Coaching Management 16.8 by Momentummedia

Coaching Management VOL. XVI NO. 8

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TRACK & FIELD POSTSEASON EDITION 2008

LEADER OF THE PACK Working with team captains ■

New Ideas for Recruiting

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Examining Nutritional Supplements

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Coaching Management Track & Field Edition Postseason 2008

CONTENTS

Vol. XVI, No. 8

CHERYL TREWORGY/PRETTYSPORTY.COM (COVER & RUNNERS) ; BLEND IMAGES LLC/VEER (WOMAN); AP PHOTO/JEFF GENTNER (HURDLES)

LOCKER ROOM

COVER STORY

Bulletin Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Leader of the Pack

Pole vault risks revisited … High schoolers experience the Olympic Trials … Responding to a Facebook faux-pas … New research suggests combocarbs are best for distance runners … Sharing a multi-sport athlete … Muslim attire draws disqualification.

Q&A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Todd Harbour, Head Coach at Baylor University, talks about coaching at the high school level, training 400-meter runners, and helping athletes set goals. TRACK FACILITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 TEAM EQUIPMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 CONDITIONING PRODUCTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 MORE PRODUCTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

NEXT STOP: WEB SITE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

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Great teams always include great leaders. But it doesn’t happen magically. Coaches must invest time in explaining roles, providing opportunities, and giving feedback.

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Convincing top high school prospects to choose your college over others entails mastering the art of selling. And that means knowing what an athlete is looking to buy.

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As the number of nutritional supplements on the market keeps growing, athletes can easily get lost among the choices. Our expert explains how to steer clear of unwanted risks and toward real performance gains. ADVERTISERS DIRECTORY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 On the cover: Nine-time All-American and Olympian Leo Manzano was recognized as the top student-athlete leader at the University of Texas this year. Story begins on page 16.

Publisher Mark Goldberg Editor-in-Chief Eleanor Frankel Associate Editors Dennis Read, Greg Scholand Assistant Editors R.J. Anderson, Kenny Berkowitz, Abigail Funk, Kyle Garratt, Mike Phelps

Marketing Director Sheryl Shaffer Marketing/Sales Assistant Danielle Catalano Business Manager Pennie Small Art Director Pamela Crawford Photo Research Susan McGinn Administrative Assistant Sharon Barbell Special Projects Dave Wohlhueter

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LOCKER ROOM BULLETIN BOARD H.S. Pole Vault News Pole vault safety is again a hot topic. The release of a study in March showing the rate of pole vault injuries to be similar to those in football and wrestling, followed by the death of a high school pole vaulter one month later, has renewed concerns about the risk factor involved in the event. Ryan Moberg, an 18-year-old senior captain of the track and field team at DeSales Catholic High School in Walla Walla, Wash., died two days after suffering severe head and neck injuries from a fall during an April indoor practice. It had been six years since a high school pole vaulting fatality.

AP PHOTO/BUTCH MCCARTNEY

Details of the accident have not been made public, but it appears that Moberg didn’t make it up and over the bar to the landing area, and fell onto the runway. David Smith, Executive Director of Walla Walla Catholic Schools, explained to the Tri-City Herald that Moberg “fell backward” during a vault attempt. Head Coach Mike Michels told the Herald that the indoor pit being used was in compliance with NFHS standards and an assistant coach in charge of pole vault was on site. Jan Johnson, Chair of the USA Track and Field Pole Vault Safety Committee, stresses that following proper facility standards is the most important aspect of pole vault safety. “For two decades, from 1982 to 2002, pole vault was tallying about two catastrophic accidents a year,” he says. “But since 2003, when the new NFHS and NCAA rules went into effect, we’ve only

had three or four total, and in at least three of the incidents, either the pit or the athlete’s approach technique was not in compliance. “Moving practice to an indoor facility is always a little bit worrisome in my mind,” Johnson continues. “There are a lot more chances to be out of compliance when you have to set up an entire kit. I think it’s easier for the athletes and coach to say, ‘Oh, we don’t

says. “Teaching athletes proper technique is also vital. Each year, 25 percent of high school pole vaulters are new to the event. It’s easy to overlook that turnover, especially when you don’t want to be teaching the same things over and over again every year. But if you ignore that fact, you’re putting your athletes in a more risky situation than is necessary.” The research released in March, “A Prospective Study of Injury

ing the landing pad, was the most common cause of injury, and that many pole vault injuries can be prevented by correcting poor technique. Johnson doesn’t think it will be long before pole vault helmets are required, at least at the high school level. An ASTM International standard was developed and approved almost two years ago, and a manufacturer is expected to come forward sometime this

The death of a high school pole vaulter this spring, along with the release of a new injury study, has led to increased discussions about the event’s safety. In addition, the NFHS has again altered its pole vault rules regarding what constitutes a foul, and coaches are still waiting for a helmet that meets the new ASTM International standard. need those box collars today, it’s going to be fine.’ But that’s probably the worst mistake a coach can make.” Coach and athlete education is another important aspect of pole vault safety. “Any coach who is overseeing pole vault should be trained or certified in some manner,” Johnson

> For the complete list of NFHS rules changes, go to: www.nfhs.org and select “track and field/cc” from the “sports” pulldown menu. > For more information on pole vault safety, visit: www.polevaulteducation.org.

Patterns in High School Pole Vaulters,” followed 140 Wisconsin high school pole vaulters through their 2005 and 2006 seasons. Researchers determined that “injuries are common in young vaulters,” citing an injury rate of 26.4 injuries per 100 athletes per season. Almost three-quarters of the injuries were recorded as trauma to the lower extremities, and the most common were ligament sprains. No neck or head injuries were sustained by study participants. Researchers stated that landing incorrectly, including miss-

year with a helmet that meets the standard. The KDMax helmet, which hit the market in 2005, does not meet the ASTM International standard. In the meantime, the NFHS approved a rule that will again charge pole vaulters with a foul if their feet leave the ground. Vaulters may stop during their approach and restart their vault attempt with no foul called as long as they have not left the ground. In 2008, pole vaulters were allowed to leave the ground without having a foul called against them as long as they

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LOCKER ROOM BULLETIN BOARD did not break the plane of the crossbar, but NFHS officials say the original intent of that rule was to allow vaulters to re-approach their vault, not abort it once they had started.

Olympic Opportunity This year’s Olympic Track and Field Trials in Eugene, Ore., were obviously an enormous opportunity for hopeful U.S. Olympians. Less obvious was how important the event would be for a lucky group of Oregon high school track and field athletes. Personal Best: Youth Leadership & Track Camp, a program put together by the Local Organizing Committee of Eugene 08, invited 100 Oregon high school athletes to attend the Olympic Trials, at no cost, where they participated in one of two camp sessions, each of which lasted four days.

During evening competition, the high schoolers carried Olympic hopefuls’ clothing, ran hurdle crews, and signed athletes in at various points on the field. During the day, they attended classroom sessions where an array of speakers talked to them about academic excellence, leadership, volunteerism, and mentorship. Coaches and administrators around Oregon recommended athletes to be invited to the camp. The organizing committee then selected athletes who properly represented themselves, their schools, and their community, with an eye on diversity. According to Shawn Fincher, the camp’s Executive Director and Director of Development at the University of Oregon, the committee strived to have the demographics of the camp reflect the demographics of the athletes competing at the trials.

The effort paid off according to Leon McKenzie, Head Coach at Benson Polytechnic High School in Portland. “Sometimes, only affluent kids get a chance to do something like this, so I thought it was great that they wanted to reach out and give all kids the opportunity,” he says. “A lot of my kids would never have been able to experience this had there been a cost associated with it.” The goal of the camp was to provide athletes from various backgrounds with inspiration and an educational message. “First and foremost, we wanted to talk about the importance of education, including a college education,” says Fincher. “The idea was to put together a curriculum that would help kids understand that the university experience is a viable option for them. One of the themes that we emphasized was the idea of having an academic plan.

“Another thing the seminars taught was the importance of hard work and learning from the inevitable failures we have in life,” continues Fincher. “Failure isn’t such a bad thing—it can be what will lead us to our ultimate success.” The camp was funded by Nike, and speakers included high-level Nike executives, athletic coaches from the University of Oregon, local educators, former Olympians, and several USATF athletes. Local high school coaches served as chaperones. “I liked the approach because the younger athletes not only got to see top athletic performances, but got to talk with Olympic athletes about how to be successful,” says McKenzie, who was a chaperone. “It was also great to hear stories of people who grew up poor and now work as top executives in a corporation like Nike.” Camps built around Olympic trials are an infrequent opportunity, but Fincher says the idea could work in conjunction with other meets. “A lot of time was put into this, but now that it’s done it should be easier to do again in the future,” he says. “The strength of the event came from the strength of the partnership and the dedication of the partners. It starts with leaders who are committed to providing resources and staffing that won’t be pulled out from under you.

