, tired of reminding them to pay attention, permitted the thrower to toss the javelin without telling the markers. The javelin hit one of the markers, close to his eye. The coach admitted it was his own fault for not providing adequate supervision.
Appropriate Equipment You must offer your track and field athletes appropriate and well-fitting equipment. The days of passing down the old hurdles, cross bars, and landing pits to the middle school team are over. Equipment lasts for only a certain length of time. Replace it before it is no longer functional and becomes dangerous. Do not use outdated equipment or padding that no longer meets current guidelines. Avoid modifying equipment or using it for any activity other than its intended purpose. For example, a coach invented a rubber harness system. The harness was then attached to a bleacher set or some other stationary object by rubber straps. The idea was to give the harnessed runner an isometric workout. Unfortunately, when a stronger runner stopped moving forward, the expanded rubber straps snapped him back with such force that he was knocked off his feet. Lastly, remember to store or secure all equipment after practice. In particular, throwing implements must be controlled.
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Check Facilities It is the coach’s duty to inspect the site he or she is going to use. If there is a problem, correct it. If it cannot be corrected immediately, adjust the activity and report the problem. Stay current with facility recommendations made by local, state, and national governing bodies. Make sure that there are sufficient “buffer zones” outside the boundary lines of throwing events. Whenever possible, avoid having paved surfaces around the landing areas for jumps. If they must be used, always cover them with protective matting. Assign someone to check the area of activity on a daily basis. Look for holes and debris, and check the bleachers. Carefully examine running surfaces and runways on a regular basis, looking for areas that have become cracked or uneven, and stay in communication with the maintenance department. Progressive Planning A key part of risk management—and one which is the subject of some recent
SPORTS SAFETY
well-publicized court cases—is the coach’s role in instructing his or her athletes in a progressive, safe manner. You have a responsibility to develop a sequence of progressive practice sessions and offer competition preparation and strategies that result in a worthwhile and safe experience for students. This begins with your strength and conditioning program. Progression is the key to proper conditioning, and rest is a key component. Trying to do too much too soon, and cutting back on the conditioning and stretching phase to get in more skill practice are two errors coaches often make that increase the risk of injury. Before they participate, your track and field athletes’ fitness levels must be evaluated. Your conditioning program should reflect the physical demands of the sport. Remember that water and nutritional information are part of physical conditioning. Follow your association’s conditioning guidelines, and always check with your team physician and athletic trainer before implementing a new idea. Extensive information concerning proper physical conditioning—both what’s appropriate and what is not—is available. Taking advantage of it is one important way to make the sport safer for your athletes. Good Instruction Alongside proper progression must be appropriate instruction. You not only have a duty to instruct your athletes to run, jump, and throw well, but you must teach the proper techniques to lower the chance of injury. The repetition of fundamental skills is one of the major, and often neglected, techniques used to lower risk. Have the skill demonstrated and let the athletes practice it in various ways before attempting it in a competitive setting. Never, ever place an athlete into a situation he or she is not prepared for. Ask yourself if you are running an activity in an acceptable manner. Is the way you teach your athletes to pass the baton the best and safest way to do it? Safer Meets With multiple events taking place at once, and both spectators and competitors to consider, track and field meets can present significant risks and require careful planning. One common safety
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hazard comes from holding throwing events inside the track while running and jumping events are taking place on the track. This practice can be success-
A SHORT LIST Every track & field coach needs to: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
■
■
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Recognize that risks exist. Identify those risks. Evaluate the risks. Have a plan to reduce the risks. Closely supervise the program. Remind participants of their role in controlling risks. Always remain vigilant. Risk management is a continual process. Review and revise the program when necessary. Ask for assistance from supervisors. Care about the welfare of all athletes.
ful, but to be safe, it requires flawless organization and tight control by offi-
cials. If at all possible, it’s better to keep the throwing events—especially the javelin, discus, and hammer—out of the track infield. If there is no other field available for the throwing events during a meet, consider scheduling them before or after the running events or holding them on another day. Another creative solution that has worked well for some schools is to hold a tri- or quad-meet that is exclusively for throwers: Three or four schools send their throwers to one school, and those are the only events that take place. The runners and jumpers can compete at the same time at one of the other three or four schools. You are also responsible for the safety of the fans who attend the meet. Permitting spectators on the track and around throwing events creates a needless hazard. Under ideal conditions, all meets would be held inside a stadium where spectators have access only to the grandstand, and only participants in uniform and coaches with I.D. tags would be permitted onto the field.
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However, if your track doesn’t have a separate grandstand, ensure spectator safety by roping off the competition area and using marshal ushers to keep spectators on the other side. A police officer patrolling the area is also a good reminder for fans to remain in the designated area. Make frequent announcements over the public address system, informing spectators that only coaches, officials, and participants are allowed onto the track. After the Injury Regardless of the excellence of a risk management program, injuries will still occur. A coach is expected to have basic knowledge as to what he or she should and should not do when an athlete is injured. Most importantly, you must know how to implement your emergency plan. Do you know what to do at an away meet when there is a serious injury? Whom do you call? Do you have a cell phone? Actually practice your emergency game plan before an emergency happens.
SPORTS SAFETY
Coaches should have training in basic first aid and CPR. Obtain an AED and make sure someone present knows how to use it. Maintain a first aid kit that includes individual emergency medical forms. Obtain a higher level of medical care as quickly as possible after an injury happens. Protect the injured athlete from further harm, and offer comfort and reassurance. Do not attempt to provide medical assistance beyond your ability. Remember the golden rule of injury assessment and first aid care: Always assume and treat for the worst possible injury. Report and document the incident as soon as possible. Accident reports should be factual and to the point. Do not editorialize. Avoid post-injury discussions with anyone but your supervisor or medical personnel. An athlete should not resume practicing or competing after an injury or illness without a completed “return-to-play” form. Along with being knowledgeable in first aid care, the single most important
thing you can do after an athlete suffers an injury is to show both the athlete and his or her parents that you care. Although it sounds simple, parents are less apt to take a coach to court if he or she seems to have been genuinely concerned about the welfare of the student-athlete. Maintain Records As often as possible, put things in writing and keep records. This includes checklists, practice plans, training plans, medical examination forms, the athletic handbook, informed-consent forms, and return-to-play agreements. Following a written plan lowers the chance of forgetting an issue and demonstrates your professionalism. It will save you a great deal of time in the future. Check with your athletic administrator as to the number of years you should retain all these records. My sources suggest four to seven years. One more note here: The records you keep on file must reflect what you
actually did in a situation. If your written rules state athletes cannot practice without passing a physical and then you permit a student to participate who hasn’t, you may be found negligent. On A Daily Basis Whether it’s a practice, strength workout, or meet, as you walk into every situation, ask yourself, have I done all that is reasonable to lower the chance of injury to my athletes? Have I checked for hazards? Have I reviewed the safety of the drills? Have I taught my athletes how to be safe? The best defense against injuries and lawsuits is to understand, appreciate, and meet your legal duties as a coach. You may have noticed that they are the same as the basic duties of any good coach. It’s a matter of staying vigilant and caring about the student-athletes on your team. Let’s keep risk management boring. ■
For more articles on risk management by Dr. Borkowski, please visit our Web site at www.AthleticSearch.com and type “Borkowski” into the search window.
