Coaching Management 15.1 by Momentummedia

Coaching Management VOL. XV NO. 1

TRACK

FIELD

PRESEASON

EDITION

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$5.00

2007

BREAKING THROUGH

Helping athletes manage performance plateaus ■

Getting Proactive with Parents

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Strength Training for Middle Distance

Circle No. 100

Coaching Management Track & Field Edition Preseason 2007

CONTENTS

Vol. XV, No. 1

LOCKER ROOM

COVER STORY

Bulletin Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Breaking Through

Coaches cope with Facebook ... For female athletes, triad risk starts young ... Ohio State transitions to separate staffs ... High school coach shares fundraising success strategies ... Should high-altitude tents be banned? ... UMass opens new track facility with a flourish.

Q&A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 In 40 years as Head Track and Field Coach at Russellville (Ark.) High School, Don Carnahan has led his teams to 11 state championships and 12 second-place finishes. The five-time state coach of the year shares his philosophy on helping athletes set goals, working with assistant coaches, and staying passionate about mentoring kids.

Publisher Mark Goldberg Editor-in-Chief Eleanor Frankel Associate Editor Dennis Read Assistant Editors R.J. Anderson, Kenny Berkowitz, Nate Dougherty, Abigail Funk, Greg Scholand, Laura Ulrich Art Director Pamela Crawford Photo Research Tobi Sznajderman Business Manager Pennie Small Special Projects Dave Wohlhueter

COVER PHOTO: FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

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Top coaches share advice for understanding and working with performance plateaus—both those you expect and those you don’t.

LEADERSHIP

Meet the Parents

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Handling today’s moms and dads can be a challenge for even the most experienced coach. A better relationship starts with establishing ground rules and clarifying roles.

CONDITIONING

Winning Ways

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Runners from the University of Washington claimed medals in both the women’s 1,500 meters and the men’s 800 meters at last season’s NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships. Find out how their strength and conditioning coach prepared them. GUIDE TO TRACK SURFACES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 TRACK FACILITY EQUIPMENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 ADVERTISERS DIRECTORY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Marketing Director Sheryl Shaffer Marketing/Sales Assistant Danielle Catalano Circulation Director Dave Dubin Circulation Manager John Callaghan Production Director Don Andersen Assistant Production Director Jim Harper Production Assistant Jonni Campbell Prepress Manager Miles Worthington IT Manager Julian Cook Administrative Assistant Sharon Barbell

TEAM EQUIPMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 STRENGTH TRAINING & CONDITIONING . . 39 MORE PRODUCTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

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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 © 2007 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.

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

LOCKER ROOM BULLETIN BOARD Facing Facebook Two members of your team throw a party and post directions to their off-campus apartment on the Internet. Your team meets at a bar for a postmeet celebration, and photos of underage athletes drinking wind up online. As your team prepares for a road trip, an athlete posts the travel itinerary on the Web, complete with information about hotels where the team will be staying. If you think these scenarios present a safety and publicrelations nightmare waiting to happen, you’re right. If you think they’re not happening already, you’re wrong.

their friends are, and what music they like, and still be a complete stranger.” In response, Harris met with his team and explained that these pages are open to viewing by far more than their fellow students. “I asked them to genuinely consider cleaning up their pages so if they are viewed by our athletic director or school president, or even a professor who’s going to write a recommendation for them some day, they would see a very mature individual,” he says. “I also stressed that we are constantly raising money for our programs and there are some highly visible track and field boosters who come

to meets and get to know them as individuals. I asked how they would like one of these boosters looking at their Facebook page. I think that hit home for a lot of them.” Although some schools have banned athletes from using Facebook or similar sites, Harris didn’t take that step. “I told them I don’t want to be a policeman, and I don’t intend to look at everyone’s pages to see what’s there,” he says. “I’ve always had a simple rule on my teams: Don’t embarrass yourself, your team, your family, or your school. I have a lot of trust in my athletes, and I asked them to honor that rule on their pages.”

In most cases, the medium is Facebook.com, a Web site your student-athletes probably know well. The site was created to allow college students to network with each other, and it now has almost 10 million members, with more students joining every day. It is currently one of the most visited Web sites in the country.

COACHING MANAGEMENT

Since Brandon posted his profile, more than 18,000 people— mostly students from Bowling Green along with some faculty and staff members—have requested to become his Internet “friend.” “I have student assistants check the site, and it takes them about half an hour each day,” he says. “If I had more time, I’d love to find other ways to use it. I think it can be a great way to learn about the culture at your school.”

Study Shows Triad Starts Early

As Facebook has grown in popularity, coaches and athletic administrators have taken notice of its potential hazards. Dave Harris, Head Coach of Track and Field and Cross Country at Emporia State University, says he was “shocked” when he first found out what was on some of his athletes’ Facebook pages. “I found some of the content degrading to both the student-athlete and our program,” he says. “I also thought there was way too much private information out there. Our athletes didn’t realize how much information could be learned about them from their Facebook page. There’s a great deal of concern about our athletes posting information that could allow individuals, whether they’re in our school or not, to intrude on the athletes’ lives. Anyone can learn where they live, who

At least one coach is trying to turn Facebook into a positive influence for his program. Gregg Brandon, Head Football Coach at Bowling Green State University, created his own Facebook profile and started a Facebook group called the “10,000 students at Bowling Green football games” club. “Social networking sites are out there and I can’t change that, so rather than fight against it, I decided to be proactive and learn more about how I could use it,” he says. “My idea is to use it to generate student support for the program.”

The symptoms of female athlete triad syndrome—disordered eating, menstrual irregularities, and low bone mass—have been a concern among college athletes for many years. But recent research suggests high school girls, too, should be wary of the risks.

Emporia State’s Andy Vogelsberg (above) won the javelin at the 2006 NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships. Head Coach Dave Harris cautions athletes to keep their Facebook pages clean.

In a study published last year by researchers at San Diego State University, the authors found that among 170 female high school athletes from eight different sports, 20 percent exhibited at least one symptom of the triad. In the sample, 24 percent experienced menstrual irregularities, 22 percent had low bone mass, and 18 percent showed signs of disordered eating. “The results are a wake-up call for physicians, physical

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LOCKER ROOM BULLETIN BOARD therapists, athletic trainers, and coaches who work with female athletes,” study coauthor Mitchell Rauh, Professor of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences at SDSU, told the San Diego State Universe. “These conditions may happen earlier than realized and these professionals should start to encourage positive behaviors now.”

relationship with athletes in that we’re often in a position of trust, but we need to remember that we’re not doctors,” he says. “If you think an athlete may be suffering from an eating disorder, that’s a medical issue, and it’s not up to you to solve the problem yourself. Coaches can play an important supporting role, but it’s critical that we refer the athlete to the proper professionals so they can get the help they need.”

To help female athletes avoid the triad, which can lead to stress fractures, osteopenia (a precursor to osteoporosis), and full-blown eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia, experts say coaches should keep an eye out for early warning signs. “Anytime there’s a significant, unexplained drop in a female athlete’s performance, that’s cause for concern,” says Caroline Hodges, Nutrition Counselor at the Elmira (N.Y.) Nutrition Clinic, who works with both high school and college athletes. “Other red flags include slow healing and recovery times, stress fractures, and any significant preoccupation or obsession with food.” Hodges says coaches are often in the best position to observe triad symptoms—they can recognize performance changes during training and competition, and even notice abnormal eating habits, since most teams share meals when they travel. She also notes that track and field athletes are a high-risk group because the sport’s culture fosters a “thinner is better” mentality. “Many track athletes subscribe to the idea that lighter is faster, and that’s a problem,” Hodges explains. “There’s no question that when female athletes go through puberty, their times usually get worse. It’s not because they’re getting fatter, they’re just going through physical changes, and their performance will often come back up over time. But

Ohio State Splits Coaching Staff

Distance runner Victoria Jackson overcame anorexia and went on to win the 10,000 meters at the 2006 NCAA Outdoor Championships. A recent study shows that health risks associated with disordered eating start younger than previously thought.

“Younger athletes, in particular, don’t always know how to fuel their bodies adequately,” Hodges continues. “Girls today start dieting at a very young age, and that results in guilt when they do eat, which in turn leads to food restriction.”

a smart approach is framing the discussion around performance. “Saying, ‘I don’t think you’re eating adequately, and I know you could do better if we got your food on track,’ is a very non-threatening way to start a conversation,” Hodges advises. “Then, you can recommend they see a nutritionist or tap into any other resources that are available.”

If you’re concerned that an athlete in your program is showing signs of disordered eating, broaching the subject can be difficult. For coaches,

Ron Helmer, Head Men’s and Women’s Coach at Georgetown University, says the key for coaches is not to go it alone. “Coaches have a unique

athletes don’t always understand that, so it can lead to unhealthy behaviors.

A free abstract of the San Diego State study is available at: http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/ cgi/content/abstract/160/2/137. The full text can be downloaded for a fee.

Which is better—separate coaches for men’s and women’s teams, or one head coach for both? Upon the retirement of 17-year Head Coach Russ Rogers last year, The Ohio State University opted for the former. The Buckeyes have created separate men’s and women’s head coaching positions, naming Robert Gary as Head Men’s Coach and Karen Dennis as Head Women’s Coach. Gary has served for 10 years as Head Cross Country Coach and distance coach for the track and field teams, while Dennis spent the past four years as an assistant coach for sprints and hurdles under Rogers. “We had been looking at going back to separate coaches for a number of years,” says Miechelle Willis, Senior Associate Athletic Director at Ohio State. “When Russ Rogers notified us he was retiring in the spring, we saw it as a good opportunity to make the change. Mostly, the decision was based on the logistics of one head coach managing a team the size of a combined program. “One year the women would be competitive in the Big Ten, then they would fall and the men would be competitive—it went back and forth,” Willis continues. “We were concerned that at a given time one team or the other was being negatively affected by the combined programs. With separate head coaches, each coach can be

COACHING MANAGEMENT

LOCKER ROOM BULLETIN BOARD devoted to the recruitment and development of student-athletes in one program.” In the biggest change for Ohio State track and field, each team will have not only its own head coach, but also its own staff of assistants (per Division I rules, each team may hire up to two full-time assistants). Previously, assistant coaches like Gary and Dennis coached one specialty area for both genders. “This head coaching opportunity has allowed me to refocus my appreciation for assistant coaches,” Dennis says. “Coach Gary and I have hired our own staffs. Having a smaller team to coach is going to allow us more time with each individual athlete.” While the split may put more of a crunch on the athletic department’s budget, it will also give more athletes the

Karen Dennis, Head Coach of Women’s Track and Field at Ohio State, talks to reporters after the announcement that the school’s men’s and women’s teams would have separate coaching staffs beginning this season. Ohio State expects the change will allow more athletes to travel and compete.