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ERROL ANDERSON/USATF

NBC announcer Lewis Johnson (an NCAA Division I All-American in 1987 in the 800 meters) talks to high school athletes during “Personal Best: Youth Leadership & Track Camp,” which took place during the Olympic Track and Field Trials this summer. The campers attended classroom sessions on leadership during the day and helped out at the competition during the evening.

“There’s no doubt that the kids fully appreciated the experience, and will go on and do great things,” continues Fincher. “Clearly they were impacted here. The kids have started their own e-mail groups to keep in touch with each other and some are even planning a reunion. One of the most remarkable things was when they told me, ‘We want to plan a reunion, and we want you to be involved.’ Quite honestly, I was almost moved to tears.”

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Facing Facebook The 2008 season was certainly a successful one for the Slippery Rock University track and field program. Both the men’s and women’s teams won Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference outdoor championships and nine individuals advanced to the NCAA Division II national meet. But off the track, it was a season for learning, as 15 athletes were suspended after one of them posted photos on her Facebook page from a party held during a team trip. The photos were seen by student newspaper writers, who ran an article about them, and the incident soon generated national media attention. The Facebook page showed athletes, as well as athletic training students, consuming alcohol in a hotel room, which is

a violation of athletic department policy. The good news for Slippery Rock was that the athletic department had already implemented a policy on social networking sites, and was ready to respond to the incident immediately. The policy says that the posting of “incriminating photos or statements depicting hazing, sexual harassment, vandalism, stalking, underage drinking, illegal drug use, or other inappropriate behavior will be subject to disciplinary action by the Head Coach and/or Director of Athletics if they gain knowledge of such violations.” The 15 athletes were suspended from one meet and received one strike in the department’s Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug (ATOD) policy. After three strikes, a student-

This spring, 15 track and field athletes from Slippery Rock University were suspended for one meet after one of them posted photos on her Facebook page of them partying in a hotel room during a team trip. athlete is no longer eligible to participate in athletics. Slippery Rock Athletic Director Paul Lueken implemented the social networking policy at the start of the 2007-08

school year and says there are two main factors to consider. First, the policy must be clear on what the school doesn’t want student-athletes to post. “Whether it’s photos with school jerseys on or party

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LOCKER ROOM BULLETIN BOARD atmosphere-type photos, you need to spell out exactly what isn’t allowed,” he says. After that, the policy must contain specific consequences for each violation. At Slippery Rock, these include suspensions from athletic contests, loss of any applicable athletic aid, and further education on alcohol and drug use. While a few schools have banned their student-athletes from creating profiles on social networking sites, Lueken didn’t see that as the proper course of action for Slippery Rock. He believes it’s better to embrace the communication tool, while being aware of its potential pitfalls. “If you tell student-athletes they can’t do it at all, that almost makes them want to do it more,” he says. “This is the way communication is going right now, so you just have to be aware of how to best use it.” Once Slippery Rock instituted the policy, Lueken asked his coaches to sit down with their teams to go over it, and he requires student-athletes to sign a statement acknowledging it. “We try to use the policy as an educational tool as much as we can,” Lueken says. He expects the lessons learned during the spring will resonate loudly. “This was a bump in the road for us, and a real learning experience.” Lueken says. “When coaches go over the policy this year with their teams, they will be able to say, ‘Here’s what happened last year. You better be listening to what we’re saying.’”

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A new study may prompt distance runners to take a different approach to their fueling. Although many consume glucose-only based carbohydrates before a race or long workout, research indicates a combination of sugar-based carbohydrates can improve the body’s carbohydrate burning ability, which should lead to enhanced endurance. Published in the February issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, the study found that athletes’ endurance performance improved by about eight percent through consuming a specific blend of glucose and fructose carbohydrates rather than glucose alone. These findings contradict years of research saying the human body can burn only 60 grams of carbohydrates per hour. Eight male cyclists, with an average VO2 max of 64.7, ingested a water placebo, a glucose-only solution, or a solution with a 2:1 ratio of glucose to fructose. They then cycled for two hours at 55 percent of maximal aerobic power, followed by a time trial exercise. Expired gases were analyzed throughout and blood samples were taken every 15 minutes. The subjects who ingested the glucosefructose solution finished the time trial about eight percent faster than the glucose-only group, and about 19 percent faster than the placebo group. The researchers found that combining the two sugars allowed the body to utilize dual transport mechanisms at the same time, thus maximizing carbohydrate use. When ingesting only one simple carbohydrate at a time, the body’s pathway for it eventually becomes saturated, limiting the amount of carbohydrate available to the body—this is

While distance runners have traditionally used glucose-only sports drinks for optimum fueling, a new study suggests that a glucose-fructose solution may be better. The researchers found that combining the two sugars allowed the body to maximize carbohydrate uptake. where previous research came up with the 60 grams-per-hour maximum. With the glucosefructose mixture, the body was able to burn up to 105 grams of carbohydrates per hour. Amy Bragg, Director of Performance Nutrition at Texas A&M University, is excited about the new findings. “Glucose and fructose are processed differently in the body, and these two distinct delivery mechanisms may account for the increased fuel supply, which can then delay fatigue and sustain performance,” she says. “Based on this study, athletes should test products

containing the glucose-fructose formulation to observe performance effects.” At least one company has already announced plans to

An abstract of the study, “Superior endurance performance with ingestion of multiple transportable carbohydrates,” can be viewed online by visiting: www.ms-se.com and typing “transportable carbohydrates” into the search window.

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To download a copy of Slippery Rock’s social networking policy, go to: www. rockathletics.com and click on “Policies and Procedures,” then “Social Networking Policy.”

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ATHLETIC RECORD BOARDS “Strive For Athletic Achievement” change its energy bar recipe to include the same glucosefructose ratio as the solution used in the study. “Bars designed for use around activity will likely utilize this information first,” Bragg says. “Should athletes find tangible results, expect many more companies to follow suit.”

“She asked if it would be okay if she tried out for the basketball team, and we said that there would be no problem with that,” says Duesing. “To be candid, with basketball coaches not really recruiting her, we assumed she was not very good at basketball. I figured she wouldn’t make the team, and we would move on.”

Learning to Share

Hampered by a foot injury during her final season of high school basketball, Maduka was not on many college basketball coaches’ radars. But Cornell Head Women’s Basketball Coach Dayna Smith saw Maduka play in an AAU summer game after her senior year and quickly realized the 6-2 forward could be an asset on the court. Easily making the team, Maduka was named Ivy League Rookie of the Year for the 2005-06 season.

When Cornell University’s Jeomi Maduka placed 12th in the long jump at the U.S. Olympic Trials this summer, it was a moment of great pride for the Big Red athletic department. But it pales in comparison to all that she accomplished for the school during the year. Not surprisingly, Maduka was an All-American in the long jump during the indoor and outdoor seasons. Very surprising, however, is that she also earned honorable mention AllAmerican and Ivy League Player of the Year honors in women’s basketball, leading the squad to its first league title. At a time when specialization is the norm, Maduka competed in two sports in the same season at the highest collegiate level, excelling in both. The Most Outstanding Performer at the Indoor Heptagonal Championships where she won three events, Maduka went on to place eighth in the long jump at the NCAA Division I Indoor Championships. The next day, she led Cornell to its first ever Division I women’s basketball tournament appearance with a win over Dartmouth. Three months later, she placed 10th in the long jump and 17th in the triple jump at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Cornell Head Women’s Track and Field Coach Lou Duesing was hardly the only track and field coach to recruit Maduka out of Martin High School in Arlington, Texas. But he was the only one to allow her to pursue both sports.

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“She had looked at other schools, none of which were going to allow her to follow both dreams,” Duesing says. “I think the fact that Cornell did was a real plus, in addition to the quality of education she would receive here.” Duesing believes the lack of athletic scholarships at Cornell (and all Ivy League schools) also made it easier for Maduka to play two sports. “There’s an ownership aspect with a scholarship—’I own you because I’m footing the bill,’” says Duesing. “Maybe coaches don’t say it, but that’s the way it is. When she asked scholarship schools ‘Can I go out for the basketball team?’ The answer was ‘Absolutely not, we’re paying your scholarship. You’re going to do track, you’re not going to play basketball.’” So how does Duesing work with Smith to share their star athlete? “Dayna and I actually don’t communicate a lot about it,” says Duesing. “It’s not an unwillingness to work together, but rather a trust in Jeomi to make the right choices. We make sure we

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LOCKER ROOM BULLETIN BOARD know the basketball schedule and lay out the options for Jeomi: ‘This is what it looks like your schedule would afford you the opportunity to do.’ Then we leave the decisions up to her.” Maduka determines her practice schedule with regards to which days she will attend each sport. If games and meets fall on the same day, basketball takes precedence, except for the Heptagonal Championships.