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eral population. Older studies estimate that at least 10 to 20 percent of all female athletes have the condition. While these figures have not been broken down by sport, track and field athletes are among the sufferers. But why does the incidence appear to be growing? What are the long-term ramifications of skipping one’s period? And how do you implement prevention strategies? Defining Dysfunction When a woman’s reproductive system is functioning normally, her brain’s hypothalamus releases a hormone called gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) at regular intervals. GnRH acts on the pituitary gland, causing the cyclic rise and fall of lutenizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). These messengers tell her body to produce mature eggs, ovulate, and make estrogen. A disruption of
normal menstruation occurs when the hypothalamus stops releasing the GnRH that sets the cycle in motion. Technically, any missed periods constitute amenorrhea. Some medical studies define amenorrhea as missing a year’s worth of periods after menarche (first period) has taken place. Other physicians feel three months or more without a cycle is cause for concern. But more and more professionals are pointing to menstrual dysfunction of any kind as a substantial warning. “If a female misses a period, there’s an indication that there’s something going on that should be cause for alarm,” says Dr. Bill Evans, Director of the Nutrition, Metabolism, and Exercise Laboratory at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. “Evidence shows that if a woman is irregular, she potentially has other health problems.” Until recently, scientists believed that amenorrhea was a result of low
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ost of us envision studentathletes as the picture of health—lithe, muscular, and hardy. But imagine intercollegiate track meets where 80-year-old women with osteoporosis line up to throw the javelin or take each other on in the 100 meter hurdles. It sounds inconceivable, but some of the athletes on your team who appear young and strong on the outside may actually be as frail on the inside as these imagined elderly women. The reason is secondary amenorrhea, a condition whereby women do not get their menstrual periods. A recent study by Dr. Michelle Cameron, orthopedic surgeon and spokesperson for the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, found the prevalence of amenorrhea in collegiate female varsity athletes to be 28 percent, compared to two to five percent in the gen-
SPORTS MEDICINE
body fat. But research over the last 15 years indicates that this is not the case. Rather, amenorrhea appears to be multi-causal. Among the factors that bring on amenorrhea are congenital abnormalities of the reproductive tract, metabolic or endocrine disorders (including malnutrition), stress, tumors or cysts, or combinations of the above. In athletes, however, the vast majority of cases of amenorrhea stem from an imbalance between activity level and nutritional intake. For example, a female student-athlete who menstruates during her off-season may lose her periods once preseason training begins because she increases her activity level without correspondingly increasing her nutritional intake. Her body can’t sustain all functions without adequate calories and nutrition, and reproductive mechanisms are among the first to shut down. The Dangers Among the most widely known health risks associated with amenorrhea is the early onset of osteoporosis—the crippling
Estrogen also helps maintain a balance between the rate of bone destruction and bone reformation. Generally, children and teens grow new bone faster than they destroy old, which is why their bones grow in thickness and length. Amenorrheic athletes, however, lack the estrogen to stave off bonedestroying cells. “You build bone and fill your bone bank until you’re about 25,” says Jill Thein-Nissenbaum, Faculty Associate at the University of Wisconsin, who studies amenorrhea. “After that, you start to lose bone. But amenorrheic athletes fail to fill their bone bank optimally, so they’re really setting themselves up for significant problems later in life.” “Girls think they need bone for height, and once they reach their height, what does it matter?” adds Heidi Skolnik, President of Nutrition Conditioning, Inc., in Fort Lee, N.J., who works with athletes at Princeton University. “But it’s not just the length of bone that matters, it’s the density of your bone. And you lay down all the density you will ever have in
The latest study shows that out of every four female athletes, one is suffering from amenorrhea. And the ramifications for their health are truly frightening. BY SHELLY WILSON disease of low bone mass and bone fragility. Because amenorrhea, like menopause, affects the body’s estrogen levels, bone development is compromised. A 1997 article in The Physician and Sportsmedicine states that decreased estrogen levels in young women can leach away as much as two to six percent of total bone mass per year. And the results of a University of Arkansas study released in July 2002 show that two percent of college-age women already have osteoporosis and a further 15 percent have sustained significant losses in bone density and may be on their way to developing the disease. Why is estrogen so important to bone mass? Contrary to popular belief, estrogen doesn’t actually build bones. Rather, it ensures that one’s bones absorb calcium, which they need to stay strong. Also, estrogen conserves the calcium in bones by encouraging other body systems to make more efficient use of the calcium available in one’s diet.
your lifetime in your teenage years. If a female athlete misses that window, she can’t make it back.” The toll amenorrhea can take on a young athlete’s bones can also be felt immediately. Especially for runners, low bone density often leads to stress fractures. “We did a survey years ago with women runners,” says Evans. “And it turned out that the women who were amenorrheic had a much higher incidence of stress fractures than the women who were regularly menstruating. So it’s not just an issue of, ‘I’ll develop osteoporosis when I’m 70 years old.’” Other effects of early bone loss can pop up only a few years after an athlete’s competing days end. “I know a patient who [was amenorrheic, and when she got older and] wanted to have a baby, she couldn’t because her bones were too weak to support a pregnancy,” says Nancy Clark, Director of Sports Nutrition Services at Sports Medicine Associates in Brookline, Mass.
And amenorrhea may have a more direct impact on a woman’s fertility. Some healthcare professionals, like Thein-Nissenbaum and Skolnik, believe long-term amenorrhea may prevent regular, reliable ovulation even after menstruation has returned. “Women who continue to have bouts of amenorrhea are eventually going to discontinue ovulating periodically, and that’s going to make it much more difficult for them to get pregnant,” says Thein-Nissenbaum. Others believe once an athlete is back on track and menstruation is reinstated, fertility resumes as normal. But no one really knows for sure, since doctors have only been examining the condition for a short time. “Unfortunately, this condition has only been defined in the last 10 or 15 years, and the women who were the first diagnosed are just now starting to have children,” says Thein-Nissenbaum. Another potentially serious health implication of amenorrhea that is only now being looked into is heart disease. Although not widely researched yet, the increased risk in post-menopausal women for cardiovascular disease led the Medical College of Wisconsin’s Cardiovascular Research Center to undertake a study of amenorrheic female runners in 2000. It was presented to the American College of Sports Medicine last year. The Center studied two groups of women, all of whom ran at least 25 miles per week, were at least 18 years old, and were not on oral birth control. One group, of 11 women, had normal periods. The other group consisted of 10 women, all of whom had missed their periods for more than six months. Because a loss of blood vessel dilation is believed to be the first precursor to the development of heart disease, each participant’s blood vessels were examined using ultrasound to measure their ability to dilate under different conditions. The women with amenorrhea had the vasculature of 50year-old post-menopausal women. Battle Cry With so much more to be learned about the effects of the condition, many physicians would like to see amenorrhea taken more seriously by the athletic popShelly Wilson is a former Assistant Editor at Coaching Management.