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chance to compete. The teams will no longer travel to meets together, opening spots for athletes who had been forced to stay behind. “Traveling will be a little more intimate,” Gary says. “It was a pretty big production when we traveled with two teams of 32 athletes each. When you add coaches and support staff, we were bringing more than 100 people, plus all the equipment. Being able to get around more easily will definitely be a benefit.” But just because the men and women have their own coaching staffs and will travel separately most of the time doesn’t mean the teams will no longer work together. They will still practice together. And Dennis and Gary aren’t going to sever their close relationship, either. “I’ve seen our program with one staff and with split staffs,” Gary says. “There are pluses and minuses both ways, but regardless of the circumstances, Karen and I have always worked well together. I know a lot of track teams where the men’s and women’s coaches don’t even talk to each other. We have a close-knit group and we won’t throw those positive relationships away.”

Fundraiser Gets a Running Start Spearheading a large fundraising project requires years of experience and expertise, and coaches with neither shouldn’t bother trying, right? Wrong. A high school in Roanoke, Va., is getting new athletic facilities, thanks to a 26-year-old rookie coach who didn’t let his inexperience deter him from starting a campaign that has so far raised $300,000. Laurence Loesel, a 1998 graduate of Cave Spring High School, returned to his alma mater in 2002 as Assistant Track and Field and Cross Country Coach. He quickly realized that the school’s track facilities were woefully inadequate, and decid-

To raise funds and awareness for his effort to bring a new track facility to his school, Assistant Track and Field Coach Laurence Loesel of Cave Spring High School in Roanoke, Va., ran nearly 3,000 miles from California to Roanoke, trading off legs of the journey with two friends. ed to undertake a fundraising project to not only replace the track facility, but also benefit other sports within the athletic department. Loesel’s first step was to give his project a title that would provide instant name recognition and promote a community connection. In light of Cave Spring High’s 50th anniversary, he proposed Project50, an overhaul of the school’s outdoor track (phase one) and practice football and soccer fields (phase two). “At the end of 2002 I went into our athletic director’s office and told him I had an idea that would fund some brand new facilities,” Loesel says. “He listened and said I needed to talk to the principal. The principal heard me out and didn’t immediately shoot the idea down, but she told me I needed to do my homework and make a presentation to the booster club and get them on board. “I researched and gathered information on successful campaigns at other schools and

for the next month talked to experienced people who made those projects happen,” Loesel continues. “Then, when I provided that data during my presentation to the booster club, I received instant support. In fact, the booster club was so excited about the project that they added a fieldhouse with indoor practice facilities and coaches’ offices to the plans.” Given the green light to start soliciting dollars, Loesel became a fundraising machine. His first idea was to run across America to generate publicity for Project50. So over two months during the summer of 2003, Loesel and two friends, one a fellow Cave Spring High alum and the other a fellow Roanoke College alum, loaded up an RV and took turns running almost 3,000 miles from Sacramento, Calif., back to Roanoke. There was no specific fundraising associated with the crosscountry run, but the local media attention it garnered along the way created a buzz about the project—the local paper kept a running update and Loesel posted daily a blog

using wireless Internet hookups along the way. He made sure a contribution form was up online for donors to print out and send in with donations, and keeping in touch with the local community during the run kept the money coming in. Loesel’s other fundraising projects over the past three years have included community pasta dinners and football tailgating where local business owners donated their “cooking expertise.” Loesel also hooked up with a local running club, the Star City Striders, to organize a half marathon and 5K race in which proceeds were donated to Project50. Back Creek Elementary School, where Loesel teaches, recently made a donation of over $3,000. There is a current push called “50 for 50” in which $50 donations are solicited on the project’s Web page. Loesel hopes this latest effort pulls in the last few hundred dollars needed to complete phase one, which includes installation of the eight-lane synthetic track.

COACHING MANAGEMENT

LOCKER ROOM BULLETIN BOARD Loesel has had remarkable success in connecting with the Roanoke community during his fundraising efforts. He says the first key was getting the right people on board with his vision. “We have highly involved parents and community members, but even they were skeptical at first,” he says. “To get their backing I had to identify the key leaders in our area. It was important to partner with business owners and high-profile members of the community because they did a lot of the recruiting for us. They did a good job of telling people, ‘This is a really interesting project that’s good for our community, our children, and our student-athletes. Let’s support this.’”

Into Thin Air

Persistence and patience has been another component of Loesel’s success. “You have to be ready to work over a long

Almost everyone agrees that athletes who take a banned substance to improve their performance violate the spirit

period of time,” he says. “This project is in its third year, and right now we have more people helping than ever before. Fundraising isn’t a one-monthand-you’re-done deal. It’s taken heartbreak and a lot of hard work. There is no simple formula. I believe that when you do something for the good of the community, the positive will come back to you.” To learn more about Project50, visit Cave Spring High School’s Web site at: www.rcs.k12.va.us/cshs, and click on the “Project50” icon.

of competitive athletics. But when it comes to performance enhancing practices, the line between fair and unfair can be harder to define. This fall, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) examined the issue as it applies to athletes using highaltitude tents, deciding—for now—that the practice resides on the fair side of the line. WADA ruled against adding hypoxic chambers, or high-altitude tents, to its list of prohibited substances and training aids in September. The decision means Olympic-level athletes are still allowed to use artificially induced hypoxic conditions in their training. If WADA had banned the hypoxic chambers, the NCAA likely would have followed suit. In recent years, many athletes, especially those competing in endurance events, have

used altitude tents to follow a “live high, train low” training philosophy. Their school of thought says that if athletes live at high altitudes and train at lower elevations, their performance improves. Acclimatizing the body to higher altitudes—7,000 to 8,500 feet—increases the number of circulating red blood cells as the body compensates for the lower-oxygen environment. More red blood cells mean more oxygen is delivered to tissue during exercise. Altitude simulation allows athletes to create more red blood cells, which helps them to work out longer and harder under normal conditions and results in greater physiological gains. The hypoxic chambers, usually set up around an athlete’s bed, pump in nitrogen to lower the space’s oxygen level, simulating the air at higher altitudes. Start-

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ing at around $5,000, altitude tents are cost-prohibitive for many high school and college athletes. However, a number of professional and world-class athletes are utilizing the technology, including Suzy Favor-Hamilton, a three-time Olympian and former U.S. record holder in the 1,000 meters. WADA’s decision is immersed in debate regarding what constitutes “performance enhancing.” Dr. Benjamin D. Levine, Director of the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine at Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas and a professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, believes altitude tents are no different than an athlete traveling to a mountain location to sleep—they’re simply cheaper and more practical. As a result, Levine believes that banning the tents should not be on WADA’s priority list. Levine expressed his views in a letter to WADA, which was also signed by 76 other scientists and bioethicists. Levine feels it’s problematic to target altitude tents when other, similar legal practices athletes use to enhance performance are legal—for example, sitting in a sauna to acclimate to heat and humidity, or wearing a cooling vest or sitting in cold water to cool the body before a race in hot weather. “If you’re going to ban altitude tents, why not ban those practices, too?” Levine asks.

“We are pleased with the progress of the discussion surrounding artificially induced

asked them to get the information out as soon as possible.” Meanwhile, the university went through its formal process of inviting state officials and politicians, as well as administrators and professors.

Celebrating a New Facility

“A traditional track and field program doesn’t have much staff, and an undertaking this large could have really eaten into our daily routine, but we got great help from the athletic department,” O’Brien says. “It did take overcoming some inertia to get started, but once we did, everything went smoothly.”

When it came time to open a new $3.1 million track this fall, officials at the University of Massachusetts knew a simple ribbon-cutting and photo op would not suffice. So instead, they made the Sept. 23 track opening ceremony part of a day-long celebration that included a home football game, alumni run, and cross country meet. According to Ken O’Brien, Head Coach of Men’s Track and Field and Cross Country, the university’s goal was to bring track and field alumni back to celebrate the facility’s opening in a day filled with events. The cross country meet was scheduled before a home football game on dedication day in order to draw a larger crowd. Before the meet, former track and field athletes were encouraged to take a run around the 5,000meter course. “Most of the people jogged then got into a semi-run near the finish line, but it was more about camaraderie than competition,” O’Brien says. “Afterward, they stayed to watch the cross country race.” UMass enticed former athletes to the celebration using what O’Brien calls a “three-pronged attack” from the athletic department, university administrators, and university fundraisers. The athletic department was already in contact with athletes through a project to build an endowment for

O’Brien says after going 12 years without a proper track, the team was ready to celebrate a top-ofthe-line facility The University of Massachusetts opened that is already its new track facility this fall with fanfare, beginning to pay including an alumni run that got Jim dividends for the Hunt (‘77) onto the new cross country program. “As course. soon as we put an artist’s rendering of the track the track and field program, in our media guide, recruitso efforts to spread the word ing picked up,” O’Brien about the celebration started says. “We’ll have three home there. The department also meets this season and everyidentified point people among one is very excited about alumni groups who could help them. These meets will not get the message out. only energize the athletes, but they will also get alumni “Within each group of five or to come back on a regular six classes, there’s a person basis. I see this as a unifying who maintains Web sites or facility for the community, e-mail addresses to keep in alumni, and most importantcontact with others,” O’Brien ly, our athletes. They didn’t says. “We went to them have a track for so long, and immediately, told them the I can already see their efforts rough outline for the day, and improving.”

COACHING MANAGEMENT

2006 THOM KENDALL

Those in WADA who favor a ban argued that because the training method is performance enhancing, it could be considered in violation of the organization’s “spirit of sport” doctrine and may not be completely safe. WADA President Dick Pound said that despite the decision to allow altitude tents, discussions and studies remain ongoing, and athletes who use hypoxic chambers should do so with caution.

hypoxic conditions,” Pound told Reuters. “While we do not deem this method appropriate for inclusion on the [banned] List at this time, we still wish to express the concern that, in addition to the results varying individually from case to case, use of this method may pose health risks if not properly implemented and under medical supervision.”

Q&A

Don Carnahan Russellville (Ark.) High School

Don Carnahan is entering his 40th year as Head Coach of the boys’ and girls’ track and field teams at Russellville (Ark.) High School. A five-time state Coach of the Year, Carnahan has led his track teams to 11 state championships and 12 second-place finishes. Just last season, the girls’ team won the state indoor championship.

est division. Until this season, he also coached defensive backs for Russellville’s varsity football team.