That approach proved to be a challenge when the Heps fell on the same weekend the basketball team faced its toughest rivals, Dartmouth and Harvard. The compromise? Maduka traveled with the basketball team to play Dartmouth Friday night, and an assistant track coach then drove her to the Heps meet (arriving at 3:00 a.m.), where she competed in the long jump, triple jump, and 60meter dash over Saturday and Sunday.

Despite Maduka’s success in managing two sports (and a pre-med academic workload), Duesing is cautious about recommending other students to take on the same task. “There are not a lot of people like Jeomi Maduka,” he says. “I’ve loved all the kids that I’ve worked with through my 18 years here at Cornell, but there have not been many who could have handled it the way that she has. The only reason it really works is because of Jeomi.”

Muslim Attire Causes DQ Last January, when track and field athletes from Theodore Roosevelt High School in Washington, D.C., traveled to the Montgomery Invitational in nearby Landover, Md., Head Coach Tony Bowden was expecting a great performance from one of his star runners. Senior Juashaunna Kelly was the 2007 Gatorade girls’ cross country runner of the year in the District of Columbia, and going into the meet, she had the fastest mile and two-mile times of any girl in D.C. What Bowden didn’t expect was that Kelly wouldn’t be allowed to run at all. A Muslim, Kelly wears a unitard under her uniform that covers her head, arms, and legs. As she warmed up, an official told her she was in violation of NFHS uniform rules. The official and Kelly were unable to come to an agreement on how to modify the unitard, and Kelly didn’t run.

Along with earning All-America honors in track and field this winter, Cornell University’s Jeomi Maduka starred for the school’s basketball team, leading the squad to its first Ivy League title. Above, she competes in the Big Red’s first round NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament game vs. the University of Connecticut.

In the aftermath, there was disagreement about what caused Kelly’s disqualification. Bowden claims an opposing coach first challenged her right to wear a head covering while competing, and media reports were quick to charge meet officials with religious discrimination. The officials, however, insist their concern was with the fact that the uni-

tard was not a solid color, as required by NFHS rules. The NFHS issued a statement supporting the disqualification and stressing that the color, not the head covering, was the problem. What is clear, however, is that Kelly’s disqualification put a spotlight on a growing issue. More Muslim female studentathletes are choosing to participate in track and field while covered, and coaches and athletic directors need to be prepared to handle the questions that inevitably arise. At Fordson High School in Dearborn, Mich., where there is a high percentage of Muslim residents, it’s not uncommon to see female athletes participate in traditional coverings. Athletic Director Mike Shooshanian believes the first step in successfully supporting them is to understand and respect their choice. “Competing while covered is a big step for these athletes,” he says. “It makes them different, and in high school, doing anything differently from your peers draws attention. It’s not an easy choice, and we give them credit for doing it. Our stance is that this is their religious right and we will support them in any way we can.” For Daryl Tillman, Athletic Director at Roosevelt, Kelly’s request to compete covered was a first. His initial step was to meet with her and her family to learn more. “I believed it was essential to do everything possible to respect her religion and her right to practice it,” he says. “We spent time talking with Juashaunna so she could educate us. If others encounter this, I recommend they immediately talk to the athlete and parents to get a better understanding of their culture and history before you start trying to make adjustments.” Shooshanian makes sure his coaches are prepared to advo-

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LOCKER ROOM BULLETIN BOARD cate for their covered athletes. Each season, he appeals to the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) for uniform waivers documenting the athletes’ right to wear head coverings, pants, and long sleeves, and he makes sure coaches carry the waivers to competitions.

state association so it’s completely legal,” he continues. “I also stressed that in 15 years, I have never seen a safety issue arise because of the uniform changes. I asked them to support these athletes in their choice, and I think talking about it has helped.” Both Tillman and Shooshanian believe more written policies would help put questions surrounding the issue to rest. The NFHS says it allows long sleeves and pants as well as head coverings—as long as they aren’t dangerous to other athletes or likely to come off during competitions—but it doesn’t have a rule specifically addressing the subject. Many coaches and officials are thus unclear on whether the clothing is allowed.

He also suggests addressing the issue within your league. “Even though we’ve had athletes competing covered for 15 years, we’ve been getting more questions recently about whether their uniforms are legal, so I brought it up at an athletic directors’ meeting,” he says. “I believe the questions may be a result of what’s going on in the world today, but regardless, we needed to get everybody on the same page.

“A policy that directly addresses Muslim attire would certainly help,” Tillman says. “If the issue was out in the open and everybody had a clear understanding of the rules, that would eliminate situations like what happened to Juashaunna. For now, individual leagues could begin to draft policies that describe how the issue is going to be handled within their member schools. But a ruling by the NFHS addressing the issue would be even better.”

Juashaunna Kelly, who wears traditional Muslim attire, was disqualified from a high school meet this winter due to her multi-colored unitard.

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Shooshanian has been working to get a written rule in place. “Every year I apply for

“I told the group that we obtain a variance from our

the waivers, and every year the MHSAA grants them,” he says. “So I asked, ‘With more Muslims playing and wearing the clothing, why can’t we simply write a rule that explicitly says it’s allowed?’ The state association told me the rule would have to be written at the NFHS level and that they would work with the NFHS on it.”

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Q&A

Todd Harbour Baylor University Todd Harbour never planned on working at the college level. So the first time his former coach, longtime Baylor University Head Coach Clyde Hart, asked him to join the Bears staff as an assistant, Harbour turned him down. But by the third or fourth invitation, after 15 years in the high school ranks, Harbour was ready. That was in January 2000, and Harbour was assigned to middle distance, distance, and women’s cross country. Over the next six years, his athletes rewrote the school record books, setting new marks in 15 events and winning nine Big 12 Conference individual titles. Then in June 2005, the 71-year-old Hart stepped aside to become Director of Track and Field, passing the Head Coach torch to Harbour, who has continued Baylor’s winning tradition. In 2008, the men’s team placed seventh at the NCAA Division I outdoor championships and the women

CM: How did coaching at the high school level prepare you for what you’re doing now? Harbour: Coach Hart says it best: “Start at ground level.” My first job was coaching the junior high team, and I loved the experience of watching those athletes develop, seeing their enthusiasm every day, and knowing they’re hanging on to every word you say. Then, I started coaching the high school team, too, and I was able to take that experience and watch them excel at a new level.

BAYLOR PHOTOGRAPHY

For most of those 15 years at Riesel, I coached both junior high and high school, working with the younger kids in the morning and the older kids in the afternoon. It made weekends a little longer, because I’d have a junior high meet on Friday and a high school meet on Saturday, but I loved what I was doing. Why did you take the job at Baylor? I never had the goal of being a college coach, but it felt like the right time in my life to come back. On several occasions before that, when Coach Hart had offered me a job as an assistant, I couldn’t afford to take the pay cut. But when I was 40 years old, he asked me again. My oldest son was getting ready to go to college, and I knew the free tuition would come in handy. At the same time, I was in the hot seat at Riesel for praying with the team, and I’d

placed 15th, with 15 runners earning All-America honors. The men’s 4x400-meter relay team won its fourth consecutive outdoor title, and the women placed fourth in the event, their highest finish in a decade. As a student-athlete, Harbour won his share of trophies, too. In the 1,500 meters, he was runner-up in the NCAAs three times and took the silver medal at the 1979 Pan Am Games. As a senior, he ran the mile in 3:50.54 at Oslo, Norway, which remains the fastest clocking by a collegiate athlete. After graduating from Baylor, Harbour ran professionally for Nike. When his contract ended in 1985, he began teaching and coaching track and football at Riesel (Texas) Junior High and High School. Under Harbour, the track and field team claimed three regional championships, while the football team compiled a 51-24-4 record, advancing to the bi-district playoffs four times. In this interview, Harbour talks about his career path, training 400-meter runners, and sharing multi-sport athletes.

had to go to countless board of education executive sessions about the separation of church and state. This was in rural Texas, where most parents want you to pray with their kids before and after a game, but when the school board calls you on it, you have to comply. What does Coach Hart do as Director of Track and Field? He still coaches the 400 meters on both our men’s and women’s side, but he’s turned over the day-to-day responsibilities of running the team to me. That frees him to do the job he does best, and believe me, there’s nobody who does it better than Coach Hart. What’s his secret for training 400-meter runners? It’s a system he has developed over years of trial and error. One of his favorite sayings is that speed and strength are synonymous, so we focus on developing the strength of our 400-meter runners. We spend less time on hard, anaerobic running than most other programs. We don’t do a lot of time trials or anaerobic workouts that put lactate into the system. Instead, we focus on threshold running, taking our athletes close to the anaerobic threshold without going beyond it. That way, they can work a lot of days in a row without needing time off for recovery.