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ulation. “There’s a lack of appreciation for the magnitude of the problem and a lack of understanding about what causes it,” says Evans. “Athletes aren’t as concerned as they should be.” As with many things in sports medicine, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and the keys to preventing amenorrhea are communication and education. The first step is to educate your athletes about amenorrhea. An annual workshop led by coaches or athletic trainers can dispel the myths athletes may have learned from former coaches and even uninformed family doctors. Particularly powerful are presentations from, or stories of, formerly amenorrheic athletes. Postings on bulletin boards or handouts can also work well. Coaches must also work to counter menstruation’s image as a burden and promote it as an asset necessary for overall health. “On some teams, amenorrhea is looked upon as evidence that they’re doing an appropriate amount of training,” says Thein-Nissenbaum. “If you still have your period, the perception is that you’re not training hard enough. But using amenorrhea as a bar to measure effective training is completely inappropriate.” According to Skolnik, at the high school level, parents are another group that should be addressed. “Send out a letter at the beginning of the year informing parents about amenorrhea and letting them know that it’s something you look for, what you do if you find it, why it’s important, and that it’s something for them to pay attention to,” she says. And because amenorrhea can result from exercise that outpaces nutritional intake, or from rapid weight loss, TheinNissenbaum reminds coaches to proceed cautiously when weight loss is required for optimum athletic performance. “One or two pounds per week is ideal,” she says. “You don’t want to lose more than two pounds a week, or the athlete is probably going to get dehydrated and lose muscle mass. And athletes shouldn’t try to lose weight in the peak of the season, because it’s too much stress on the body.” Early Detection Since amenorrhea is vastly under reported by sufferers, medical professionals would like to see educational efforts coupled with earlier detection of the condition in order to minimize 30
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health risks. Inquiries into athletes’ menstrual cycles can begin during preparticipation exams. In fact, the American College of Sports Medicine is in the process of rewriting the questions on its preparticipation form related to menstruation. Until the new form is issued, consider using these questions: ■ When did you first get your period? ■ Are you regular? ■ If you’re not very regular, how regular are you? ■ How long is your typical cycle? ■ Do you often skip your period? ■ How many times a year do you miss a period? “Amenorrhea should be on the list just like everything else,” says Skolnik. “‘Do you sneeze, do you cough, do you have weak ankles, and do you get your period?’” Also, don’t accept vague answers. A reply of “normal” to the question “What’s
T
oday, the most favored treatment for exercise-related secondary amenorrhea comes not in the form of estrogen supplementation, but through changes to an athlete’s diet under the guidance of a licensed nutritionist. And while coaches should never attempt to treat amenorrhea themselves, there are nutritional recommendations they can make that may help prevent the onset of amenorrhea in the first place. “Amenorrhea frequently stems from overexercise and under-eating,” explains Heidi Skolnik, President of Nutrition Conditioning, Inc., in Fort Lee, N.J. “It’s an energy deficit thing. A female athlete may think she is eating healthfully but may be 500 calories shy of what she needs. She may not be anorexic or even losing weight, but she’s not giving her body what it needs to sustain itself at an optimum healthy level. So athletes need to make sure that when they step up their training that they also step up their food intake. Their calories in need to be equivalent to their calories out.” One dietary way to prevent amenorrhea is to insist on the inclusion of fat in your players’ diets. “Athletes confuse eating fat with getting fat,” explains Nancy Clark, Director of Nutrition Services at Sports Medicine Associates, in Brookline, Mass. “But that’s not true. Fat is a part of the body’s nervous system, it’s a component of hormones, and it’s important in allow-
your menstrual cycle like?” can mean very different things to different athletes. It might be normal in some athletes’ minds to miss their periods for the six months of preseason and in-season training. If during the preparticipation exam an athlete states she uses oral birth control, a contraceptive patch, or Lunelle (a monthly birth control shot), athletic trainers or coaches should ask follow-up questions. “I often ask patients, ‘If you weren’t on the pill, would you have regular menstrual periods?’” says Clark. “And often they say, ‘No, that’s why I went on the pill.’” Also note that a student-athlete using a form of chemical contraception isn’t immune to developing amenorrhea, despite the estrogen they contain. “The dose of estrogen a woman gets from the pill is very small compared to her loss of estrogen as a result of amenorrhea,” says Evans.
ing certain vitamins to get absorbed. At least 20 percent of an athlete’s calories should come from fat. “Nuts, peanut butter, salmon, and olive oil are all healthy fat options,” continues Clark. “Female student-athletes should try to include a little fat at each meal. That could mean using two-percent milk on cereal or substituting a light salad dressing for a fat-free one.”
NUTRITIONAL STRATEGIES
Another important nutritional defense is adequate protein. “Insufficient protein has been linked with amenorrhea in conjunction with low calorie intake,” explains Clark. “Amenorrheic athletes tend to eat less protein than their regularly menstruating counterparts. And when calories are low, the body’s protein needs actually increase.” Calcium and Vitamin D are also important because of the positive role they play in the prevention of osteoporosis and the minimization of bone-density damage should a female athlete suffer amenorrhea. “I would look for some dairy with each meal, so they have at least three dairy items a day—like milk on cereal, yogurt at lunch, milk with dinner, or low-fat cheese on a sandwich,” Clark says.
SPORTS MEDICINE
Coaches or athletic trainers should also question female athletes periodically throughout the year about any changes they’ve experienced in their cycles. “If an athlete is returning after the summer and is answering preparticipation exam questions, she may be able to say she has her period,” says Skolnik. “But by October, she may not.”
time to heal. They have chronic strains and sprains from their muscles not being provided adequate nutrition.” Refer When Needed The causes of amenorrhea can vary widely, so athletic trainers and coaches who know of or suspect student-athletes with amenorrhea should always refer the
syndrome. And it took a good work-up from a doctor to figure that out.” The best thing you can do, say experts, is to make sure your student-athletes are aware of the condition, understand the health problems associated with losing one’s period, and learn to come to you whenever their cycles seem irregular. “A woman should understand that losing
“When you don’t get your period, you have an increased risk for stress fractures. So I’d absolutely investigate menstrual history anytime an athlete has a stress fracture.” Questions on amenorrhea should also automatically arise whenever a female athlete suffers an injury. “When you do not get your period, you have an increased risk for stress fractures,” says Skolnik, “so I’d absolutely investigate menstrual history anytime an athlete has a stress fracture.” “Prolonged delayed healing is another thing to look for if they suspect an athlete has amenorrhea,” adds Thein-Nissenbaum. “These are the athletes who get the stress fractures that take double the
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patient to a physician or gynecologist who’s sensitive to the needs of studentathletes. Sometimes amenorrhea can’t be corrected by simply cutting back training or increasing nutritional consumption, and coaches who try to cure it on their own delay proper diagnosis and put the student-athlete at risk. “There are lots of reasons why you don’t get your period,” explains Skolnik. “I had one athlete who looked like it was caused by the female athlete triad, but she really had polycystic ovarian
her period is not natural,” says Evans. “It’s not something that should be desired or emulated. It comes with a number of health consequences and should be dealt with as soon as possible if she wants to continue with her athletic career. Because by the time they stop menstruating, even intermittently, it means there’s a problem already.” ■ A version of this article has appeared in other editions of Coaching Management, as well as its sister publication, Training & Conditioning.