Carnahan has also served as Head Cross Country Coach since 1972. During the 2001-02 season, Russellville’s boys’ teams won the 5A Triple Crown, claiming the indoor and outdoor track and cross country championships in the state’s larg-

In this interview, Carnahan talks about goal setting, working with assistant coaches, and how doping scandals are affecting high school athletes. He also shares his secret for staying motivated after four decades in the profession.

CM: You didn’t run track or participate in college athletics, so how did you end up coaching? Carnahan: In high school, I did everything—football, basketball, baseball, and track—just because I loved sports. I thought then that I would like to coach some day. When I started at Russellville 40 years ago, I had no intention of staying this long. But we had some early success, and once you grow roots somewhere it becomes very hard to leave. So a love for sports is what got me started, but what makes me stay is working with kids and seeing them work hard to improve. Has your coaching philosophy changed over 40 years? Everybody’s philosophy evolves over time, but the important parts of mine have stayed the same. My staff and I believe in trying to help every single student-athlete be the very best that they can be. We coach the athlete who’s not as talented just as hard as we do the exceptional one. One of the greatest satisfactions we get as coaches is seeing athletes who may never be good enough to win a medal at a meet achieve their personal goals as they go through the program.

COACHING MANAGEMENT

teams do, our chances of doing well in meets are better. Do you have all of your athletes set goals? Yes. And although it’s hard to do, we encourage them to set personal achievement goals, not outcome goals. You really have no say in whether you’re going to be a state champion or not. You could do your very best, but some guy down the road may just be better than you. We try to get the kids to buy into the fact that achieving their personal goals is what’s important, not the outcome. That way they feel successful even when we aren’t the state champions. How do you get your athletes to buy into setting personal goals? Their goals have to be attainable. Some of them—especially the younger athletes—have no idea what I’m saying when I talk about an achievement goal or a personal goal. They only think about outcome goals. So we explain the importance of personal goals and tweak those goals to reflect what I think their capabilities are. At the beginning of the season we work together to establish our goals, and then we re-evaluate them at midseason and possibly set new ones. At the end of the year we do individual evaluations of each athlete’s season, and if we’re lucky, we have achieved our goals. If we haven’t, we try to track down why we didn’t do what we thought we were capable of— did we set the goal too high or have an injury, or did we fail to do the caliber of work necessary to reach it? From there,

Katie Coulter of Russellville High School competes at the 2006 Arkansas State Outdoor Championships. For Head Coach Don Carnahan, personal goals are paramount.

SCOTT ANDERSON/COURIER-POST

Another part of our coaching philosophy is to try to coach every event. The more experience the kids get in different events, the better for them and the team. They get to figure out what they like to compete in and what they’re good at. And if we can place in most of the events and not specialize like some

Carnahan has served on the Arkansas Athletic Association Track and Field Advisory Committee since 1980, with a stint as its chair for several years. He was inducted into the National High School Athletic Coaches Hall of Fame in 1998 and the Arkansas Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2003.

the athlete has the off-season to work on their own and the chance to set new goals for the next season. How do you help your athletes prepare for big meets at the end of a long season? Our workout program changes as we approach that peak time of the year—we want to see our athletes rested, not worn out. Mentally, we try to keep them relaxed and avoid letting them get uptight over the fact that this is the competition we’re really trying to win. To do that, we just keep the focus on their personal achievement goals—not how good the competition is, but the personal goals we’ve been focused on all year. There have been times when we should have been the champion, but we got a little too uptight. We didn’t lose because the other team was better than we were, but because we let our anxiety defeat us. As a coach, I work hard to keep that from happening.

How do you involve the studentathletes who aren’t the most talented on the team? In cross country, most of our meets can be run with unlimited participation, so everybody is able to compete and feel like part of the team. It gets a little harder in track because each event has a participation limit. The meets I want to win are at the end of the year, so I use our early-season meets almost as a preseason. I use as many kids as I can in those early meets. They may not be in every meet, but they’ll at least get some early-season experience. We may lose a meet we could have won, but it pays off in the long run because we keep them all involved. Each of your four assistant coaches is the head coach of another sport at Russellville. What is your approach to utilizing them? Because part of our philosophy is to compete in every event, we work hard to make sure every event is coached. I just figure out what areas my assistants are

strong in, and I coach the events that are left over. What’s great about having other head coaches as assistants is that coaching is teaching, and my assistants have experience and understand how to teach. It probably takes five or six years for someone to really get to know an event well, so it’s great when I get a coach who stays for more than a year or two. When I have a novice assistant, I will plan their workout down to the last detail, and as I become more confident in them I say, “Okay, you’re my throws coach. Plan the workout.” They’ve been learning from my style for years by that point, and I like that I can pass the responsibility for certain events to an assistant and concentrate on my own. Does having successful college track and field programs in Arkansas help you as a high school coach? We’re about an hour and a half away from

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Q&A the University of Arkansas. The team got a new indoor facility six or seven years ago and has been hosting some top-quality meets—the NCAA indoor championships and professional meets. A bunch of our kids take it upon themselves to go up there and watch the athletes they see on television and in the paper. I think their success and the interest generated has helped our sport not only in Russellville, but statewide. What effect have doping scandals at the professional level had on high school track and field? It’s killing us. It gives the sport a big black eye because it seems it’s the true stars who are cheating. It’s the biggest change I’ve seen in this sport, and I don’t know how we can protect ourselves from it. I

all, especially when two of the sports are in the fall? It was pretty difficult, but I did it because I loved it. After a Friday night football game I’d take off at 6 a.m. Saturday for a cross country meet, then spend the rest of the day planning my workouts for the week. On Sunday I would start looking at game film and planning for our next football opponent. My wife thinks I work 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 12 months a year, and she’s probably not far from wrong. As a coach you work very hard and you don’t make much money, so

“When it comes to recreational drugs, at the high school level we have random drug testing. It’s our hope that when our kids get into a situation where drugs are available, they will be able to use the fact that they might be tested as an easy way to say no.”

you really have to enjoy working with the kids or you won’t stay long. Entering your 40th year as a coach, how do you keep yourself motivated? It’s the satisfaction I get from helping student-athletes improve. That’s what it’s all about. You’re lucky as a coach when you get that really talented guy, but seeing average or below-average athletes work hard to improve, accomplish their personal goals, and leave high school sports in a positive frame of mind is what keeps me coaching.

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don’t feel like we have a drug problem here with our kids, but it’s always a possibility. When their heroes are doing it and feel they’re benefiting from it, our athletes think, “It’s going to help me, too.” Part of our school policy is that every team starts its season with a drug education program, but it’s hard to say how effective it is. I think by the time athletes are in high school they’ve made their minds up whether they’re going to do drugs or not. We may need to start the education process even earlier. When it comes to recreational drugs, at the high school level we have random drug testing. It’s our hope that when our kids get into a situation where drugs are available, they will be able to use the fact that they’re tested as an easy way to say no. For 40 years you balanced three coaching jobs. How did you handle it

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BREAKING THROUGH

Top coaches share their advice for understanding and working with performance plateaus— both those you expect and those you don’t.

COACHING MANAGEMENT

COVER STORY

or most athletes, plateau is a four-letter word. In their minds, they should improve after every workout, and every meet should bring a new PR. As a coach, though, you know that performance gains don’t come in a straight line—there are many times during the season when performances should flatten and hold steady for a while. Rather than signaling a problem, plateaus are often simply part of the training plan. On the other hand, there are times when an athlete’s lack of improvement actually signals that something has gone wrong. Rather than being a healthy plateau on the way to the next breakthrough, level performances over a long period of time can be a sign of overtraining, psychological roadblocks, or even an undetected illness. In this article, we’ll take a close look at plateaus, both good and bad. In the case of a planned plateau, we’ll offer ideas for teaching athletes that patience is the name of the game. In the case of a plateau that is really a roadblock in disguise, we’ll provide the training tools for breaking through.

BY DENNIS READ

Part of the Process When an athlete’s performance levels off, it can be frustrating for both the athlete and coach. However, the first step in understanding plateaus is realizing that they often represent a normal phase in the training progression. “Everybody plateaus,” says Rick McGuire, Head Coach of Men’s and Women’s Track and Field at the University

of Missouri. “Coaches have yet to find a training system where results are ever onward, upward, further, higher, faster, and better. Plateaus are just part of the deal.” Vern Gambetta, President of Gambetta Sports Training Systems in Sarasota, Fla., and a co-founder of the USA Track and Field coaches education program, likens plateaus to the landings on a staircase. “You go up a flight of stairs and there’s a landing, which is where you stabilize your performance,” he says. “Then you go up another flight of stairs to the next landing. It usually takes about four flights of stairs before you reach your peak performance, so there can be three or four lengthy plateaus.” Plateaus are also an inevitable part of the mental adaptation to training. According to sports psychologist Keith Henschen, Professor in the Department of Exercise and Health Science at the University of Utah and consultant to USA Track and Field, plateaus result in part from the brain assimilating new information. “When we’re learning, it takes time for the mind to digest information,” he says. “Although we may feel we’ve mastered a task, it takes a while for the brain to finish processing everything, so we see a plateau. And you’ll see that happen more with the elite athlete because it takes so much longer for them to improve just a little bit compared to a novice athlete who can improve a lot over a short period of time.” Dennis Read is an Associate Editor at Coaching Management. He can be reached at: dr@MomentumMedia.com.