The Baylor University women’s 4x400meter relay team placed fourth in the NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships this year. Carla Grace (above) ran the anchor leg.

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What has Coach Hart taught you about coaching? A lot. He’s my mentor—he’s like a dad to me. He has incredible attention to detail, which is one key to success, but more than anything, he taught me to have a passion for coaching. Recently, some-

When I first took the job at Riesel, I was still training, hoping to make the 1988 Olympic team. I started as an assistant football coach in 1985, and the more coaching responsibilities I had, the harder it became for me to keep training. In 1988, I finally gave up on trying to make

“I believe it’s important to give walk-ons the chance to compete, even at a major NCAA Division I school. If you give them a little more encouragement, they could add something very special to your team.” body asked me what my favorite part of being a coach was, and I said, “Without a doubt, it’s the relationships you build with your athletes.” That’s what Coach Hart stands for, showing young people that track is about more than winning. Why did you coach football? I love the sport! And in Texas, everybody plays football. In high school, I was a wide receiver, and my dad was the coach.

the Olympic team, and in ’89, I became defensive coordinator. Two years later I became the head football coach and stayed for the next nine years. How do you help athletes set goals for themselves? Each athlete is different, and you have to sit down with them and figure out what they need. Sometimes you don’t know their true goals until you talk one-on-one with them. For example, Lauren Hagans,

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who almost made this year’s Olympic team, was basically a walk-on at Baylor. When she first came to me, she said, “I want to make the team and when I graduate I want to run professionally.” She was clearly very serious about succeeding and was willing to do whatever it took to make it happen. So I told her that if she broke 5:10 in the 1,500 meters, I would give her scholarship money for books. She ran 5:12, which was close enough, and she wound up becoming a five-time All-American. I believe it’s important to give walk-ons the chance to compete, even at a major NCAA Division I school. If you give them a little more encouragement, they could add something very special to your team. Do you approach your female athletes differently than you do your male athletes? That was probably the most difficult thing for me to learn when I started at Baylor. I’d coached high school girls, but I didn’t have a lot of experience coaching women. Right off the bat, Coach Hart turned over the women’s cross country team to me, and

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Q&A I didn’t have a clue that first year. Everything I said seemed to be wrong. I had to learn a whole different style of motivation. Most of the time, I’m very optimistic, but the biggest thing I’ve learned is that you have to be even more positive with female athletes. If I need to do some correcting after a race, I make sure I’m saying the right thing because the ladies may take it a little more personally. What do you tell your team about your athletic career? If athletes ask me, I’ll tell them about some of my experiences, but I don’t talk about it much. I won lots of conference championships, and I still hold some school records, but there were lows, too. I was a three-time runner-up at the NCAA championships, but I never won an NCAA title. In 1980, I missed the Olympic team by three-hundredths of a second. In 1984, I came down with the flu right before the trials. I’ve seen the highs and lows, and I know what it’s like when you don’t reach your goal. What are the keys to sharing multi-sport athletes like Robert Griffin, who is com-

peting for the starting quarterback job at Baylor and placed third at the outdoor nationals in the 400-meter hurdles? This was Head Football Coach Briles’s first year here, so we weren’t sure exactly what to expect, but he’s been great. Robert joined us after spring football, and it was just amazing to see how quickly he progressed. He’s a tremendous competitor, and from all indications, he wants to keep running track. In college, with the amount of time these student-athletes have to give, competing in two sports can be difficult. But when it works, it’s a win-win for both teams. Plus, it helps us recruit other multi-sport athletes. We can point to Robert as an example and tell recruits, “If you love both sports and don’t want to give up either one, here’s your chance.” When news broke in 2003 about murder, drugs, and recruiting violations on the Baylor men’s basketball team, you were an assistant track coach. How did the scandal affect your program? To some extent it affected everybody here, but we have always tried to focus on the positives. There were a lot of good

things going on at Baylor at that time, and even though the media kept asking about that one dark page, we stayed focused on who we are. We got past it, and when I look back on it now, some of the recruiting classes we had right afterward were actually very good. Your three sons have all run track. What has coaching them taught you? I was always really tough on my kids because I didn’t want to show them any special attention. If I could do it all over again, I’d be a little more balanced. But it all worked out—I’ve got great relationships with my sons right now. My oldest definitely wants to be a track coach, and my youngest is studying to be a teachercoach. If they ask, what career advice will you give them? I’ll say, “Son, coaching is one of the greatest professions in the world, but you’ll need to find a supportive wife—somebody who understands the amount of time you’ll have to give to your athletes.” The rewards are tremendous, but it’s not the kind of job you can just turn off when you get home—nor should you want to.

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COVER STORY

NCAA Division I outdoor 1500-meter champion Leo Manzano (in lead) was chosen for the Texas Exes Leadership Award in April, given to one University of Texas student-athlete every year. Manzano also competed in the Olympics this summer. PHOTO BY CHERYL TREWORGY/PRETTYSPORTY.COM

LEADER OF THE PACK Great teams always include great leaders. But it doesn’t happen magically. Coaches must invest time in explaining roles, providing opportunities, and giving feedback.

YOUR TEAM CAPTAINS CAN MAKE OR BREAK YOUR SEASON.

BY JEFF JANSSEN

If that sounds like an overstatement, think back over your coaching career. During your most successful seasons, I bet you had great team leaders. Now consider your most frustrating years. Did they include poor leaders? And not only do your captains have a huge impact on your team’s success, but also on your sanity and your satisfaction as a coach. You’ll usually remember a year you had fantastic team leaders with a smile, regardless of the final record. You rely on your captains to help set and uphold the standards of the squad, monitor team chemistry, and be your voice in the locker room and on the weekends when you’re not around. You need your captains to consistently reinforce the team’s standards and hold their teammates accountable. At the same time, your captains depend on you for leadership, guidance, and support as they step up to their challenge. They rely on their coach to create a positive and productive environment that is conducive to helping them lead.

In other words, great team captains are made when both roles of the coachcaptain equation are tended to. What can easily occur, however, is that one side becomes frustrated with the other. Some coaches’ frustrations stem from a belief that the athletes of today don’t seem to have the strong leadership skills they did in the past. I often hear coaches lament, “Kids today don’t understand what it means to be a leader. They aren’t nearly as vocal as they need to be.” Another frequent complaint is, “They aren’t willing to stand up and confront their teammates when necessary.” And captains don’t always feel they have the necessary guidance or support from their coaches. A recent poll I conducted of student-athletes revealed that over 60 percent of captains felt their coaches needed to do a better job of working with them. In essence, captains Jeff Janssen is Director of the Janssen Sports Leadership Center, in Cary, N.C., and a former athletic administrator at the University of Arizona. This article is an adapted excerpt from his book, The Team Captain’s Leadership Manual, and one of his Web sites: www.ChampionshipCoachesNetwork.com.

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complain that too many coaches preach the need for athlete leadership but don’t teach it. Rather than both sides blaming the other, they must make the effort to work together and forge a strong coach-captain partnership. I like to think of it as a leadership team. When coaches and captains are on the same page and leading together as a unified front, great things can happen in your program. Starting on the Right Foot Spending time at the very start of the season working with your captains builds the basis for this leadership team. To be on the same page, you need to talk through what being a team captain means and how to be an effective one. Step number one is to clarify your

expectations of them. Many coaches simply say to their captains, “You’re our leader. I expect you to step up and lead.” But this alone is too vague to give proper direction. Rather than assuming your captains understand their duties, as well as your philosophy and expectations, sit down and carefully clarify what you need from them. Create a job description of the eight to 10 priorities you expect them to handle. (See “Job Description” below.) Clarification of their roles and responsibilities on the front end will prevent misunderstandings as the season goes on. Next, discuss the risks and challenges of leadership. Let your captains know that this new responsibility might be difficult and demanding at times. They will encounter many gray areas and bumps

Here is a sample list of responsibilities coaches can give to team captains: Lead warmups and drills: We expect you to get your teammates organized and keep everyone in line, literally and figuratively.