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Track & Field Facilities BEYNON SPORTS SURFACES, INC. (410) 771-9473, jbeynon@beynonsports.com Beynon Sports Surfaces, Inc. has been manufacturing and installing polyurethane running tracks for over 25 years. John Beynon, President/CEO
of Beynon Sports is the founder and former owner of Martin Surfacing, Inc. Beynon Sports, offers a full range of polyurethane track surfacing from the BSS-100 (basemat/structural spray), BSS200 (basemat choke coat/structural spray), BSS-300 (sandwich), to the BSS1000, dual-durometer full pour. Circle No. 30 on Reader Inquiry Card Beynon Sports renovated Wallace Wade Stadium of Duke University this past summer. The existing rubber surface was removed and replaced with BSS-1000. Beynon Sports built the BSS1000 to accommodate the middle distance/distance runners, providing a training and competition surface for the track program, and a tough surface to accommodate a track inside a major football stadium. Circle No. 31 on Reader Inquiry Card
CONICA (800) 642-7010, www.conica.com Conica® has introduced a new indoor athletic surface, CONIPUR® ISP Sprint. It is a spike resistant, multi-layer system, topped with an isocyanatefree, single component water-based polyurethane Conipur® 2211 W (patent pending) and EPDM, spray applied. The surface is 14mm thick, colored, impervious and seam-free. In addition to the excellent properties of CONIPUR® ISP Sprint, three force reduction values from 35 –
44% can be incorporated in a single seam-free installation. Circle No. 32 on Reader Inquiry Card
EC PRINT (800) 277-1920, www.ecprint.com For over 25 years, EC Print has focused on leading the race industry to new levels. Supplying competition numbers, print media, and race supplies to over 60% of the race industry; we take our responsibility to the success of your event seriously! The support team at EC Print is poised to handle all of your printing and marketing needs, quick delivery, design, and event consultation. Let us save you time on the logistical planning by providing customized packaging and shipping options or by coordinating supplies for a multi-location event. We want your event to reach a new height with every year that passes. Circle No. 33 on Reader Inquiry Card
LYNX SYSTEM DEVELOPERS, INC. (781) 935-6959, www.finishlynx.com Lynx, the foremost supplier of track and field results network products in the world, can build a comprehensive results network that will send both track and field information to your scoreboard. By adding ResulTV, information can be seen on television monitors or video walls. All products can be assembled in modules, and all Lynx products link together. Circle No. 34 on Reader Inquiry Card
MARATHON PRINTING (800) 255-4120, www.marathonprinting.com Marathon Printing, Inc. specializes in numbers for all kinds of special events. The company’s goal is to deliver the highest quality custom and stock bibs on time. Marathon prints all your num-
bers in house, which gives the company total control to customize your bibs. If you need references, just contact Marathon. It supplies numbers for some of the largest and most popular events all over the world and would be glad to talk to you about your event. Circle No. 35 on Reader Inquiry Card
ON TRACK (800) 697-2999, www.ontrackandfield.com On Track High Jump and Pole Vault Standards feature weight–saving anodized aluminum uprights equipped with polymer measurement scales that resist peeling and tearing. Unique "on–off" riser clamps make height adjustment positive and secure at all heights—no more slipping because of loose screw–downs. The steel riser tubes and offsets are zinc–electroplated for durability. The Pole Vault Standards slide along heavy steel rail units for unsurpassed stability. Circle No. 36 on Reader Inquiry Card
On Track Fast Lane High School Hurdles are the original truly stackable rocker–type hurdles. Constructed with a double–tube steel base, heli–arc welded for superior strength and durability, these hurdles ship completely assembled and ready to use. The open approach means there is no rear crossbar to intimidate young hurdlers, and button latches quickly adjust to five heights. All this, AND upright tubes are available in most school colors at no extra charge! Circle No. 37 on Reader Inquiry Card
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Track & Field Facilities PROMATS (970) 484-2500, www.promats.com Promats Pole Vault Landing Pits are designed with the athlete in mind. Vaulter safety, proper deceleration and maximum pole bend are key factors that have influenced the overall design of our vaulting pits. Promats landing pits contain an inner “honeycomb” polyurethane foam core consisting of several different layers. We offer both 32” and 26” overall thickness. This combination of foam thickness and layering provides for maximum safety while offering the longest-lasting core possible.
RGN TRACK SUPPLIES (507) 289-8473, www.rgntrack.com LASAM™ means an accurate system of laser measuring for track and field. The LASAM utilizes a Leica produced laser known as a Disto. This user friendly and owner friendly system efficiently measures the “long throws.” The LASAM system (patent applied for) lists at $5,995. A portable laser measuring system is available at $2,695, while an individual Disto classic laser device for measuring high jump and pole vault lists at $495.
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SPORTSLINE, INC. (610) 526-9476, www.sportslineinc.com SPORTSLINE builds and surfaces sports facilities tracks and fields, including the Eagles NFL stadium track and the University of the Sciences fieldhouse track. Sportsline’s goal is to provide complete plans and specifications, laser-controlled bases, proven highgrade surface systems: IAAF certified CONICA tracks, SPECTRAGRASE/ SYNTEC TURF all professionally installed. SPORTSLINE lays it on the line, partners with the factory to the pavement—from starting line to the finish line. Circle No. 40 on Reader Inquiry Card
Check out www.AthleticBid.com to contact these companies.
Catalog Showcase DAKTRONICS, INC. (800) 325-8766, www.daktronics.com Daktronics is recognized worldwide as a leader in the design, manufacture and installation of scoreboards and computerprogrammable display systems. It offers scoreboards for all sports including baseball, basketball, football, tennis, aquatics, track, wrestling and soccer. Daktronics also offers video displays for any application. Whether it’s park and recreation facilities, high schools, colleges or major league venues, Daktronics can provide a truly integrated scoring and video display system to meet the needs of your facility. Circle No. 41 on Reader Inquiry Card
M-F ATHLETIC (800) 556-7464, www.mfathletic.com This is the Everything Track & Field '04 catalog. There are 76 pages of basics, plus hard-to-find track and cross-country specialties. Included are vaulting poles, javelins, pits, standards, hurdles, starting blocks, discus, shots and throwing weights, timing equipment, carts, balance, speed training, and plyometric specialties. There are separate sections for shoes, apparel, books, and videos.