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Waiting It Out It’s one thing for a coach to be comfortable with an athlete’s plateau, and another thing to help the athlete accept the situation. For McGuire, education is the key to helping his athletes have patience through a plateau. He teaches them that, from a physical standpoint, plateaus are a necessary component of great gains. “I explain that if we were always rising to the next peak, we’d have to do a lot of resting,” he says. “That wouldn’t give us as much time to build more biomotor capability to put in the storehouse of our bodies. Then we wouldn’t have as much capability available in that storehouse when it came time to deliver the next peak, so the peak wouldn’t be as big.” Part of the challenge, McGuire says, is that society conditions athletes to fight plateaus. “Society teaches us to demand immediate greatness, and when that doesn’t happen for an athlete, they ask, ‘What’s wrong with me? Have I lost it?’” says McGuire, who has a PhD in sports psychology and is an Assistant

Professor in Missouri’s Department of Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology. “So we have to fight the messages from society that tell our athletes to hate the plateau.” To do that, McGuire often uses a concept from a book by George Leonard titled Mastery. “The book isn’t about sports, although the author uses some sport metaphors and examples,” McGuire says. “It’s about people trying to be highly effective in their lives and applying themselves in a way that allows them to be masters of their fate and their own excellence. “One of Leonard’s concepts is ‘Love the Plateau,’” he continues. “Now, most people hate the plateau. They want to get off the plateau, so they fight it. But as a coach, the idea of loving the plateau makes sense to me.” A large part of McGuire’s discussions with his athletes involves teaching them to love the plateau. “I tell them this doesn’t mean they have to be satisfied with where they are,” he says. “It simply means we know plateaus are part of what

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leads us up the path to the big peak we’re aiming for. Our intention every day is to work hard doing things that will allow us to be better tomorrow than we were yesterday. But we aren’t going to see that better tomorrow in new PRs every day. And since we know that there will be plateaus, we’re going to do smart things while we’re there, and we aren’t going to beat ourselves up during the process. “We spend a lot of time discussing this approach starting with our first meeting,” McGuire adds. “That way, when athletes find themselves on a plateau, they understand what’s happening and think, ‘Oh, this is what Coach is talking about.’ And I’m there telling them, ‘Don’t get frustrated. This is exactly what we want to happen. This is the plateau just before the big peak.’” Lou Duesing, Head Coach of Women’s Track and Field and Cross Country at Cornell University, also believes that coaches need to set the right tone when an athlete finds themselves in a holding pattern. “It’s important to be positive and not to panic,” he says. “Athletes

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reflect the personalities of their coaches, and if they see coaches panicking about a plateau, they’re likely to follow suit.” Some athletes accept plateaus more naturally than others. McGuire has a special message for athletes who fight a plateau. “I tell them, ‘You can be frustrated. You can be depressed. You can put on a face like the world is going to come to an end because you didn’t set a new PR in the long jump last night. But it’s only going to make jumping farther more difficult,’” he says. “‘If you want to be great, you don’t have the luxury of not using each minute at practice most effectively to lead you to the next breakthrough.’” Unplanned Plateaus Patience and education are the solution to many plateaus, but sometimes a plateau has gone on longer than expected and despite following the training plan and working hard, the athlete never reaches the expected peak. There’s no hard and fast rule for how long is too long when it comes to plateaus. Training

age, event, and the training plan itself tion is to assume a psychological block. are only some of the factors to consider But addressing psychological issues before when evaluating a plateau’s length. eliminating possible physical causes can In general, if a plateau has lasted be counterproductive. “The athlete may longer than you expected and you can’t have something mental going on, but if identify a flaw in the training plan, it’s not, we’ll be wasting our time. In one case, time for a deeper assessment. The first I discovered that an athlete I was working step is ruling out the common causes that can keep Once physical causes have an athlete from making a breakthrough, starting with been ruled out, there are psythe physical. Sometimes this chological aspects to consider. begins with some quick quesDuesing often finds that tions for the athlete. Other times, it may require an outwhen an athlete cannot break side medical evaluation. through a plateau, it’s because “When a plateau lasts longer than we’ve planned, we they do not truly believe begin by checking to see they can hit the higher mark. whether something physical is getting in the way,” McGuire says. “We look for fatigue result- with to break a plateau had Graves’ dising from lack of sleep, poor diet, or low ease, and boy were we glad we checked.” iron stores through a blood test—parWhen other physical causes have ticularly with endurance athletes.” been ruled out, overtraining can be an McGuire has observed that when an explanation for an extended plateau. athlete is stuck, often the first inclina- “The number one red flag for overtrain-

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ing is difficulty in recovering and malaise,” Gambetta says. “When an athlete is on a positive plateau, the energy levels and the bounce are still there but the results just haven’t come yet. With overtraining, if you watch the athlete’s body language, you’ll see an overall feeling of not wanting to train.” Overtraining can negatively influence both an athlete’s emotional state and physical well being. “There’s a direct correlation between the amount of physical work an athlete does and their eagerness to work,” says Craig Poole, Head Coach of Women’s Track and Field at Brigham Young University and a professor in sports psychology. “Overtraining can depress an athlete’s ability to psychologically prepare for the max efforts he or she is trying to achieve.” In addition, plateaus in meet performances can occur when an athlete is working too hard in practice. “I worked with an elite distance runner who was achieving really good training marks in practice, but he was doing so by giving competition-level effort in practice

every day,” Gambetta says. “He had a huge competition plateau, because he was basically competing five days a week in practice and then trying to compete again on Saturday. You have to make sure that there is a recognizable difference between training effort and competition effort, and you can’t just look at the times the athlete records. You have to see if they’re really straining to reach a time or if they working at the proper level to achieve it.” Overtraining can also result when athletes take it upon themselves to do extra work in an attempt to break through a plateau. “Some kids, especially distance runners, are perfectionists who sneak in workouts beyond what they really should be doing,” Poole says. “If a coach isn’t aware of the extra work they’re doing, he or she won’t have all the data needed to make an accurate judgment about what’s going on. If you suspect this might be the case, you may have to bring them into your office and ask them directly whether they’re doing extra workouts on the side.”

Once physical causes have been ruled out, there are some psychological aspects to consider. Duesing often finds that when an athlete cannot break through a plateau, it’s because they don’t truly believe they can hit the higher mark. “I constantly tell our athletes that limitations in sports are self-imposed,” he says. “You can always find a hundredth of a second. Once you believe that—not just cognitively, but in your heart as well—you open a door to continued improvement. “Let’s say their dream is to run a subfive-minute mile,” Duesing continues. “If you really press them on it, they may say, ‘I really don’t know that I can do it.’ They impose that limitation on themselves, if not consciously then subconsciously. They see it as just a dream, and if they don’t believe they can do it, they probably won’t.” The Next Peak Fortunately, with all the different ways for athletes to put themselves onto undesirable plateaus, there are even more ways

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to help them break them. A common way to overcome a plateau is to have the athlete stop whatever they’re doing in favor of doing something else. “If an athlete is doing everything right and it’s just not happening for them, I have them get away from their particular event for while,” McGuire says. “There is no magic answer to how long ‘a while’ is. It might be two or three practices or a couple of weeks.” However long the break lasts, the idea is the same: Give the brain a chance to process all the information it has been flooded with. “Athletes in training are exposed to a lot of motor neural information through their kinesthetic senses, listening to people describe what they should do, and watching others do it,” McGuire says. “The body takes all this information and integrates it into a high jump, a hurdle, or whatever the event is. Athletes can put so much pressure on themselves that they’re on motor neural overload—their sensory motor neural filter gets clogged up and can’t separate good information from bad. If we want to keep the good stuff, we have to let the mind purge the bad stuff. So we halt the flow of information for a while by doing something completely different.” Duesing has even had an athlete change events for an entire season to

break an unwanted plateau. “I once had a miler who was really in a rut,” Duesing says. “I knew he had done some intermediate hurdling in high school, so in outdoor track I moved him to the steeplechase. It was really different in terms of energy system usage and it was fun for him, so it got him away from the stale feeling he had when running the mile. “He came back the next year and knocked about eight seconds off his mile time,” Duesing says. “He had been away from the mile long enough that he forgot his bad habits, not just physically but also mentally. Plus, in order to run the steeplechase well you have to be strong. And it turned out adding strength was the key to him improving his mile time.” Most athletes don’t need to take a full season away from their main event to get back on track, so McGuire has a wide range of alternatives. “I might just take out the skill development portion of a practice,” he says. “I’ll have them do a warmup, some speed drills, their weightroom workout, and then go home.” A plateau is also a good time for film review, as long as it’s positive. “You want to show athletes film from when they had great days,” McGuire says. “This is not the time to examine mistakes. This is the time to filter the system. It’s not usually my first choice, because watching film doesn’t get

ne surefire path to an unwanted plateau, according to Lou Duesing, Head Coach of Women’s Track and Field and Cross Country at Cornell University, is allowing athletes to do too much too soon. To avoid that pitfall, Duesing is careful to make sure athletes are leaving something in the tank early in the season, even if their natural inclination would be to train at a higher intensity.

“Sometimes the best approach is to hold people back early on so that what they’re doing later in the year is at a higher intensity than what they could do early on,” he says. “For example, our competitive season begins in January and ends in June, but January is really a pre-competitive stage. If an 800meter runner has had a good fall and done their work over Christmas break, they’ll be fit, though not completely race sharp.

you completely away from the activity, but if you’re looking at good performances, it can be a positive thing.” Gambetta likes to change various elements of the training program. The most common changes involve adjusting training volume and intensity. Although load can be increased or decreased, it’s best to not change by more than 10 percent from one training period to another. Similar adjustments can be made to intensity when a change is needed. “As the athlete accumulates training over the years, I’m more prone to go toward higher-intensity and higher-quality work while cutting down on the volume,” Gambetta says. “But at younger training ages, the training hasn’t accumulated, so you can give them slightly greater workloads at various times.” Another area that can be easily tweaked is rest, both within workouts and between workouts, especially if overtraining may be a factor. But Gambetta warns that just because some rest is good, more is not necessarily better. “There’s a traditional tendency to overwork and under-recover,” he says. “But right now, rest and recovery are the buzzwords in training, and I’m beginning to see people resting too much. Recovery is really important, but only if you’ve done the work first. Continued on page 22

“If I gave them the opportunity, they could go out and run some fast quarters, and they could probably do so over a period of time,” Duesing continues. “But that brings them up to a certain level quickly and once they get there, where do they have left to go? So rather than have them run four to six quarters at 60, which they probably could do, I just keep them at 64 with short recovery so we’re working the endurance side of speed endurance. That way, when they start working at a little bit higher intensity, they’ll move forward and keep progressing from cycle to cycle. They won’t be stuck where they started, like they would have been if they were running 60s back in January.”

PREVENTING PLATEAUS COACHING MANAGEMENT

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“Don’t forget about rest within a workout,” Gambetta continues. “Often, we don’t provide adequate rest between sprints and throws and jumps in practice and that can have a leveling effect on performance.” Beyond the old standbys of volume, intensity, and recovery, Gambetta also

“The movements and muscles used are all similar, but the stimulus is varied enough that the body will perceive each exercise differently.” Then there are changes to training sequences, such as swapping the order of plyometric work and weight work within a workout. “It’s important to have several different patterns of work,” Gambetta explains, “so that you Smaller changes can include can change the order of the prialtering balance by having mary stimulus for the days of the athletes perform on soft week. These sequence changes go a long way toward avoiding or surfaces or barefoot, visual breaking through plateaus.” feedback by changing the Gambetta says other smaller changes can include alterworkout environment, and ing balance by having athletes kinesthetic awareness by perform on soft surfaces or going from a thin weight barefoot, visual feedback by changing the workout environbar to a fat one. ment, and kinesthetic awareness likes to tinker with training modes. “For by going from a thin weight bar to a fat example, for squats you can use body- one or from a medicine ball to a power weight, a weighted vest, a bar, dumb- ball. “The key is that each of the changes bells, jump squats, back squats, front must have a specific purpose and methsquats, or overhead squats,” he explains. odology,” he says.