Set the right tone for the team: We expect you to start practices off with the right attitude, focus, and work ethic. You must also refocus the team when practices get sloppy, create a positive momentum going into competition, and recharge the team when needed. We expect you to be the mental and emotional catalyst for the team. Keep coaches informed: We expect you to keep us informed about issues that impact the success and psyche of the team. We want to know who might be in conflict with whom, whether players are accepting their roles, if anyone’s social life is getting out of control, and so forth. Of course, we don’t need to know every little thing. You’ll have to use your discretion to decide which issues might have a negative impact on the team. Be careful to respect the trust of your teammates as well. You don’t want to be viewed as a tattletale. Provide input on team decisions: We will ask your opinion on a variety of decisions that will affect the team. This could include minor decisions like what warmup gear to wear or where the team prefers to eat. Or it could involve more serious

along the way, and they should understand that these challenges are a normal part of leadership. Most importantly, let them know that you will be there to support them through thick and thin. From there, ask your captains to describe what they think it means to be an effective leader. Their ideas of leadership might be quite different than yours. Ask them to talk about the leaders whom they respect in their lives and why, and the ones they don’t respect and why. This will give you insight into their model of leadership and can start great discussions that get you both on the same page. It can also be helpful to provide your captains with an assessment of their leadership style. Just as each athlete has certain physical strengths and weaknesses, so do leaders. I use a two-part evaluation

issues like how to best discipline a teammate who has broken team rules. Whatever the case, we will expect you to add your insight to help our decision making.

Talk with struggling teammates: We expect you to talk with teammates who might be struggling with their performance or role on the team. It is your job to understand them, support them, challenge them, and figure out how to get them back on track.

Handle conflicts: We may ask you to get involved with team conflicts when they arise. If a small problem crops up, we may ask you to find out exactly what is going on and develop a workable solution.

Plan team activities: We will ask you to plan and coordinate various events so your teammates can better get to know each other. We will rely on you to initiate these events and make sure everyone is invited and involved.

Be loyal: Understand that we are putting a tremendous amount of trust in you. For example, we may tell you things that we will not tell your teammates. In return, we expect you to respect and support the decisions we make for the team. You may disagree with them behind closed doors, but we will expect you to show a united front to the team. We also will insist on your loyalty and that you never bad mouth us to your teammates. There must be a sacred trust between us.

JOB DESCRIPTION 18

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that rates how a person leads by example and vocally, in several areas, from composure to team building. (See page 21 for a Web link to the survey.) This type of analysis can help make the captains aware of their strengths and weaknesses in their leadership qualities. Encourage your captains to utilize and maximize their strengths and acknowledge areas to improve in. For example, some of your leaders might have a hard time confronting their teammates when necessary. Or, some of your leaders may be too blunt and lack the necessary tact to get their messages across well. Whatever the challenge, encourage them to make sure that their weaknesses are not a leadership liability as they work to improve them. Throughout these discussions, let your leaders know how important they are to the program. Don’t be afraid to tell them how much you will rely on them to set the standards, keep the team focused, and handle conflicts. You may even want to tell them that it is “their” team. You will be there to help them, but ultimately it’s the

athletes—particularly the leaders—who determine how far the team will go. Provide Opportunities While talking about their responsibilities is important, your captains need continual opportunities to make real

some practice drills, or take it a step further and let them plan a practice from time to time. It’s also key to solicit your captains’ input on team decisions. These can be minor choices like where to eat after a meet or major decisions like discipline

Ask your captains to describe what they think it means to be an effective leader ... This will give you insight into their model of leadership and can start great discussions that get you both on the same page. leadership decisions. It often works well to start small and build up to more complicated tasks. For example, let them oversee warmups before practice and make any team announcements. Have them contact teammates to inform them of schedule changes. You can even let them lead

situations. The more responsibility and input you allow them, the better leaders they will become. You can also suggest they seek other leadership opportunities outside your team. Encourage them to run for student council, nominate them for the athletic department’s Student-Athlete Advisory

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Council, get them involved in a Captain’s Council, and encourage them to sign up for community service opportunities. In addition, there are more and more leadership conferences for student-ath-

team. But there are more steps you can take to really get the teamwork going. One is to ask your captains to help you track the pulse of the team. Every coach knows that teams are constantly in a state

Being a captain is an extremely challenging job, especially for teenagers and young adults. They will be torn between meeting your expectations and their desire to be liked and accepted by their teammates. Understand this and help them work through it. letes put on every year by state and national governing bodies. Ask your athletic director for funds so that your captains can attend such meetings. A Team Effort By discussing leadership roles and giving your captains lots of practice, you’ll lay the groundwork to become a leadership

of flux—one day the chemistry might be great and the next there could be major drama. One meet your athletes might be confident, and the next they are intimidated and tentative. Some runners are content with their roles while others are boiling below the surface. Because your captains are the heart and soul of your team, talk with them

often to get their insights on your team’s vital signs. Ask them to help you monitor if the team is healthy and strong, has a case of the sniffles, or needs to be rushed to the ER immediately. Another step is to teach them to be a coach on the track. During a meet, there is only so much you can do, and your captains should be entrusted to remind their teammates to warmup up, reassure them when they face adversity, and refocus them when they get distracted. Working together on leadership skills is another great way to build up your captains. For example, ask them to participate with you in this drill: Each of you identifies two people on the team who, for whatever reason, you have not yet developed a good connection or working relationship with. Once you identify these two people, you each make an effort over the course of the next two weeks to begin building a better relationship with them. This can mean taking the initiative to talk with them, work out with them, have lunch with them, and so forth. After two weeks, have a meeting with

You can take your captains’ leadership to another level by implementing a formal education program for them. Many athletic departments have started Captain’s Councils or Leader Programs so that captains on all their teams can learn together. Having the privilege of working with student-athlete leaders for many years, my staff and I have discovered four primary areas they struggle with the most and want help with: ■

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Having the courage and skills to confront teammates when they do not uphold the standards of the team, Knowing what to say and how to effectively refocus teammates when they are frustrated, struggling, and discouraged, Understanding how to build a group of people into a unified team, Maintaining their composure and leadership when they are not competing well or things are not going their way.

It can work well to structure training sessions by specific topic areas, such as: ■

Responsibilities, risks, and rewards of leadership

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Leading by example

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Building commitment

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Strengthening confidence

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Maintaining composure

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Character and decision making

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Vocal leadership

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Servant leadership

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Leading during adversity

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Team building

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Conflict management.

What might a training session look like? To start, we usually introduce the theme of the meeting and show its relevance to becoming an effective leader. We then ask participants to engage in a hands-on activity associated with that theme. Next, we discuss how the elements of the exercise relate to their roles as leaders. We also often have student-athletes assess themselves relative to the theme so they can personalize the information. We finish by giving them a simple assignment they can do with a partner that emphasizes what they’ve just discussed.

FORMAL TRAINING 20

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your captains to discuss how you’re each doing with the challenge. This teaches your captains that the strength of their leadership depends on the quantity and quality of connections they have with all athletes. It also teaches them that you’re in this together. Because being part of a team means supporting each other, always be there for your leaders. Being a captain is an extremely challenging job, especially for teenagers and young adults, and they need solid support from you. They will have internal and external struggles throughout the season. They will be torn between meeting your expectations and their desire to be liked and accepted by their teammates. Understand this and help them work through it. Finally, take time to let your leaders know how much you appreciate their help. A sincere “thank you” from time to time will do wonders to maintain your captains’ morale and motivation. However, be careful not to praise them too frequently in front of teammates as that can breed resentment.

Plan for the Future While focusing on this year’s team captains, don’t forget to begin building leadership skills in younger athletes. Identify team members who have the potential to develop into leaders, and give them some small responsibilities to see how they handle them. Also, encourage potential leaders to learn what to do and what not to do from your more experienced and established leaders. And, all along the way, be conscious of how you model effective leadership as you coach the team. Your prospective and current team leaders will learn infinitely more about leadership by your actions than by what you preach to them.

Be sure that you are just as demanding, if not more, of your own leadership skills as you are of your captains’. What will be the result of all the above efforts? You will create formidable leadership operating in an environment of honesty and trust that has a powerful influence on the culture and direction of the team. As a coach, you must take the initiative to reach out to your captains to create and sustain this important partnership. Remember, if you want your captains to be extensions of you, you must extend yourself to them. ■ A version of this article has appeared in Coaching Management’s Volleyball Edition.

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You can evaluate your leaders using the “Team Leadership Evaluation” by visiting: www.jeffjanssen.com/coaching/evaluation2.html.

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You can order The Team Captain’s Leadership Manual by calling (888) 721-TEAM or visiting: www.ChampionshipCoachesNetwork.com.

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More resources for team captains can be found at Janssen’s Web site: www.teamcaptainsnetwork.com.

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Circle No. 111

FOCUSED FORWARD Top West Virginia high school athletes compete in the 100-meter hurdles at their state meet this spring.