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KYTEC ATHLETIC SPEED EQUIPMENT (800) 732-4883, www.kytec.us Kytec Athletic Speed Equipment has been a proven name in sports training for 12 years. Kytec offers a wide variety of products dealing with fitness, strength, rehabilitation, speed, flexibility for all types of athletes and individuals. Its goal is to have a wide variety of superior merchandise at the best possible prices, to handle your order courteously and to ship merchandise as quickly as possible, usually within 24 hours. There is a difference in Kytec products. It's the difference between being the runner-up and the winner. It is the difference between nearing the top and reaching it. When you buy Kytec products the difference is quality factory direct savings and prompt delivery. Begin to feel the benefits of the highest quality and lowest priced athletic speed, strength and rehabilitation equipment in the USA. Circle No. 42 on Reader Inquiry Card
POWER SYSTEMS, INC. (800) 321-6975, www.power-systems.com Since 1986 Power Systems has been a leading supplier of sport training, health and fitness products. The company prides itself in being the one resource for all of your training needs. Its new 2004 catalog has a new look with better graphics and photos. Included areas are core strength, medicine balls, speed, plyometrics, agility, strength equipment, strength accessories and flooring. You will find the catalog full of hundreds of new products and dozens of products available exclusively from Power Systems. Power Systems has also lowered some prices to enable the customer to get premium products at great prices. Go online or call Power Systems to request a free 2004 catalog today. Circle No. 44 on Reader Inquiry Card COACHING MANAGEMENT
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Strength & Conditioning JUMP STRETCH, INC. (800) 344-3539, www.jumpstretch.com Jump Stretch, Inc. offers six sizes of heavy-duty continuous-loop rubberbands (Flex Bands®) for strength training, flexibility work, rehab, and even powerlifting. By combining the bands with the company’s customized pipe arrangements (for resisted walking/running and weighted abdominal exercises) and patented tubular steel bases (for squats and squat thrusts), Jump Stretch can help you make the most of any available space in your workout area.
lightweight hurdles are portable and assemble in seconds. Made of durable plastic. The hurdle width is 40” and the set consists of four hurdles. Assembly is required. Circle No. 47 on Reader Inquiry Card
LANE GAINER (800) 443-8946, www.bulletbelt.com Use your existing med-balls for kettle bell type drills with this quick adapter harness from Lane Gainer. Add a new tier of exercises to your weight room for $20 while utilizing existing equipment. One size fits 8” to 12” diameter balls.
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KYTEC ATHLETIC SPEED EQUIPMENT (800) 642-7010, www.kytec.us Kytec is the manufacturer and distributor of the ultimate multi-sport Power Fitness Chute that was invented by Ky Michaelson. It has an innovative way of adjusting the resistance by sliding the patented cord lock up the shroud lines to change the shape of the chute. The Power Fitness Chute uses only four lines, compared to other chutes on the market that use eight lines that can easily become tangled. Another innovative addition to the Power Fitness Chute is the “parabolic cup” canopy. Most sports chutes rely on the wind to develop the shape of the chute. The “parabolic cup” design is sewn into the chute and gives the chute instant life and stability. Because of its quick opening and stability characteristics, it is the ideal chute for sprinters’ speed development. The Power Fitness Chute comes with a quick-release belt and instructions.
Lane Gainer also offers Gorilla™ Agility Hurdles. Convenience is the biggest feature of these highly visible Orange Agility steps. They stack and carry “briefcase” style and store easily. The hurdles have a synthetic edge for indoor and outdoor use. They feature a collapsible design for safe use. The steps are available in a 6” model for $9 or a 12” model for $10. The Carry Tote is available for $10. Circle No. 49 on Reader Inquiry Card
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Kytec also offers Plyo Hurdles at a great price. The new base design provides greater stability. The Plyo Hurdles are easily adjustable up to 40” tall. Perform your plyometric jumps over these versatile hurdles. Hurdle base can be filled with sand to provide more stability. These
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M-F ATHLETIC (800) 556-7464, www.mfathletic.com M-F Athletic has introduced the new Polanik Steel Throwing Weights for indoor and outdoor use into its ‘04 catalog. This small diameter powder coated steel ball is attached to a triangular 3/8” thick handle with chain link free rotating ball bearing swivel. Available in a wide range of sizes: 12 lb.-56 lb. Shown with the Orbiter and M-F model indoor throwing weights, all part of a full selection of hammers and throwing weights in the M-F catalog. Contact the company for a free catalog. Circle No. 50 on Reader Inquiry Card
OPTP (800) 642-7010, www.optp.com OPTP offers the Balance Beams, the newest product in balance training by AeroMat™. Each piece is a trapezoid shape and can be connected to form a
72” long beam. The beams can be placed wide side down for more stability or narrow side down for an increased challenge. The beams are made of soft high-density foam. They are coated in vinyl, which makes them easy to clean. Circle No. 51 on Reader Inquiry Card The new and improved REP Band™, from OPTP, has a new formula that matches the stretch and resistance of latex with the safety and cleanliness of non-latex products. REP Band™ contains no latex, no messy powder and will not break down in sunlight or pool water. They are vibrantly color-coded in five resistance levels to challenge a variety of abilities. REP Band™ is the only source of latex-free tubing available. Circle No. 52 on Reader Inquiry Card
POWER SYSTEMS, INC. (800) 321-6975, www.power-systems.com The Power Hurdle from Power Systems will enhance your plyometric and jump training programs. The hurdle is adjustable from 12 inches to 42 inches to accommodate any training level. Rigid high impact plastic cross board will not splinter and is marked for each height adjustment. Unique design allows the hurdle to collapse when hit, for safety. Circle No. 53 on Reader Inquiry Card
Improve your starts, acceleration and stride length with one great product. The Power Stride Ladder from Power Systems will help you improve these three key components of your track program. The ladder’s three pre-set markings will allow you to change patterns as skill levels increase. The special locking clips on the eight high impact plastic slats enable you to quickly and easily adjust each
Strength & Conditioning slat. Slats also have foam rubber backing which allows the ladder to be used indoors. The package includes a ladder, stacking pin and carry bag. Circle No. 54 on Reader Inquiry Card
SMARTVEST (888) 797-8378, smartvest.net The weight-adjustable SmartVest, from Training Zone Concepts in Flint, Mich., brings guaranteed fit along with specific models & sizing for women and men. Comfort-compression and natural feel offer an exciting path to neuromuscular speed development. The SmartVest’s patented functional design promotes speed and power through brain and body compatibility. This mind/movement training augments form as well as technique, while keeping the athlete relaxed, alert, and responsive. Visit smartvest.net to see the new companion SmartShorts. School and team pricing available.