When the problem is a psychological block, Duesing creates practice situations where the athlete can build the confidence needed to achieve the next breakthrough. “For example, part of running a fast mile is getting to the 1,200 mark in a time that’s going to have the athlete feel like they’re on pace without feeling like they have to bend over and rest,” he says. “So I’ll design some frontloading workouts that get them to that point. But you also need to back-load. So we design workouts that get them as tired as they might feel when they reach that 1,200 point, and then have them work at a faster-than-normal pace. That way, they know they’re capable of feeling that level of fatigue and still maintaining their pace. “When we put them in those situations in practice, they see that they have what it takes physically and mentally to maintain the pace that’s needed,” adds Duesing. “They begin to really believe they can hit the new mark, and when that happens, a breakthrough is just around the corner.” ■

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LEADERSHIP

MEET THE PARENTS BY LEM ELWAY

ealing with parents is one of the most overlooked aspects of coaching. From the dad who questions the coach’s methods for teaching hurdles to the mom who believes her booster club efforts should gain her daughter special status, parents rarely accept their children’s lot in sports just because someone says so.

Handling today’s moms and dads can be a challenge for even the most experienced coach. A better relationship starts with establishing ground rules and clarifying roles.

This generation of moms and dads wants logical explanations for every action a coach takes. They have questions about why certain decisions are made and concerns about how the coach’s actions affect their child. Correctly handed, these situations can make for a positive experience. Handled incorrectly, they can cause a lot of sleepless nights. For many coaches, a natural first response is to tell parents not to interfere. But this strategy usually backfires.

It simply makes the parents distrust the coach. I’ve found a better solution is to make parents part of the team’s success by educating them on their role and on the procedures for raising questions. Communicate Roles The first step in educating parents is delineating roles. It helps immensely when parents know their responsibilities as well as those of the athletes and coaches. These may vary depending on

Lem Elway is a member of the Washington State Coaches Hall of Fame. Currently Head Baseball Coach at Black Hills High School in Tumwater, Wash., he has coached several sports at the youth, middle school, high school, and college levels. His first book, The Coach’s Administrative Handbook, was recently published by Coaches Choice.

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LEADERSHIP

your particular school and support staff, but I’ll explain how I break it down in my program as an example. (See “Rules on Roles,” below, for a complete list.) The coach’s role is to be the leader and communicator. They lead by acting professionally at all times, being good teachers, making fair rules and decisions, staying organized, and setting a good example through their actions. As communicators, they must exhibit good listening skills, be available to athletes and parents, clearly outline rules and expectations, and be in touch with all administrative guidelines. Another constant responsibility of the coach is to reduce all risks associated with the sport and follow safety rules. And, finally, coaches alone make training and competition decisions. The role of the parent is to be a support system for the athletes and coaches. This entails respecting the rules and decisions made by those in charge, staying positive about every aspect of the

team and all of its athletes, and keeping any negative thoughts to themselves. It also entails thoroughly understanding the role of the coaches and knowing not to interfere with that role. The athlete’s role is to be a responsible member of the team. This includes having a good attitude, following team rules, and asking questions of the coach when needed. Be Proactive Once you’ve outlined the responsibilities of the three major groups, you need to communicate to parents and athletes exactly what these roles are. With athletes and assistant coaches, opportunities naturally arise to talk about roles and responsibilities, but with parents, you need a more proactive plan. The first step is accepting that parental involvement comes with the job. It is very important to make parents feel comfortable about asking questions and to provide good answers. We all know

that many parents who ask questions will never be thoroughly satisfied, but as coaches, we need to provide the answers, whether or not they are accepted. Coaches also need to be ready to justify their actions when dealing with athletes (which also helps to ensure that we are doing the right things in all situations). We need to be ready to respond to the disagreeable parent. And we need to be patient with the parent who has coached or is an active runner, and thus thinks he or she is an expert on the sport. At the same time, we need to realize that most parents’ experiences are very limited. Something that seems obvious to a coach may need extra explanation to a parent. In addition, parents, by nature, have tunnel vision—they see only their child’s needs and don’t have the ability to be objective when dealing with a situation. It falls on the coach’s shoulders to educate and lead parents through this experience.

R U LE S O N R O L ES A great way to get parents to become positive members of your support system is to get them to understand their role, as well as the role of the coaches and the athletes. In no particular order, here is how I outline responsibilities for my athletes’ parents:

COACHES’ ROLES:

9. Make sure everyone has practice and meet schedules.

3. Respect other fans, coaches, and athletes.

2. Be positive, fair, and consistent with the athletes.

10. Be a professional practitioner in dealing with situations in the sport and stay current with training techniques.

3. Make decisions with thought and care.

11. Keep inventory of equipment.

4. Talk to their child if they have any questions and, if they still have questions, contact the coach through agreed-upon athletic department procedures.

4. Establish and organize practice for the team on a daily basis.

12. Work to help assistants improve.

1. Set a good example for athletes and fans to follow.

5. Be a good communicator with athletes and parents. 6. Protect the safety of all athletes. 7. Know and employ injuryprevention procedures. 8. Make sure athletes know expectations, procedures, rules, and lettering requirements for the program.

COACHING MANAGEMENT

13. Keep track of the academic progress of athletes. 14. Be available to talk with athletes and parents.

PARENTS’ ROLES: 1. Be a fan of everyone on the team. 2. Respect the coaches’ decisions.

5. Don’t poison the water toward a coach, the program, or teammates by your conversation. 6. Don’t talk to coaches on meet day about a complaint. 7. Understand that the coaches’ responsibility is to make certain that students are safe and become better people and athletes, not to win every meet. 8. Be supportive of their child.

ATHLETES’ ROLES: 1. Be positive and have a good attitude. 2. Support their teammates. 3. Work hard at practices. 4. If they have any questions, ask the coach. 5. Know and follow school and team rules. 6. Challenge themselves as athletes and as people. 7. Meet classroom expectations. 8. Notify the coach of any scheduling conflicts in advance. 9. Talk to the coach about any special concerns about philosophy or expectations.

LEADERSHIP

Meet Often Being proactive in dealing with parents also means opening up the lines of communication from day one. I do this by setting up three or four group meetings with parents. This may seem like a lot of extra work, but it actually reduces the number of one-on-one discussions I need to have with parents. I start with a preseason meeting for potential athletes and their parents. I cover expectations and procedures; the responsibilities of coaches, athletes, and parents (as outlined above); and my coaching philosophy. I also explain some of the details that come with participation on the team: paperwork that parents have to fill out, dates of future parents’ meetings, procedures athletes need to follow, and meet schedules for all levels. This is not a time when I answer many questions. Rather, it sets the tone that, as the head coach, I am in charge and these are my rules. Periodically throughout the season, I hold more parents’ meetings. This is a time for me to further explain procedures

or address new circumstances. And, unlike the preseason meeting, it also allows parents a forum to express their concerns and give me feedback on the program. I use a printed agenda so we stay on track. The topics change depending on the time of year and what situations have arisen, but they mostly focus on what rules we have and why. For example, I might talk about our training schedule, expectations of athletes during meets and on bus trips, the consequences of missing practices, plans for spring vacations and field trips, and my expectations of the team. Allowing a lot of time for parents to ask questions is key. The important thing is that they don’t feel embarrassed to ask something. I don’t want them to have that excuse, so I try to let them know I’m open to any and all questions. During these meetings we have the parents sign in so we know who was there and who was not. That way, if an issue comes up from one of our disruptive parents we can say, “If it was that important to you, why didn’t you come to one of the meetings?”

I’ve found these meetings clear up many misconceptions parents may have. Most importantly, though, they create an environment of openness, which most parents equate with fairness. Outline the Rules Although these group meetings usually set the right tone and answer most parents’ questions, a handful of very involved parents will have individual questions and concerns. They will want to talk with you, argue with you, and challenge you. And you will have to deal with them in a positive manner. Therefore, as a smart coach, it is important to educate parents on how, when, and why to communicate with you. In addition, they need to understand the guidelines for questioning the coach so it’s done professionally and positively rather than as a confrontation. I’ve found that the more guidelines I give parents on how they should communicate with me, the better these discussions go. First, I ask them to do a little thinking. “If you have a question or concern,” I

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LEADERSHIP

tell them, “please take the time to think about exactly what it is.” Next, I ask them to follow our athletic department’s threestep process: 1. If appropriate, talk with your child about your question. What is his or her perspective? Can your child solve the problem without your help? 2. Set up a meeting with the coach if you still have questions. This should be

explain four simple guidelines: 1. Conversation must be professional with regard to both language and conduct. 2. Everyone gets a chance to talk, but everyone must listen as well. 3. Emotional control by all parties is imperative. 4. Meetings are by appointment and must not occur on meet days.

Frequent meetings clear up many misconceptions parents have. Most importantly, though, they create an environment of openness, which most parents equate with fairness. an informational meeting where you ask questions, listen, and have a discussion. But, emotions and language must remain professional. Remember that the coach makes decisions for the good of the team based on practice, ability, and attitude. 3. If questions remain, set up a meeting between the athletic director, the coach, and yourself. For any of these meetings, I also

Finally, I also give parents guidelines on what questions are appropriate and how they might ask them in a positive manner. For example, it’s fine to ask about the treatment of their child. They might ask, “What was your reasoning for doing what you did in this situation involving my child?” or “Were there any situations or conditions that led up to this?”

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They are also welcome to ask about how their child can improve. I give them examples about how to best phrase these questions: ■ “Does my child work hard and have a positive attitude at practice?” ■ “What areas does he need to improve in?” ■ “Do you have some suggestions we could use to make these improvements?” Asking about their child’s behavior or attitude is also acceptable. They may ask, “Is my child a positive addition to the team?” or “Is there something I can do to help you?” Working with and educating parents is an ongoing process and must be done in a proactive manner. Coaches must encourage communication and make the process comfortable and positive for everyone. Being questioned in a forthright manner can be a growing process for a coach, so don’t shy away from it. ■ A version of this article has run in previous editions of Coaching Management.

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CONDITIONING

WINNING WAYS BY MATTHEW LUDWIG

From the strength and conditioning coach who designed the program, here are the weightroom secrets to the University of Washington’s middle distance success.