CATCHING RECRUITS

O AP PHOTO/JEFF GENTNER TNER

Convincing top high school prospects to choose your college over others entails mastering the art of selling. And that means knowing what an athlete is looking to buy. BY DAN TUDOR

ne of the most challenging aspects of being a coach today is that you have to be good at so many different things. You need to be upto-date on the latest training techniques, able to communicate well, organized, in tune with kids, and full of new ideas. If you’re a college coach, you also need to be a first-rate salesperson.

A salesperson? Yes. To effectively recruit the student-athletes you want in your program, you must learn the art of selling. Your first thought is probably, “No way! Sales is the last profession I’d enter.” But I’m not talking about becoming the pushy car salesman who sold you your Ford Focus. I’m talking about understanding how to sell a Cadillac to even a reluctant buyer.

You may not like to think of recruiting as selling, but it is. You are trying to convince a young person to choose your school over others. You are promoting yourself as a great coach and parent figure. If you don’t use effective sales techniques, you are entering the recruiting game without a gameplan. Buyer’s Market Business author and sales guru Jeffrey

Dan Tudor is the founder of Selling for Coaches, a program designed to help coaches improve their recruiting, marketing, and communication skills. He conducts personalized on-campus workshops for colleges across the country and can be reached at: www.SellingForCoaches.com.

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FOCUSED FORWARD

Gitomer has a saying: “People hate to be sold, but they love to buy.” That’s a great thing to remember when you’re recruiting student-athletes. Ask yourself this question: What is it you’re selling, and is that what they really want to “buy” from you? A common answer to the first question is “a scholarship” or “my college” or “our program’s successful history.” While those are all adequate answers

alized approaches with athletes, and don’t take the time to understand why an athlete would choose their school, are probably going to be unsuccessful when it comes to consistent recruiting success. Don’t get me wrong—you’ll still sign recruits. Probably even enough to fill your roster and be competitive year in and year out. However, you will never really understand why one athlete responds to

As a college coach, you’re selling a lot more than a scholarship or a college. You’re selling a dream ... A key to signing recruits is finding out what your prospect’s dream is. (and answers most of your competition would give), they aren’t the best answers. It’s a little like asking a car salesperson what they’re selling. If I heard them answer, “I’m selling a car” or “I sell Fords” I would guess that they’re a mediocre salesperson. On the other hand, professional, successful salespeople will answer the same question by saying, “I’m selling the dream of owning a new Ford Mustang convertible” or “With gas prices going through the roof, I’m selling my customers on great-looking cars that get fantastic gas mileage, which saves them lots of money.” As a college coach, you’re selling a lot more than a scholarship or a college. You’re selling the dream of competing at the college level. Or the dream of having college paid for and getting a great start to a successful life. Or the dream of being wanted and appreciated for all of the hard work and sacrifices endured to get to this point in their athletic career. A key to signing recruits is finding out what your prospect’s dream is. If you can discover what they want to buy, you can offer it for sale. When it comes to approaching individual prospects, I find that today’s college coaches tend to have one standard approach, which doesn’t vary much from athlete to athlete. But every recruit— just like every customer in the business world—is different. They have different needs and motivations. In sales, these are called “hot buttons”—the things that get a customer’s attention and cause them to buy. Coaches who don’t take person24

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your message and another doesn’t. And odds are, the one who doesn’t respond will be the one you really, really want. Getting To Know Them For coaches to make the most of their time with a prospect (whether it’s an hour with an entire family or 10 minutes over the phone), they usually talk. A lot. They talk about their college. Their team. Themselves. They spew facts, figures, statistics, winning percentages, and more. Going back to the car example, an average car salesperson would make the most of their time by quoting engine size, horsepower, stereo features, and on and on and on. If I’ve jogged a memory or two of a past agonizing car buying

and then mold their sales approach to the specific customer. Coaches who struggle at recruiting are often too busy rattling off facts and figures. Instead, they should be doing more listening than talking. When I work one-on-one with coaches to help them develop winning recruiting strategies, I recommend they try to talk only 20 percent of the time when they are engaging a prospect over the phone or during a visit. (See “Best Questions” on page 26 for examples of how to get prospects talking.) Of course, the questions shouldn’t only be for the prospect. Coaches actually need to make multiple sales pitches when recruiting a prospect. Not only do you have to connect with the athlete, you have to connect with the athlete’s parents. Furthermore, you’re probably going to need to sell to the athlete’s high school coach, too. Along with asking questions, you can get to know your prospect by looking for clues around them. The first thing good salespeople do when they walk into a new client’s office is take a mental inventory of the surroundings. They notice any pictures on the wall, whether the desk is messy or organized, and if a hobby is evident. Connecting with a prospect may be as simple as noticing a picture and asking them about it. Or taking note of the trophy that sits most prominently in the living room. But don’t just say, “Beautiful trophy.” Use it as a way to ask them about the meet where they won it. What

Coaches who don’t take personalized approaches with athletes, and don’t take the time to understand why an athlete would choose their school, are going to be unsuccessful. experience, good. Remember how you felt? If you’re like me, you probably just wished the guy would stop talking long enough for you to look at the car. Let’s compare that to professional, successful car salespeople. They ask questions right off the bat. They spend time getting to know their customers— what their needs are, what their wants are, and how the car is going to be used day to day. They listen to the answers

was their strategy for the event and what happened? Observing how the student-athlete interacts with his or her family can also provide clues to help you tailor your approach, as can their economic situation. For example, a prospect who has a single mom and is living in a two-room apartment will probably have a different motivation for looking at what school to attend—and why—than a prospect

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who lives in a six-bedroom house in the suburbs. Along with asking questions and noticing clues, you have to find out what the prospect’s hesitations might be. Every athlete has some objection to what you’re offering, from “I don’t think you focus enough on my event” to “Your school is too far away.” If you don’t ask recruits what their reservations are, you won’t know—and you’ll be clueless about why they don’t sign with you. If you do ask, you can address their concerns. Even if you can’t change the fact that your school is far away from their

hometown, you can talk about how your team is a family away from home and how your current athletes stay in touch with their families. Think back to a prospect you lost to a competitor last year. Do you know why they didn’t sign with you? I do. You left an objection unanswered. Addressing nine out of 10 concerns isn’t good enough. Every objection has to be answered, and you need your prospect’s assurance that it has been answered well. Asking questions and noticing their surroundings not only helps you build a personal sales approach, it tells the

prospect you care about them. And the two need to constantly be intertwined. In Your Court Even though you want to tailor your approach to each individual prospect and let them do most of the talking, that doesn’t mean you give up control of the recruiting/selling process. In fact, the opposite is true. It’s important that as the coach, you guide the prospect through an orderly, planned, systematic process. That begins with getting to know each other, then talking about why your col-

BE S T QU E S TIONS When trying to connect with a prospect, the more they tell you about themselves, the closer you get to really knowing how to recruit them. How do you get them talking? The key is asking open-ended questions that will provide more than a yes or no response. Here are some suggestions: WHAT PROMPTED YOU TO CONSIDER OUR PROGRAM?

ference, and should give your prospect enough wiggle room to feel comfortable answering honestly.

How they answer allows you to find out what they’re thinking and why they’re thinking it. You can then use that information to further the recruiting process. It’s a great question to begin to understand their dreams, and can easily lead to lots of good follow-up questions. Listen to their answers carefully, and find ways to point out why their interest is justified.

WHAT CHALLENGES DOES THE RECRUITING PROCESS CREATE FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY?

WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS OF OUR PROGRAM? You’re looking for a “to-do” list here. From this question, prospects may tell you exactly how to recruit them, and exactly what would cause them to choose you as their college coach.

WHAT THOUGHT PROCESS WILL YOU GO THROUGH TO DETERMINE HOW YOU’RE GOING TO CHOOSE A COLLEGE? You may have to press your prospect on this one, since they probably haven’t verbalized it to anyone before. You’re trying to see who else is involved in the decision, how serious they are about assessing different options, and specific things they will be looking for in a program.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF WHERE YOU WANT TO CONTINUE YOUR ATHLETIC CAREER? Okay, this one takes a little guts, but can yield a gold mine of information. It’s important to note that you aren’t asking them for a commitment. You’re just asking for their “thoughts” at that moment. That’s a big dif-

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This is what I call a wildcard question. It might yield very little information, or you might get a wealth of insight into the family dynamics associated with the stressful recruiting process. It’s also a question that will frame you, the questioner, as someone who is concerned about the entire family.

WHAT ARE THE BEST PARTS OF THE RECRUITING PROCESS? Their answer to this might be an important key in uncovering your prospect’s “hot buttons.” Once they tell you the best things about the process, make sure your recruiting efforts touch on those positive aspects.