bearings at all joints, the design ensures durability. Free form Iso movement simulates a dumbbell exercise via free-floating actuator arm systems controlled by heavy rubber bumper stops. There is simply no better device to train the explosive action required in today’s sports—professional or collegiate. Circle No. 57 on Reader Inquiry Card
X VEST (800) 697-5658, www.THExVest.com “I have found the X Vest to be an excellent tool for providing overloads in both plyometric and strength training, conditioning, and rehabilitation programs. The fit and adaptability are excellent. The X Vest allows for freedom of movement and doesn’t interfere with any of the agility, bounding or running programs that I write for a wide variety of athletes,
both collegiate and professional. The X Vest has proven itself in my programs! Thank you for all your efforts and help in improving my capability as a strength & conditioning specialist.”—Donald A. Chu, PhD, PT, ATC, CSCS and author of Jumping into Plyometrics. Circle No. 58 on Reader Inquiry Card X Vest has a new weight configuration and it’s heavy—84 pounds of heavy. The new X Vest known as the Fire Fighter model was developed for firefighters and their rigorous training. It has the same basic design as the original X Vest but internally it has a new weight configuration allowing for 84 pounds. Because of its ability to adjust weight like the original X Vest, numerous individuals from bodybuilders to the military are buying them. Circle No. 59 on Reader Inquiry Card
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SPRINGCO (800) 333-7781, www.athleticsplus.com The OPTUM SPS, from Springco, is an innovative product that emphasizes smooth, constant resistance to provide for even acceleration in training. The optional rotational belt aids the athlete in developing quickness in lateral movements essential in all elite athletics. The compact, light design enables the OPTUM SPS to be conveniently attached to a fixed object and can be used to develop both quick, explosive bursts of speed as well as long, sustained sprints. Circle No. 56 on Reader Inquiry Card
Springco also offers the JAMMER RACK made by Nebula fitness—the only triple articulated Jammer device available today. Made with eleven gauge steel tubing and highgrade sealed
RGN Track Supplies
STEELEX®
From STEELEX track spikes to foam pits to “LASER MEASURING” for the field events RGN Track Supplies helps officials, coaches, and athletes in the sport of track and field.
Track Spikes $8.95/100
The 4’ x 8’ all-purpose transporter includes automotive type steering, aluminum frame, heavy duty plywood load surface plus pneumatic tires $895. The 5’ x 10’ size lists at $1195. For officials - Digital scale in a custom designed carrying box $575, Discus/SP laser cut stainless steel gauges in a custom designed carrying box $415 or an individual gauge for only $40. Rubber track repair kit - 18.5 lbs. of rubber plus one gallon of urethane with directions. Black $250 or Red, Blue, Green rubber $275.
• Brochures • Ski Numbers • Cycle Numbers • Finish Line Aids • Course Marking Aids
1-800-277-1920 www.ecprint.com WORLD-WIDE LEADING MANUFACTURER OF RACE NUMBERS
*101*
Discus spinner device with video $60. Pacer foam landing pits available. Ask for a price. LASER measuring for the throws and jumps. An individual Disto Classic laser $495, A portable laser system $2695 and the LASAM™ system (patent applied for) $5995.
All Your Marketing Needs for Your Event
LASAM™
All this plus more from RGN Track Supplies 7905 County Road 19 SE Rochester, MN 55904 (507) 289-8473 Fax (507) 289-0062 dnorman@rgntrack.com www.rgntrack.com
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ADVERTISERS DIRECTORY CIRCLE NO.
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PAGE NO.
13 . . . . AAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 6 . . . . Beynon Sports Surfaces. . . . . . . . . . 9
ORDYU C T S D I R E CPTROORDYU C T S D I R E C T O R Y P R O D U C T S D I R E CPTRO CIRCLE NO.
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30 . . . . Beynon
(polyurethane tracks) .
. . . . . . . 32
31 . . . . Beynon
(Wallace Wade Stadium).
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61 . . . . McDavid
PAGE NO. (Microfiber Shirts) .
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(Pro Compression)
. . . . . . . . . . . 40
68 . . . . BodyGlide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
63 . . . . Nike
(Pro Vent) .
32 . . . . Conica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
67 . . . . Omni-Lite
(Pyramid spikes) .
41 . . . . Daktronics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
66 . . . . Omni-Lite
(track spikes) .
33 . . . . EC Print. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
37 . . . . On Track
(High School Hurdles)
69 . . . . eFundraising.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
36 . . . . On Track
(Jump/Pole Vault Standards)
70 . . . . Hurst Enterprise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
51 . . . . OPTP
(Balance Beams) .
65 . . . . JET Sportswear (Snug/loose-fit sportswear) 37
52 . . . . OPTP
(REP Band)
64 . . . . JET Sportswear
37
44 . . . . Power Systems
(catalog)
26 . . . . M-F Athletic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BC
45 . . . . Jump Stretch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
53 . . . . Power Systems
(Power Hurdle)
21 . . . . Marathon Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
42 . . . . Kytec Athletic
(catalog)
54 . . . . Power Systems
(Power Stride Ladder)
47 . . . . Kytec Athletic
(Plyo Hurdles)
46 . . . . Kytec Athletic
7 . . . . BodyGlide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 9 . . . . Bullet Belt
(Lane Gainer)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
. . . . . . . . . . 12 . . . . . . . . 37
14 . . . . Conica. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 23 . . . . EC Print. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 20 . . . . eFundraising.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 8 . . . . Hurst Enterprise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
. . . . . . . . . . 37 . . . . . . 32 . . 32
25 . . . . JET Sportswear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IBC . . . . . . . . . . . 34
17 . . . . Jump Stretch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
16 . . . . Kytec Athletic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 10 . . . . Lynx System Developers . . . . . . . . 13
15 . . . . Omni-Lite Industries . . . . . . . . . . . 24
(Stealth/Polar Stealth) .
. . . . . . . . . . 33
. . . . . . . . . 33 . . . . . 34 . 34
. . . . . . . 34
71 . . . . PowerLung . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
(Power Fitness Chute)
. . 34
38 . . . . Promats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
49 . . . . Lane Gainer
(Gorilla Agility Hurdles) .
. . 34
39 . . . . RGN Track Supplies. . . . . . . . . . . . 33
48 . . . . Lane Gainer
(quick adapter harness) .
. . 34
55 . . . . SmartVest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
34 . . . . Lynx System Developers . . . . . . . . 32
40 . . . . Sportsline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
43 . . . . M-F Athletic
(catalog)
. . . . . . . . . . . 33
57 . . . . Springco
(JAMMER RACK) .
50 . . . . M-F Athletic
(Polanik Throwing Weights)
34
56 . . . . Springco
(OPTUM SPS)
3 . . . . On Track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 5 . . . . OPTP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 11 . . . . PowerLung . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 4 . . . . Promats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 22 . . . . RGN Track Supplies. . . . . . . . . . . . 33 18 . . . . SmartVest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
. . . . . . . . 35
19 . . . . Sportsline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 . . . . . . . . . . . 35
1 . . . . Springco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC 12 . . . . Venue Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 2 . . . . Xvest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
35 . . . . Marathon Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
58 . . . . Xvest
(Don Chu) .
60 . . . . McDavid
59 . . . . Xvest
(Fire Fighter model) .
(Body Shirts) .