STEPHEN NOWLAND/NCAA PHOTOS

t the University of Washington, we were proud to have a pair of runners bring home middle distance titles from the 2006 NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships. Ryan Brown won the men’s 800 meters in 1:46.29, and Amy Lia was the women’s 1,500 meters champion with a time of 4:14.63. In addition to the work they do on the track with Head Coach Greg Metcalf, our middle distance runners work hard in the weightroom. As the strength and conditioning coach for track and field here at Washington, I developed a program for them a year ago that we believe helped them reach their top performance, while remaining injury free. One of the keys to our program’s success has been starting carefully and building a solid foundation. Another has been open communication between myself and Coach Metcalf to ensure that the work we do in the weightroom complements the training athletes do on the track. In this article, I outline our strength and conditioning program for middle distance runners and detail the logic that went into its design.

Washington’s Amy Lia crosses the finish line to win the 2006 NCAA Division I women’s 1,500 meters. Teammate Ryan Brown won the men’s 800 meters.

Matthew Ludwig is an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at the University of Washington. He can be reached at: coachlud@washington.edu.

COACHING MANAGEMENT

CONDITIONING

Setting Goals In our strength-training department here at Washington, we like to work closely with our sport coaches to develop programs. Therefore, my first step in setting up workouts for the middle-distance runners was to meet with Coach

op a program that would keep our runners coming back for more. The greatest strength-training programs ever written are the ones that get done! You can pour your heart and soul into a training program, but if the athletes give it minimal effort, you will get minimal

lower bodies. Athletes who are hurting aren’t going to be motivated to keep coming back, so we monitor muscle soreness and adjust our program accordingly, and we talk to the athletes often to find out how they are feeling. The more we show we care about them, the harder

After we gather information through our needs analysis, it is time to get athletes into the weightroom and begin preseason training. Our athletes are very in tune with their bodies, and they know two things: “The better I feel, the better I will run” and, “The stronger I am, the faster I will run.” This influences our approach to their training. Metcalf. We talked about the runners’ strengths and weaknesses, their past experiences using the weightroom, and previous training they had tried. We also discussed our philosophies on the biomechanics of the events and energy system needs. At the conclusion of our analysis, Coach Metcalf and I set the following goals for the program: Make it doable. We wanted to devel-

results. Therefore, we keep things very simple in our weightroom and rely on the principle of progressive overload to establish strength throughout full ranges of motion. Shin splints, knee pain, foot and ankle pain, calf and achilles pain, and hamstring and low back pain are common in middle distance runners because of the high volume of impact on their

they will work for us. Establish a base. Many middle distance runners are unfamiliar with the weightroom, oftentimes because strength work isn’t stressed and because of a misconception that weightlifting generates hypertrophic muscles that will make them look like football players. We explain to our runners that science has shown many times over that being

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Circle No. 118

COACHING MANAGEMENT

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CONDITIONING

involved in an organized strength-training program promotes muscle balance, enhances metabolic adaptations, and improves force production, joint stability, performance output, recovery rates, flexibility, structural stability, and motor development. But to receive these benefits, they first must establish a base. Our program for middle distance runners consists of two or three workouts a week lasting 45-60 minutes each depending on the time of year. Improve flexibility. Any time a muscle repeatedly performs an action in a limited range of motion, it gradually becomes limited to that range of motion. Distance runners run straight ahead and rarely utilize their full stride length with maximal hip flexion and hip extension. Consequently, they end up with tight hamstrings, hip flexors, glutes, calves, internal and external hip rotators, and backs. Incorporating static, dynamic, and PNF stretching into a runner’s training program can have astounding results. Our athletes have always trained on

the track before they arrive to the weightroom, so we don’t have to spend time warming up. Instead, we focus on improving flexibility. As one form of dynamic flexibility training, we train every movement in the weightroom using the fullest range of motion possible. We finish the workout with static flexibility training and a PNF (contractrelax) program using elastic bands. Improve core strength. To build core strength, we believe it is most important to teach the athlete to move his or her limbs throughout a full range of motion in space before introducing balls, gadgets, and other resistance- or balance-manipulation devices. Although these are all great tools for training, we take the time to first generate motor unit recruitment in the core through sport-specific movements like squatting, pulling, lunging, and step-ups. In addition to these exercises, we incorporate weighted abdominal work, physioballs, and static abdominal work. Strengthen weak and lagging muscle groups. Although middle distance run-

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ners use their legs for most of the work they do, a large portion of their lower extremities are often underdeveloped. Common areas of lower-body weakness in middle distance runners include hamstrings, hip flexors, hip abductors, and hip adductors. Most middle distance runners also display some level of weakness when asked to perform any unilateral exercise. Upper-body weaknesses typically consist of weaker posterior chains compared to their anterior counterparts. Therefore, we focus our program on strengthening these muscle groups to avoid imbalances. Getting Started After we gather information through our needs analysis, it is time to get athletes into the weightroom for preseason conditioning. Our track athletes are very in tune with their bodies, and they know two things: “The better I feel, the better I will run,” and “The stronger I am, the faster I will run.” This influences our approach to their training. We begin by introducing basic move-

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Circle No. 119 COACHING MANAGEMENT

CONDITIONING

ments to establish an understanding of the motor development the athletes currently possess. Muscle soreness has to be very limited to avoid hurting performance. We know the first four weeks of learning a new exercise are mainly neurological, but if the muscles are being asked to perform in an unfamiliar range of motion, the risk of micro tears increases. Remembering another of our goals— to create a training program that keeps our runners coming back for more—we are careful to not get overzealous on day one. You can always add to a program, but it is extremely difficult to undo overreaching in a short amount of time. I start with very low volume and very low intensity and slowly raise the volume from week to week. I don’t progress the athletes to more volume or more intensity until I feel they have established a sound comfort level with the load they are initially assigned. For example, when introducing squats, we start with sissy squats holding

FIGURE ONE: Sissy Squat The athlete begins in a standing position with heels supported on the edge of a platform, holding a 10-pound plate across her chest. Having her heels supported as she performs the squat allows her to keep her torso upright and achieve maximum depth.

F I G U R E TW O : Standing Single-Leg Hip Flexion with Knee Extension The athlete stands on her right leg with left knee bent to 90 degrees, left thigh parallel to the floor, and hands on hips. She then extends her left knee, straightening her left leg parallel to the floor. Repeat for other leg.

COACHING MANAGEMENT

a 10-pound plate across the chest (see Figure One, below). Sissy squats allow the athletes to keep their torsos in an upright position and promote maximal range of motion without limitation. Hamstring strength for middle-distance runners tends to be very weak after the first 45 degrees of hip flexion. By placing the athletes in a position to use the quads and get maximum depth, we build up to performing a back squat. Week One consists of the following exercises to begin strengthening the lower body. Each exercise is performed with one minute of rest between exercises and sets. Sissy squat: Three sets of five reps (between each set, stretch hamstrings statically for 20 seconds.). Body-weight step-ups: Two sets of five on each leg using 90 degrees of hip flexion (focus on using glutes and hamstrings for hip extension). Standing single-leg hip flexion with knee extension: One set of eight on each

leg (see Figure Two, below). Hanging knee-ups: Two sets of 10. At five weeks, we are able to increase the volume using the same loads to minimize muscle soreness and show the athletes that strength training can be done effectively with minimal muscle soreness. Week Five training goes as follows, with 30-45 seconds of rest between exercises and sets: Sissy squat: Three sets of 10 reps. Body weight step-ups: Three sets of eight reps on each leg. Standing single-leg hip flexion with knee extension: Two sets of 12 reps on each leg. Hanging knee-ups: Three sets of 15 reps. Using this program over the first five weeks of their training last season, our athletes improved their overall ability to do work from the original baseline of 53 reps in week one to 123 total reps. During the five weeks, the load never changed. This is a very basic approach to improving general physical preparedness and diminishing recovery time. Building On The Base The training year for our middle distance runners is divided into six mesocycles: off-season, preseason, transition, in-season, transition, and postseason. Below is a detailed look at a year-long macro cycle and how we have designed the strength-training program for each phase. Off-season (mid-June to September): We conduct two full-body workouts per week, Monday and Thursday. This training cycle focuses on recovery, restoration, and repair from the highintensity loads experienced during the season that just ended. The athletes cut back on the total running volume in June and gradually increase from July to September. Strength training focuses on building strength endurance starting in Week One of the off-season program with a total volume of 298 reps (excluding core work) per week and building to 520 reps by week 18 (see “Off-Season Conditioning,” on page 31). Many of our middle distance runners compete in outdoor competitions in September and October, so we try to enhance both their ability to metabolize lactate and their metabolic response to training by improving oxygen consumption and fuel utilization.

CONDITIONING

O F F - SE A SON C O N DI TI O N I N G During the off-season, our middle distance runners complete two strengthtraining workouts per week. Listed below are the exercises performed on each day, along with the reps and sets performed on week one.

MONDAY Back squat 3x8 Bench press 4x4 DB step up 2x8, each leg Wide-grip lat pulldown 2x12 Triceps push down or push up 3x8 DB rear fly 2x8 Core Work Straight-leg sit up 3x15 â&#x2013; Seated Russian twist 3x15 â&#x2013; Superman 3x15 â&#x2013; Lying hip abduction 2x15, each side â&#x2013;

THURSDAY DB incline bench 2x12 DB walking lunge 2x10, each side DB military press 3x8 RDLs with barbell (hold 2 sec. on bottom) 3x6 One-arm DB row 2x10 Shoulder complex* 2x8, each exercise DB curl 3x8 Core work â&#x2013; Elbow bridge 3x30 sec. â&#x2013; Side crunch 2x30 sec. â&#x2013; Alternating pointer 2x12, each side â&#x2013; Standing hip flexion w/knee ext. 2x10, each side *The shoulder complex consists of front raise, side raise, and upright row. Athletes do all three exercises in succession, then rest.

To see a copy of the complete 18-week program, visit: huskystrength.ica.washington.edu.

Preseason (October to mid-December): We progress to three full-body workouts per week. Training is now focused more on improving overall muscle strength and forcing production in preparation for the indoor and outdoor seasons. During this time period, the athleteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s volume stays at or under 120 total reps per workout (excluding core work). Set and rep ranges consist of two to four sets of five to 12 reps, depending on the exercise being performed. Athletes also spend more time with their sport coach working on their running economy and efficiency and building cardiovascular endurance. Transition (last two weeks in December): Continuing with three full-body workouts per week, the transition phase is a short deloading period lasting one to two weeks that allows the body to recover from off-season and preseason training. A strength-training program is still in place, but the total volume of work drops to less than 80 total reps per workout (excluding core work).

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Circle No. 120 COACHING MANAGEMENT

CONDITIONING

In-season (January to May): We go back to two full-body workouts per week. The in-season is long and hard for our middle distance squad, which competes in both indoor and outdoor

on the same page. The success of our program revolves around open communication. As a staff, we meet weekly to discuss current injuries, practice plans, and each athlete’s progress in the weightroom. This ensures that we avoid As a staff, we meet weekly to discuss current injuries, overtraining and that we utilize the knowledge of our sports-medpractice plans, and each athlete’s progress in the icine staff to help validate our weightroom. This ensures that we avoid overtraining training plans. We also revisit our and that we utilize the knowledge of our sportsoverall needs analysis at least twice a year, once before the indoor medicine staff to help validate our training plans. season and once at the conclusion of the outdoor season. events for five solid months. We perOur program at the University of Postseason (second week in May until form two workouts per week (Mondays nationals): Weightroom activities are vol- Washington works very well for us and and Wednesdays) to allow full recovery untary during this time, but flexibil- we are proud of the athletes who have in time for weekend events. During ity training after every track practice is dedicated themselves to it. When our this time, the weightroom is more of a strongly encouraged. middle distance runners step on the tool for active recovery and restoration, track for competition, they know they maintaining flexibility, and prehab or Collaborate For Success have trained hard and can compete to rehab work. In-season is a time of speciThroughout the season, we strive their fullest ability. ■ fied training on the track, and the inten- to improve communication between sity must be high at every practice. myself, Coach Metcalf, and our athletic A version of this article ran in Coaching Transition (one week in May): trainers. Each person involved with the Management’s sister publication, Training Athletes are given on week off from progress of our athletes needs to be & Conditioning. training to allow for a mental and physical break. This is a time for those who are competing in conference, regional, and national events to freshen up mentally and disengage for a brief period.

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

fields, the BallStopper system features heavy-wall aluminum uprights installed into ground sleeves and treated synthetic netting with permanently attached galvanized steel cables (top and bottom). For more information on outdoor sports equipment, visit AAE online. Circle No. 506 AAE’s The Donkey is a portable, elevated multi-purpose center with a long list of uses. It’s a scorer’s table, observation center, video station, broadcast booth, coach’s station, penalty bench (optional), and on-field storage unit (optional). Whatever the sport—track, lacrosse, soccer, field hockey, baseball, or tennis—users will benefit from what The Donkey has to offer. It’s fully portable, easy to move, features lockable wheels, and affords protection from wind, weather, and sun. Constructed of durable aluminum, it stands nearly 11 feet high and comfortably seats up to six people. Circle No. 507 Austin Plastics & Supply, Inc. 800-290-1025 www.athleticrecordboards.com Athletic record boards from Austin Plastics are effective tools for motivating your athletes to do their best. The boards are easy to install, made of durable plastic, and available in various colors. They come in three

standard sizes: 38” x 48”, 45” x 80”, and 72” x 120”. Engraved record nameplates are available, or teams can print their own using per forated card stock supplied by the company. All record boards, custom and standard, are available for all sports. Circle No. 508 Blazer Mfg. Co. 800-322-2731 www.blazerathletic.com Blazer’s premium line of hurdles includes some of the strongest, longest-lasting hurdles on the market today. The new model 1130 High School Open Base Rocker Hurdle is an extremely strong knockdown hurdle, and it is shipped flat to reduce freight costs. The model 1138 Collegiate Hurdle is a welded L-hurdle that features an interlocking, stackable base. The FormFinder Self-Training Hurdle helps athletes develop the correct body position for hurdling. Circle No. 509 New additions to Blazer’s premium equipment line include the model 1262 Indoor Urethane Discus Ring and the model 1189 Collegiate PV Standard. The orange discus ring is highly visible and snaps together for easy assembly and compact storage. The standard offers collegiate-level quality with aluminum uprights and a steel base for stability. Blazer also offers a full line of track equipment, including Steelex spikes, shot puts, performance indicators, and much more. Circle No. 510 Raceclock by Electro-Numerics, Inc. 800-854-8530 www.raceclock.com Raceclock timing clocks are available with four-, six-, or nine-inch digits featuring super-bright LEDs or traditional

Track Facility Equipment “flip” digits. The single- and double-sided models are accurate to 1/100th of a second. Internal batteries provide over 10 hours of operation with selectable timing modes set by a keypad. Accessories include a tripod stand, carr ying case, remote control, and remote display operation compatible with FinishLynx. Circle No. 511 Lynx System Developers 800-989-5969 www.finishlynx.com Lynx System Developers is the world’s premier manufacturer of digital photo finish and timing equipment. For more than a decade, the company has offered top-quality technology to high schools and colleges nationwide. FinishLynx hardware and software packages give you everything you need to manage a track meet—from athlete entries to seeding, FAT timing, and results. Even the most basic (bronze) package provides a turnkey solution to event management issues, and lower-level packages can be upgraded at any time. Circle No. 512 The LynxPad computer program from Lynx System Developers provides an efficient, easy-to-use interface for administering track and field meets and other athletic competitions. Creating lists of events, competitors, affiliations, and seeding marks is a snap, and results can be compiled and ranked quickly and easily. With

just a few clicks, the software creates heats or flights according to the criteria you specify. LynxPad can be used by itself or in conjunction with FinishLynx, FieldLynx, ReacTime, and ClerkLynx products. Circle No. 513 M-F Athletic Co. 800-556-7464 www.performbetter.com The 2007 M-F Everything Track & Field catalog is an 80-page publication that includes all the basics: pits, vaulting poles, hurdles, starting blocks, stopwatches, throwing implements, javelins, and much more. There’s even a special 10-page training equipment section, offering stateof-the-art training aids for track and field and cross country athletes at the high school and college level. Call today or go online to request your copy. Circle No. 514 Marathon Printing, Inc. 800-255-4120 www.marathononline.com Marathon Printing specializes in numbers for all kinds of athletic events. The company’s goal is to provide on-time delivery of the highest-quality custom and stock bibs available. Marathon prints all numbers inhouse, giving the company total control for easy customization of your bibs. If you need references, just contact Marathon. The company supplies numbers for some of the largest and most popular competitions in the world, and would be glad to talk with you about your event. Circle No. 515

On Track 800-697-2999 www.ontrackandfield.com On Track high jump and pole vault standards feature lightweight anodized aluminum uprights equipped with polymer measurement scales that resist peeling and tearing. Unique on–off riser clamps make height adjustment cer tain and secure at all heights—no more slipping because of loose screw-downs. The steel riser tubes and offsets are electroplated with zinc for durability. The pole vault standard slides along heavy steel rail units for unsurpassed stability. Circle No. 516 Professional Turf Products 866-726-3326 www.proturfproducts.com Trax Armor™ Cross-Over Tarps are designed to protect your synthetic running track surface from all types of traffic, including football cleats, cheerleaders, and even maintenance machinery. All tarps are available in black and light gray. Call toll-free to find out more, or go online to view all the company’s products and specifications and to locate a dealer near you. Circle No. 517

Need help fundraising for your team? Check out the new source for fundraising tips, support, and suppliers:

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COACHING MANAGEMENT

Great Ideas For Athletes...

Knee Strap Cho-Pat’s Original Knee Strap is designed to alleviate certain knee discomforts due to overuse syndromes, arthritis, and other forms of degeneration. Nearly two million sold! Sizes: XS - XXL • Colors: Black and Tan

Dual Action Knee Strap Patented device offers an extra level of pain relief and protection from knee degeneration and overuse syndromes. Stabilizes and strengthens the joint while allowing full mobility. Sizes: Sm - XL

Achilles Tendon Strap This patented device will reduce stress upon the Achilles Tendon and provide effective relief from pain and discomfort associated with Achilles Tendonitis. Sizes: Sm - Med - Lrg

www.cho-pat.com 1-800-221-1601 Circle No. 122

COACHING MANAGEMENT

ADVERTISERS DIRECTORY CIRCLE NO.

COMPANY

PAGE NO.

103. . . Aer-Flo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 104. . . Austin Plastics & Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 106. . . Beynon Sports Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 111 . . . Blazer Mfg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 120 . . . BulletlBelt (Lane Gainer) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 122. . . Cho-Pat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 100 . . Conica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC 114 . . . Fastec Imaging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 118 . . . Goldner Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 121 . . . Jump Stretch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 117 . . . Kytec Athletic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 101 . . . Lynx System Developers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 125 . . . M-F Athletic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BC 105. . . Marathon Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 112 . . . Mondo USA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-21 102. . . North American Specialty Flooring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 113 . . . Omni-Lite Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 115 . . . On Track (catalog) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 116 . . . On Track (hurdles) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 107 . . . OPTP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 124 . . . Power Lift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IBC 108. . . Professional Turf Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 109. . . Raceclock by Electro-Numerics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 123 . . . TurfCordz/NZ Mfg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 110 . . . VS Athletics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 119 . . . Xvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

PRODUCTS DIRECTORY CIRCLE NO.

COMPANY

PAGE NO.

506 . . AAE (HBS Ballstopper) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 507. . . AAE (The Donkey) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 504 . . Aer-Flo (Bench Zone) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 505 . . Aer-Flo (Cross-Over Zone) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 508 . . Austin Plastics & Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 500 . . Beynon Sports Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 510 . . . Blazer Mfg. (Discus Ring) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 509 . . Blazer Mfg. (Hurdle) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 537. . . Cho-Pat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 503 . . Conica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 526. . . Fastec Imaging (software) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 525. . . Fastec Imaging (SportsCam) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 538 . . Goldner Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 518 . . . Jump Stretch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 527. . . Kytec Athletic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 528. . . Lane Gainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 512 . . . Lynx System Developers (FinishLynx) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 513 . . . Lynx System Developers (LynxPad) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 519 . . . M-F Athletic (facility equipment catalog) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 514 . . . M-F Athletic (track & field catalog) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 515 . . . Marathon Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 501. . . Mondo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 502 . . North American Specialty Flooring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 520. . . Omni-Lite (ceramic spikes) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 521. . . Omni-Lite (lightweight spikes) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 516 . . . On Track (high jump/pole vault standards) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 522. . . On Track (training implements) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 529 . . OPTP (Axis roller) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 530 . . OPTP (Stretch Out Strap) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 531. . . Power Lift (Belt Squat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 532 . . Power Lift (Leg Press) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 534 . . Power Systems (Dual Agility Ladder) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 533 . . Power Systems (VersaStep hurdles) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 517 . . . Professional Turf Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 511 . . . Raceclock by Electro-Numerics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 524. . . VS Athletics (Denfi discus) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 523. . . VS Athletics (Wind Gauge) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 535 . . Xvest (Don Chu) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 536 . . Xvest (Fire Fighter model) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Team Equipment Jump Stretch, Inc. 800-344-3539 www.jumpstretch.com

M-F Athletic Co. 800-556-7464 www.performbetter.com

Omni-Lite Industries, Inc. 800-577-6664 www.omni-lite.com

“Don’t Ice that Ankle Sprain!” is the new book co-written by Jump Stretch founder Coach Dick Hartzell and Dr. Michael Shimmel. It details a technique for treating ankle sprains that gets the athlete up and running significantly faster than traditional methods. The technique utilizes 4 FlexBandsR (3 Mini and 1 Average). The book is currently available as an e-Book, with the print version due out in March.