. . . . . . . . . . . 40
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 . . . . . . . . . 35
For Quicker Response, Request Information From Advertisers On-Line at
MomentumMedia.com. 36
COACHING MANAGEMENT
Team Equipment JET SPORTSWEAR (866) 538-9327, www.jetsportswear.com Stealth (all-season) and Polar Stealth (cool-/cold-weather) performance sportswear from JET Sportswear, Inc., can help athletes reach their next level of performance. These compression garments are made with exclusive, lightweight AM/P2 polypropylene fabrics with Moisture Migration Technology and Anti-Microbial protection manufactured into the material. It lasts the life of the garment, and won’t wash out like other "wickwear." Available in men, women and children sizes. Circle No. 64 on Reader Inquiry Card
Snug- or loose-fitting performance sportswear from JET Sportswear, Inc. are ideal for all-season/indoor wear. The
polyester fabric has an exceptional feel and effectively migrates moisture away from the skin for excellent athlete comfort. Available in long sleeve, short sleeve and sleeveless shirts, boxer brief short, loose workout shirt and loose workout short in S-XXXL sizes. Circle No. 65 on Reader Inquiry Card
OMNI-LITE (800) 577-6664, www.omni-lite.com Omni-Lite’s patented Christmas Tree style track spikes provide extra grip for fast starts. These lightweight spikes compress the track allowing maximum performance.
The Christmas Tree spikes are recommended for sprint events and are available with extended threads for use with sprint crowns. Available in three lengths: 1/8", 3/16", 1/4" and seven colors: Black, Silver, Fast Blue, Olympic Green, Violet, Fast Red, and Olympic Gold. Circle No. 66 on Reader Inquiry Card Omni-Lite’s ceramic spikes are 1/3 the weight of steel. The spikes are designed to compress the track allowing maximum performance. The Pyramid spikes are recommended for mid to long distance events. Available in five lengths: 1/8", 3/16", 1/4", 3/8", 1/2" and seven colors: Black, Silver, Fast Blue, Olympic Green, Violet, Fast Red, and Olympic Gold. Circle No. 67 on Reader Inquiry Card
Check out www.AthleticBid.com to contact these companies.
More Products BODYGLIDE (888) 263-9454, www.bodyglide.com BODYGLIDE® uniquely protects the surface of the skin against friction, which causes chafing, blisters and rash. It's for all aspects of track and field. It's comfortable, long-lasting, and most of all, it is reliably effective. The difference is the formula which was developed for sports endurance. Rather than petroleum, mineral oil or lanolin, the ingredients are plant derived triglycerides making BODYGLIDE easy to apply, non-messy, and water and sweat resistant. Circle No. 68 on Reader Inquiry Card
EFUNDRAISING.COM (866) 224-8452, www.efundraising.com Try World’s Finest Chocolate $2 Straight Packs for your next fundraising campaign! Your supporters will love the creamy taste of these huge candy bars, and with up to 50% profit, your group will love the huge profits! Choose from
Milk Chocolate with Almond Bars, W.F. Crisp Bars, Continental Almonds, or Fund Raisin’s! Less work, more profits: who could ask for more? Circle No. 69 on Reader Inquiry Card
HURST ENTERPRISE (812) 853-0901, www.hurstenterprise.com The Eclipse II E-Z UP Shelter™ is the choice of college and high school sports programs. It is superior to other versions found in retail stores. The white powdercoated steel frame is stronger and lighter than the earlier models. The top stays attached to the frame and can be set up in seconds. A choice of 22 fabric colors and graphics as well as accessory items are available. This
product is used for X-Country; Track & Field; Soccer; and by trainers at all outside events. Use to protect timing equipment; for a registration area and as a team staging area. Now available is the 10’ x 10’ Eclipse II Aluminum frame, which weighs in at 48 lbs. In 2004, we expect to see this model made available in the 10’ x 15’ and 10’ x 20’. Circle No. 70 on Reader Inquiry Card
POWERLUNG (812) 853-0901, www.powerlung.com PowerLung trains and strengthens all 12 muscles in breathing, allowing you to feel less winded and better equipped for your next big game. Football is one of the very few sports that truly tests skill and fitness related components. Your body is pushed to the extreme and you still demand more. PowerLung will provide you with exactly just that, more. Your body is provided energy through oxygen, which allows you to go fast and farther than your opponents. Circle No. 71 on Reader Inquiry Card COACHING MANAGEMENT
37
www.AthleticBid.com
www.AthleticBid.co o
TOOLS To Help An increasing numof athletic coaches, athletnumber of trainers, ic directors and trainers are strength coaches and sports using the professionals Internet to identify and medicine are using research companies the Internet to identifyand andproducts. research If you’re one of products. the many Ifusing the companies and you’re webof to the reduce spent theto one manytime using the on web phone with read on. with reduce time suppliers, spent on the phone
Looking for companies and products via the Internet?
We’ve enhanced suppliers, read on.ourWe’ve enhanced AthleticBid.com WebWeb site site to assist our AthleticBid.com to assist you with your research.
Following is a quick summary of the Internet reference information you can now find find on on AthleticBid.com. AthleticBid.com. SPORT now TAPES
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You Research Products On The INTERNET companies. Click on the “View Company Brochures” button for these companies, and you will Training &Management’s Conditioning’s on-line Coaching find PDF files titled by product or Buyer’s Guide is found on our Web category. You can view these site, AthleticBid.com. AthleticBid pages on-line or print them out .com is a free service to help buyers for easy reference. at schools and athletic organiza• Read a profile or description of tions research and contact compaselect companies by clicking on nies in the most efficient fashion. the “About the Company” button. Using the Buyer’s Guide, you can • Request to be contacted by a comsearch by product category or spepany representative. If you’re not cific supplier. Additionally, many sure who the salesperson is for of the manufacturers’ listings in your school, you can request that the Buyer’s Guide include innovaa representative contact you tive features to make your supplier promptly. and product research even faster • Request catalog and sales literaand easier. Using the on-line ture from companies. Simply Buyer’s Guide you are able to: click on a button and fill in your • View the complete product line address and an e-mail with your of companies. Seeing all of the request is sent directly to the supproducts a company offers is very plier. helpful when considering a comAdditionally, you can take advanpany as a potential supplier. tage of other services on • View catalog pages or spec sheets AthleticBid.com: from many of the top • Place requests to many suppliers with one bid request. Use the “Place an RFP” service to request and receive Jersey Field Products informaPark City, NJ 08832 tion from Phone: (800) 275-8000; (973) 222-3300 | Fax: (973) 222-3333 numerous Contact Name: John Jame s Email address: Jersey@a ol.net suppliers by Company Description: Your “One-Stop Source” for America’s Leading Spor Supplies! Special mixes p roviding t Surfaces and for infields, pitcher’s mou nds, home plate areas and by over 100 pro teams and warning tracks. Used 5000 colleges, with 200 prod your prodand bulk plants across the ucts from more than 20 distribution centers country. Call 1-80
On-line Buyer’s Guide, AthleticBid.com
View Product Line
0-275-8000 for more infor mation.
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•
•
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uct specs only once and letting AthleticBid.com do the rest. Locate your nearest dealer for many leading manufacturers and suppliers. Type in your city & state or zip code and find the contact information for the dealer/representative in your region. Purchase inventory close-outs, discontinued items and products on sale from national suppliers through the “Marketplace” section of AthleticBid.com. The products featured in this section are being sold at significant savings. This is your opportunity to buy products of need at markeddown prices and save your athletic department money. Read about products through the “Product Connection” area of the site. Products for your team or organization are highlighted through both descriptions and photos. You can request sales literature on products you’re interested in with just a click. Ask experts about products and their use through the Product Knowledgebase. Post your questions and get direct answers from the manufacturers and suppliers who carry the products of interest. You’ll receive e-mails from the companies that offer advice regarding your questions.
AthleticBid.com ww
Performance Apparel What athletes are wearing underneath their uniforms. By Dale Strauf, Athletic Equipment Manager, Cornell University, and President of the Athletic Equipment Managers Association You don’t want to purchase any type of undergarment until you have had an opportunity to field-test it. In conducting the field-test, evaluate the garment in the following areas: O O O O
Does it perform the way it is supposed to on the athlete? Does it hold its shape during use? Does the fabric appear to be durable? Are the seams finished off and reinforced so that they’ll hold over time? O Is the waistband stitched enough so that it won’t be abrasive to the athlete O Does it hold its color when you wash it?
McDAVID SPORTS/MEDICAL PRODUCTS (800) 237-8254 www.mcdavidinc.com Product Name: McDavid Body Shirts (hDc Performance Apparel) Features: Long sleeve, short sleeve, sleeveless (mock/crew) Fabric content: 85% nylon, 15% spandex Styles Offered: Nylon/spandex construction with hDc Technology offers premium compression support Single-layer or multi-layer construction? Single-layer Perspiration Wicking Qualities: hDc is a permanent compound that absorbs moisture and disperses it into the fabric evaporating moisture quickly. Chemical Treatments Used: Ultra hDc, hDc Circle No. 60 on Reader Inquiry Card Product Name: Microfiber Shirts (hDc Performance Apparel) Features: Long sleeve, short sleeve, sleeveless (mock/crew). Fabric content: 100% micro polyester Styles Offered: Microfiber loosewear is an ultra light micro
You should field-test the garment by letting one of your more active players—someone who’s really going to give it a lot of punishment—wear it during workouts. It’s best to conduct the testing right after the season’s offer during conditioning workouts. Have the athlete wear it for a minimum of two weeks to properly test it. You shouldn’t have any problems getting companies to provide you with product to field-test. The companies that are really confident in their product will have no problem giving you a sample to test. Let the company know that you will return the sample back to them at their request. If the undergarment holds up to its claims during the fieldtestings, and the price and features meet your needs, then you know you are purchasing the right undergarment for your athletes.
polyester that provides maximum comfort. Single-layer or multi-layer construction? Single-layer Perspiration Wicking Qualities: hDc is a permanent compound that absorbs moisture and disperses it into the fabric evaporating moisture quickly. Chemical Treatments Used: Ultra hDc, hDc Circle No. 61 on Reader Inquiry Card
NIKE www.niketown.com Product Name: Nike Pro Compression Features: Nike Pro is featured in sleeveless, long sleeve, mock, and tees, as well as shorts and tights. Nike Pro Compression provides cool, lightweight support for your workout. Made with stretch Dri-FIT technology designed to keep you dry and comfortable while enhancing athletic performance. Fabric Content: 62% polyester, 22% nylon, 16% spandex Styles Offered: Nike Pro featured in a sleeveless, long sleeve, mock, tee, short, and tight. Single-layer or multi-layer construction? Single-layer Perspiration Wicking Qualities: Made with stretch Dri-FIT technology designed to keep you dry and comfortable while enhancing athletic performance.
Chemical Treatments Used: In addition to fiber construction there is a wicking chemical finish. Circle No. 62 on Reader Inquiry Card Product Name: Nike Pro Vent Features: Nike Pro Vent is featured in a sleeveless, long sleeve, and short sleeve top. Nike Pro Vent provides cool, lightweight support for your workout. Strategically placed vents are laminated to Dri-FIT fabric to improve air flow and keep you dry and comfortable while enhancing athletic performance. Fabric Content: Body: 82% polyester, 18% spandex Mesh: 86% polyester, 10% spandex, 4% other Styles Offered: Nike Pro Vent is featured in a sleeveless, long sleeve, and short sleeve top. Perspiration Wicking Qualities: Made with stretch Dri-FIT technology designed to keep you dry and comfortable while enhancing athletic performance. Chemical Treatments Used: In addition to fiber construction there is a wicking chemical finish. Circle No. 63 on Reader Inquiry Card
NEW!
STYLES FOR MALE & FEMALE ATHLETES!
■ Stealth for all-season wear. 1000 long sleeve shirt • 1001 short sleeve shirt • 1002 sleeveless shirt • 1003 compression short • 1006 compression pant
SPORTSWEAR Take athletes to their next level of PERFORMANCE
■ Polar Stealth for cool/cold weather. 2000 crew long sleeve shirt • 2001 mock turtle long sleeve shirt • 2002 compression pant
EXCLUSIVE and REVOLUTIONARY • Moisture Migration Technology™ and Anti-Microbial fabrics migrate perspiration away from athlete’s skin; resists mildew growth
■ Spitfire for female athletes. 4000 all sports bra • 4001 compression short • 4004 Stealth running pant • 4005 Polar Stealth mock long sleeve shirt • 4006 Polar Stealth running pant
and gym locker smell.
COLORS AVAILABLE: Stealth
• Helps athletes stay cooler and drier in competition and more comfortable between events.
Polar Stealth
• Moisture Migration and Anti-Microbial properties are engineered into the Stealth and Polar Stealth styles—not soaked in or sprayed on like other “wickwear”.
OUTFIT YOUR TEAM TO HELP THEM REACH THEIR NEXT LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE.
Contact
Pamela Ryan 241 S. Cleveland Ave. Ste. A2 St. Paul, MN 55105 651.698.0933 651.698.4020 fax www.designer-sports.com
Made in the USA
ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTES! WEAR JETWear.
P.O. Box 130 • 1117 Whitewater Ave. • Fort Atkinson, WI 53538 Inquiries call 866.JETWEAR • 920.568.8775 • fax 920.568.8951 • www.jetsportswear.com • e-mail JETsportswear@jetsportswear.com Circle No. 25
Bill Falk
Mark Strawderman
Eric Falk
Our ‘04 Catalog
Is Special! and “road salesmen team” and you are on your way to fast service and satisfaction. Request our FREE '04 Bumper sticker.
76 pages, indexed and neatly categorized by the T&F event, this latest edition shows off the best quality items in full color photos, timely tips and advice. Add to this the knowledge offered by our experienced “phone service team”
M-F ATHLETIC COMPANY P.O. Box 8090 Cranston, RI 02920-0090 Toll-Free 800-556-7464 Fax: 800-682-6950 Circle No. 26