M-F Athletic has released its new catalog of athletic facility equipment, which offers hard-to-find items such as bleachers, benches, wall and field padding, wind screens, flooring, weightroom equipment and design, tents, and goals for all major spor ts. The catalog gives coaches and athletic directors quick, organized access to impor tant equipment. Request your copy today by calling M-F Athletic or visiting the company’s Web site. Circle No. 519

Omni-Lite’s ceramic spikes are onethird the weight of steel, and they’re designed to compress on the track to allow for maximum performance. The Pyramid spikes are recommended for middle- to long-distance events. The spikes are available in five lengths: 1/8”, 3/16”, 1/4”, 3/8”, and 1/2”, and seven colors: black, silver, fast blue, Olympic green, violet, fast red, and Olympic gold. Circle No. 520

Circle No. 518

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Team Equipment Omni-Lite Industries, Inc. 800-577-6664 www.omni-lite.com

On Track 800-697-2999 www.ontrackandfield.com

VS Athletics 800-676-7463 www.vsathletics.com

Omni-Lite’s lightweight spikes are designed to compress on synthetic tracks, returning energy to the runner and minimizing damage to the track. The threads on the spikes are com-

Gillett’s overweight and underweight training implements are the same throwing trainers you’ve read about on coaching Web sites. Modern training theor y calls for incremental weight variation below and above competition weight for strength, speed, and technique development. With this theor y in mind, Gillett implements were created in both a discus series and a shot put series. An adjustable shot model is also available—all of its dimensional measurements remain consistent with competition specs. Circle No. 522

Make your sprint and jump marks official with the help of VS Athletics’ Compact Wind Gauge, the smallest and bestselling legal wind gauge in the world. It’s very easy to set up and use. This product is a must for championship meets. Circle No. 523

patible with all major brands of track shoes, and extended-length threads are available for use with sprint crowns. Omni-Lite’s spikes are made of ceramic, so they will never rust. They’re available in several different styles, including Pyramid, Christmas Tree, Needle, and Blank. Omni-Lite has the right spike for every track event. Circle No. 521

This Meet be Faster! Quicker! Stronger! • Explosive off-the-block starts! • Faster over the hurdles! • The safety, security and reliability

professional athletes demand! • To learn more about the innovative TurfCordz line, call 800-556-7464 or online at www.performbetter.com TurfCordz are distributed by M-F Athletic Company © 2006 NZ MFG LLC, Tallmadge, OH T&C0806

800-556-7464 • www.performbetter.com Circle No. 123

COACHING MANAGEMENT

Give your throwers the same discus Olympians use. The Denfi discus from VS Athletics was thrown by all medalists (men and women) at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. It’s scientifically designed to outperform any other discus on the market. There are four different models to suit any thrower’s ability and any throwing conditions. Circle No. 524

Your Fundraising Resource Filled with tips & advice, www.FundraisingForSports.com is the first Web site specifically for sports booster clubs. There you can read about successful fundraising projects and find the potential vendors you need to make your own success story!

www. FundraisingForSports .com

Strength & Conditioning Fastec Imaging 858-592-2342 www.fastecimaging.com SportsCam is an affordable point-andshoot 500-frame-per-second digital video camera with a built-in display screen, a USB 2.0 connection, and CompactFlash download capability. As the world’s first highspeed digital camera specifically designed for coaching, training, gait analysis, kinematics, physical therapy, and biomechanics research, the SportsCam captures thousands of images at very high frame rates and then plays them back in slow motion. This allows coaches, athletic trainers, athletes, and researchers to immediately analyze performance. Circle No. 525 Fastec offers the new MiDAS Express software from Xcitex for controlling, synchronizing, and automating the company’s point-andshoot digital video cameras. Highspeed sports activities can be recorded on command with variable trigger settings and saved in standard file formats such as .AVI, .TIFF, and .JPEG. On-screen features include velocity and distance measurements. Users can easily upgrade to MiDAS 4.0 Standard or Full Versions for more sophisticated analysis. Circle No. 526 Kytec Athletic Speed Equipment 800-732-4883 www.kytec.us Kytec manufactures and distributes the ultimate multi-sport Power Fitness Chute, invented by Ky Michaelson. It features an innovative way to adjust the resistance—you slide the patented cord lock up the shroud lines to change the

shape of the chute. The Power Fitness Chute uses only four lines, so it won’t become tangled like other chutes that use eight lines. Another innovative addition to the Power Fitness Chute is its parabolic cup canopy. Rather than relying on the wind to give the chute its shape, the parabolic cup is sewn into this chute for consistent shape and stability. The Power Fitness Chute opens quickly and remains stable, making it ideal for speed development in sprinters. It comes with a quick-release belt and instructions. Circle No. 527 Lane Gainer 810-231-1545 www.lanegainer.com Lane Gainer offers Gorilla™ agility hurdles. Convenience is the primar y feature of these highly visible orange hurdles. They can be stacked and carried “briefcase style”, and they’re easy to store. The hurdles have a synthetic edge, making them ideal for indoor or outdoor use, and the collapsible design makes them safe for any athlete. Gorilla hurdles are ver y affordable, and are available in three sizes: three inches, six inches, and 12 inches. A carr ying tote bag is also available. Circle No. 528 OPTP 800-367-7393 www.optp.com/ad Engineered for moderate to heavy use, the exclusive OPTP Axis roller offers all the benefits of traditional rollers, plus extra durability so it

won’t break down. The Axis’ advanced injection-molded foam is firm, dense, and smooth on the surface. It will not lose its shape after moderate to heavy use. Fitness and rehab professionals will love the lasting power of this roller. For more information or a free OPTP catalog, call or go online today. Circle No. 529 The Stretch Out Strap, available only from OPTP, delivers all the benefits of PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facil-

itation) stretching without the need for a partner. This type of stretching combines isotonic, isometric, and prolonged stretching. The Stretch Out Strap has a double-stitched series of loops for the hands and feet that allow users to work progressively into a stretch. Circle No. 530 Power Lift 800-872-1543 www.power-lift.com The Power Lift® Belt Squat is a great way to train the hamstrings, glutes, quadriceps, and hips while eliminating spinal compression. From a standing position, the user disengages the work arm to start the exercise. The Belt Squat attaches to the work arms on each side, over the user’s hips. Force is evenly distributed through the user’s heels, emphasizing the muscles in the hips, glutes, and hamstrings. The machine is ideal for rehabbing injuries and for teaching squats, one-legged squats, and lunges. Weight storage and three custom belts are standard. Circle No. 531

COACHING MANAGEMENT

Strength & Conditioning Power Lift 800-872-1543 www.power-lift.com The Power Lift 40-degree Uni-Lateral/ Bi-Lateral Leg Press features a unilateral/bilateral locking mechanism, an adjustable back pad with lumbar support, weight storage, seven-gauge steel construction, and an adjustable starting position. The unilateral motion is ideal for athletes with a lower-body injury, since it allows them to isolate and train their non-injured leg. Sixteen high-grade liquid cast polyurethane wheels guarantee smooth operation of the carriage. Alternative angles are also available. Circle No. 532 Power Systems, Inc. 800-321-6975 www.power-systems.com For quickness and agility training, the benefits of step hurdles are well known. Power Systems has improved on the traditional hurdle by increasing its durability, stability, and portability with the new VersaStep hurdles. With a wide, weighted, nonintrusive base and a pliable bounce-back design, VersaStep hurdles are more user-friendly because they don’t need to be reset again and again. Even when stepped on, they return to their original shape. Transporting the entire set of six is a breeze, since they stack neatly onto the carrying handle. VersaStep hurdles are available in six- and 12-inch heights, and both sizes have an 18-inch base. Circle No. 533 Double the ladder, double the number of athletes, doubles the success. Get more out of your athletes—one or two at a time—with one super-sized piece of equipment: the new 40-inch-wide Power Systems Dual Agility Ladder. Bring on the challenge with this extralarge ladder by increasing the difficulty

COACHING MANAGEMENT

More Products of agility drills, footwork patterns, balance, and change-of-direction exercises. It’s ideal for accommodating space and time constraints because you can work two athletes at a time, indoors or out. The double width and 15-foot length creates 20 stepping areas. The ladder neatly folds into its carrying bag for easy transport. Circle No. 534 Xvest 800-697-5658 www.thexvest.com “I have found the Xvest to be an excellent tool for providing overloads in plyometrics, strength training, conditioning, and rehabilitation programs. The fit and adaptability are excellent. The Xvest allows 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 Xvest has proven itself in my programs. Thank you for all your efforts and help in improving my capability as a strength and conditioning specialist.” —Donald A. Chu, Ph.D., PT, ATC, CSCS, author of Jumping Into Plyometrics Circle No. 535 Xvest has a new weight configuration, and it’s heavy: 84 pounds of heavy. The new Xvest, known as the Fire Fighter model, was developed especially for fire fighters and their rigorous training. It has the same basic design as the original Xvest, but internally it has a new weight configuration that allows for 84 pounds of weight. Because of its ability to adjust weight like the original Xvest, everyone from body builders to military personnel is buying them. For more information on all the Xvest models, call the company or visit its Web site. Circle No. 536

Cho-Pat 800-221-1601 www.cho-pat.com Cho-Pat’s Shin Splint Compression Sleeve eases the pain associated with shin splints. Designed and evaluated by medical professionals, this unique device tackles inflammation and discomfort by using gentle compression to support the lower leg muscles. It also stimulates circulation, maintains warmth, and controls excess fluid. Finally, two straps act as shock absorbers to reduce microtrauma to the tendons and other soft tissue and keep the device in proper position. Call Cho-Pat or visit the company’s Web site for more information. Circle No. 537 Goldner Associates, Inc. 800-251-2656 www.goldnerassociates.com Goldner Associates has been a leading supplier of medals, pins, and patches for 40 years. The company can create custom designs in any size or shape, and stock items are also available. Looking for an item with your team logo? As a top-50 distributor, Goldner offers a full line of promotional products, including team caps and T-shirts, trophies and awards, fundraising items, giveaways, and much more. Circle No. 538

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