WHAT OTHER ITEMS SHOULD WE DISCUSS? Let your prospects bring up anything that is on their mind. This is a great question to prompt them to talk about any concerns so that you can address them as soon as possible.

HOW WILL YOU MAKE YOUR FINAL DECISION? Make sure they give you specifics. Ask follow-up questions to their first answer. You can simply say, “And then what?” over and over again until you get to the real source of their decision—a school’s major, the coach, their parents’ input, their coach’s input, or even what kind of uniforms you have. The bottom line is that you’ll know what their decision rests on.

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lege and program is best suited to their needs and goals. You can also use what’s called “trial close” techniques throughout the sales process. That means asking questions like, “When you sign with us, do you have any requests for a specific dorm or roommate?” Controlling the process means gently directing the conversation toward the outcome you desire. A key to the whole formula, of course, is then “asking for the sale.” However, many coaches neglect to do this very simple thing. In my opinion, once you find an athlete who you know you want for your team, it’s never too early to ask if they are ready to commit to your program. If you’ve built trust, gained an understanding of the athlete’s needs, and successfully addressed any objections, the next logical step is to ask for the sale. You’ll be surprised how often and how early you’ll get a positive response. One tactic that usually backfires, however, is using threats to get their commitment. When you tell a prospect, “We’ll need you to give us a yes or no by

Wednesday or else the scholarship is off the table,” you’ve come on too strong for today’s athlete. It’s also poor form to use further threats—or any negative response—if the prospect’s answer is, “No thanks.” Recently, an article detailed the story of a very well-known sports program that black-balled a local high school coach when a prized recruit chose an out-ofstate school instead of the local university. All this did was build a bad name with people the college coach should be counting on for “sales leads.” Instead, what if the coach sent a letter of congratulations to that athlete and their family (and high school coach), wishing them best of luck in the future and thanking them for the chance to speak with them? That leaves the kind of impression that will help a coach have future sales success. Plus, if the athlete ever thinks of transferring to a different school, the coach who congratulated them will be the one they remember. Act like the professional you are, and lose with grace. Good salespeople do it

all the time. It will pay off for you later on, and more than that, it’s the right thing to do. Be Natural By now, I hope I’ve convinced you to embrace the strategies of the best salespeople in your recruiting gameplan. But you may wonder: Can these ideas mesh with who I am and what I’m about? Definitely. Coaches need a firm understanding of their strengths and weaknesses when it comes to recruiting situations, and must approach their prospects in a manner that seems genuine. Being “real” with a prospect is the key to connecting, and the best way to do that is to be aware of your own unique sales personality and how it is viewed by the prospects you are recruiting. This approach is not about changing your style or your personality. It’s about having a process for recruiting that leads to the best results. It’s about finding your own natural sales approach and letting it flourish. ■

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AST YEAR, I was sitting in my office with an elite-level swimmer who was in the midst of her most intense training phase of the year. She was telling me about how she had stopped using all types of sports drinks, sports bars, and recovery shakes, and had even thrown away the multivitamin, vitamin C, glucosamine/chondroitin, and omega-3 fatty acid supplements she had been taking as part of our performance nutrition plan. Since the plan had helped her record a tremendous season the previous year, I was very surprised. The change was spurred by a presentation sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d heard at a recent training camp about the risks of supplement contamination. An athlete had discussed his experience being banned from competition for two years after testing positive for a steroid, even though he had never taken steroids: He had unknowingly used contaminated nutritional supplements. The athlete ultimately won a

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lawsuit against the manufacturer, but no one could repay him those two lost years of competing. That story was enough to make my athlete swear off everything— even her Gatorade. It’s true that the supplement world can involve considerable risks and plenty of unknowns, including—though certainly not limited to—contamination. But it’s also true that when used responsibly, supplements can help athletes achieve their performance goals. The problem is athletes often have a hard time separating fact from fiction and legitimate claims from marketing hype. And the ever-growing whirlwind of aggressive advertising, confusing research, and anecdotal peer experience does little to help. That’s where you come in. In this article, I’ll discuss how to evaluate nutritional supplements so that you can provide meaningful advice to your athletes when it comes to choosing safe, legal, and effective products. I’ll also review some popular supplements and suggest natural dietary alternatives. Breaking It Down Today’s nutritional supplement marketplace is largely a “buyer beware” environment. Supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), so there is no required testing for safety and effectiveness before a product hits the shelves. And many supplement makers see athletes as a prime target, as claims about boosting energy, reducing body fat, and building strength and power find an eager audience among those looking for a competitive edge. Let’s say an athlete comes to you with a supplement brochure, a printout from the Web, or a bottle of some supplement they’re interested in taking. They want your advice. What do you do? I recommend breaking the evaluation process down into four key criteria. Legality: It may sound obvious, but the first thing to look at is whether a supplement is legal. You probably know, for instance, that anabolic steroids are illegal to purchase in the U.S., but they can easily be found online. Androstenedione (“andro”) and other prohormones (sometimes called “testosterone precursors”) have been illegal since the passage of the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2004. Other substances, such as ephedrine, may be legal to purchase over the counter, but their sale is regulated by the FDA. 30

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Beyond actual laws, there’s also the question of whether a supplement is banned by a sports governing body. The NCAA and International Olympic Committee (IOC) each maintain lists of banned substances, as do most professional sports leagues. The lists are updated as new products hit the market, so always make sure you’re using the most current version when checking on the permissibility of an ingredient or a supplement. Purity: In studies evaluating large numbers of over-the-counter dietary sup-

to me after a scary experience. During practice, he had developed a severe headache and a rapid heart rate and had to be rushed to the emergency room. His physicians felt the symptoms were related to stimulant supplements and NO2 (an arginine-based product). Supplements can raise safety concerns for several reasons. In this case, I believe the effects from the supplements were compounded by poor hydration. Most athletes don’t know that musclebuilding supplements often increase the body’s fluid needs, and some stimulants

At minimum, it’s important to discuss with an athlete what the supplement’s desired effect is ... Remarkably, athletes often take a dietary supplement without being able to say exactly what they hope it will do for them. plements, it is consistently shown that 15 to 25 percent of products tested contain ingredients not listed on the label. Some of those ingredients are banned by the NCAA and/or the IOC. Ingredients found in supplements but not listed on labels often include prohormones or actual steroidal ingredients, stimulants, or even heavy metals such as lead. And unfortunately, “I didn’t know the supplement was tainted” is rarely an acceptable excuse if a drug test comes back positive. Sometimes the contamination of a supplement is deliberate, and sometimes it’s simply the result of poor manufacturing practices. For instance, if a company makes multiple products, some of which contain banned ingredients, contamination can occur if the mixing machines are not properly cleaned between manufacturing runs. How do you know if a manufacturer can be trusted? To address concerns about the purity of commercially available products, independent labs and certification bodies have been created to evaluate supplements and verify that their labels are complete and accurate. Supplements certified by these groups are more trustworthy than those that have not been submitted for independent testing. (See “Resources” on page 32 for links to these groups’ Web sites.) Safety: I recently worked with a high school football player who was referred

have been shown to increase the risk of heat stress. Add in the fact that athletes often use these products during periods of heavy activity, and the risk for dehydration and heat illness is very real. Another serious concern is interaction between different supplements, or between supplements and medications an athlete may be taking—both prescription and over the counter. In some cases, a supplement can enhance the effect of a medication or vice-versa. In other cases, the effectiveness of one or both substances is reduced. For example, dietary supplements containing St. John’s Wort, a popular ingredient used to treat depression, may negate the effects of some antibiotics and birth control pills. Willow bark (the herbal equivalent of aspirin) in dietary supplements typically enhances the effects of other ingredients, especially stimulants such as caffeine, guarana, and synephrine. Stimulants and prohormone supplements may interact with antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs, and with medications taken for learning disabilities. Ginseng, ginkgo, and high doses of vitamin E have blood-thinning effects and may be hazardous to athletes set to undergo surgery. The best way to avoid potentially harmful interactions between dietary supplements and other drugs is to bring a physician into the picture. Make sure athletes disclose any medications they

OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE

are taking before you recommend a supplement, and check with their doctor or a team physician about the risk of any unwanted side effects. Efficacy: How do you know if a supplement will deliver on its promises? That’s a difficult question, since many products—even effective ones—have not undergone the controlled experiments necessary for ironclad conclusions. And athletes’ own experience may be colored by the placebo effect (they expect it to work, so they believe it is working). At minimum, it’s important to discuss with an athlete what the supplement’s desired effect is, and whether that desire is consistent with his or her performance, body composition, and health goals. Remarkably, athletes often take a dietary supplement without being able to say exactly what they hope it will do for them. Athletes should also understand that people respond to supplements differently. Some individuals, for example, are very sensitive to caffeine, while others feel little effect from it. Sensitivity can also vary by day, diet, activity level, or

hydration status. A popular example of this phenomenon involves creatine: It increases muscle phosphocreatine levels for some people (“responders”), but not for others (“non-responders”). If an athlete tries a supplement and doesn’t experience the desired effect, it may simply not be the right fit for their biochemistry or lifestyle. Getting Specific Keeping up with every new supplement that comes out is a tall order. But it’s important to be well versed on those that are most popular with athletes right now. Below I will discuss these categories of products and offer a few suggestions on when (or if) they are appropriate to recommend. Creatine, now available in many formulations, remains a very popular seller with athletes. It has been shown to increase some people’s levels of muscle phosphocreatine, a substance that breaks down to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP, an energy source). Theoretically, higher phosphocreatine stores help

speed recovery, improve high-intensity performance, and build lean body mass, and those results have been found in numerous studies. Many athletes don’t realize that creatine occurs naturally in food. Beef, pork, and fish such as salmon and cod all contain about one gram of creatine per eight ounces—about a third of the recommended daily dose for supplementation. Thus, eating three eight-ounce servings of these foods per day can provide a standard supplemental dose of creatine without the supplement. Poultry is lower in creatine, so athletes who always choose chicken and turkey should be encouraged to diversify their menus. Vegetarians eat few creatinecontaining foods, so they may benefit most from creatine supplementation. Here’s another key nutritional note: The phosphocreatine system only contributes to energy production in the first few seconds of muscle activation. After that, carbohydrates become the primary fuel source. Thus, if dietary carbohydrate intake is insufficient, creatine’s benefits will be short-lived.

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Who should avoid creatine supplementation? Because it leads to increased fluid needs, it’s a bad choice for athletes who are prone to cramping, heat illness, or easy muscle pulls. Athletes working out in hot environments and those who sweat excessively should also steer clear of creatine. Beta-alanine is a newer supplement that’s very popular right now. This specific amino acid is involved in carnosine production, which plays a role in buffering acid in muscle cells. Consequently, these supplements promise “decreased muscle burn” and delayed fatigue during high-intensity exercise. There are now some studies supporting those claims, but this supplement warrants further research before its benefits (and any potential risks) are clearly established. The advertised benefits of beta-alanine can be achieved more reliably through dietary changes. Athletes who experience excessive muscle burn during activity are often underhydrated, so they simply need to drink more before, during, and after exercise. And the consumption of quality carbohydrates before workouts will delay fatigue considerably. Suggest that athletes try these solutions before turning to a sup-

plement that has some question marks. Nitric oxide (NO or NO2) is derived from the amino acid arginine. These supplements are marketed as enhancing “muscle pump,” vasodilation, and blood and nutrient delivery to muscles. Many athletes say they like the way nitric oxide makes them feel during workouts. But a growing number of sports medicine professionals have observed troubling side effects from NO and NO2 supplementation, such as extreme headaches, lightheadedness, and increased blood pressure. There is currently very little research to support the purported benefits or assess the risk of side effects. Until that changes, I discourage athletes from using these supplements. Good hydration and adequate intake of vitamins and minerals are critical for proper nutrient delivery to muscles. If an athlete is tempted by the claims of nitric oxide, try evaluating their hydration habits and vitamin and mineral intake instead. Energy supplements come in many forms: drinks, pills, powders, bars, and even special gums and candies. They promise to enhance energy and boost metabolic rate, thereby leading to fat

loss. Some contain substances such as synephrine, bitter orange, citrus aurantium, and zhi shi, all of which are banned by the NCAA. Other products contain stimulants that are permissible in limited does, such as caffeine, guarana, and green tea extracts. Some research supports the use of caffeine for enhancing athletic performance, but it affects individuals differently—some experience dehydration, rapid heartbeat, jitteriness, and laxative effects from caffeine and other stimulants. Why are athletes drawn to this “artificial” energy boost? It’s often a sign of inadequate caloric intake, low glycogen stores, poor hydration habits, not enough sleep, iron deficiency, overtraining, or possibly a mental health issue. You should help athletes consider all those areas before thinking about an energy supplement—if one of them is the underlying cause, addressing it will have more lasting effects than a stimulant. If you do want to recommend an energy supplement, I suggest very measured experimentation with caffeine prior to exercise. Start small, and then adjust the dose depending on the athlete’s response. However, individuals under 18

RESOURCES www.naturaldatabase.com This site includes information on specific dietary supplements and their individual ingredients. It also discusses physiological benefits, reported side effects, and potential drug/supplement interactions. Pharmacists regularly update the data. I personally use this resource often when evaluating dietary supplements. The subscription cost is under $100 per year.

www.drugfreesport.com The National Center for Drug Free Sport provides information, printable documents, and other resources aimed at educating athletes about how to use dietary supplements safely. Athletes and sports medicine professionals can anonymously call or e-mail staff members for information about supplement legality. Many services are free.

www.consumerlab.com This resource conducts unbiased testing of various dietary supplements to evalu-

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ate purity and ensure that ingredient lists are accurate. I feel much more comfortable recommending a supplement that has passed a Consumerlab test. The cost is under $35 per year.

www.ncaa.org/health-safety > click on “Nutrition & Performance” The NCAA’s Nutrition & Performance gateway page includes links to helpful information for coaches, athletes, and parents. Click on the “Student-Athlete” link for access to the association’s most up-to-date list of banned substances.

www.nsf.org The National Sanitation Federation provides programs through which companies can pay to submit their products for quality and purity testing. Dietary supplements with NSF approval are recognized as being pure and are more likely to be approved by sports governing bodies.

dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov This free resource from the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements includes extensive supplement information, links to published studies, and product fact sheets.

www.informed-choice.org Informed-Choice is a not-for-profit partnership between supplement companies and HFL, a prominent anti-doping laboratory, created to help athletes, coaches, parents, and athletic trainers make sound choices about supplements. Informed-Choice has analyzed more samples for banned substances than any other lab in the world.

www.wada-ama.org > click on “Prohibited List” The World Anti-Doping Agency was created by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to combat drug use in sports, and maintains the IOC’s list of prohibited substances.

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and those with high sensitivity to stimulants should avoid these products. Selling Real Results The sports nutrition section of my local grocery store contains dietary supplements with these claims on their labels: ■ “Increase power output five-fold” ■ “Lose weight faster” ■ “Rapidly boost MUSCLE PUMP” ■ “Recover 10 times faster” With enticements like those, who wouldn’t be tempted? The bad news for athletes is that a promise on a supplement label doesn’t always mean much. But the good news is that athletes can experience the benefits they seek through an approach anchored in sound sports nutrition. It’s vital to communicate that supplements, as their name implies, are intended to supplement diet and lifestyle factors—not provide a shortcut or “magic bullet.” Athletes need to understand that supplementation should always be secondary to nutritional strategies in helping them reach their goals.

If an athlete asks you about a caffeinebased supplement because they want more energy during practices and games, first find out if they’re eating enough carbohydrates in pre-activity meals. If they want to use an herbal product that promises to speed recovery, ask whether they’re eating appropriate meals after workouts to replace muscle glycogen stores. If they want to take a weight loss supplement, have them first keep a food diary for a week and evaluate whether they’re consuming too many empty calories or high-fat foods. I receive many phone calls from high school-age athletes and their coaches and parents wanting to know which creatine supplement is best, how many cans of energy drink are safe, or how much protein powder per day is recommended. The fact is, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the ACSM discourage the use of muscle-building supplements, protein supplements, and stimulants by individuals under 18. However, I worry that responding with a flat “no” to these inquiries will

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only push athletes to other, less reliable sources of information. Instead, I talk about the athlete’s performance goals and about nutrition strategies that can provide a natural solution. I also explain why groups like the AAP and ACSM make their recommendations. The bottom line is that as long as athletes are driven to run faster, jump farther or higher, or throw with more power, dietary supplements will appeal to them. Armed with the right information and evaluation strategies, you can help steer them clear of danger and toward a smart approach to sports nutrition that optimizes performance without introducing unwanted risks. ■ This article has appeared in Training & Conditioning, a sister publication of Coaching Management. More articles from T&C can be found at: www.training-conditioning.com. The author would like to thank Susan Kundrat (www.nutritiononthemove.net) for her contributions to this article.

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box. Introduced with great success at the 2008 Penn Relays, the Vault-O-Matic is a huge time-saver for meets and practices. Specially designed for use with AAE’s PVS Premier Pole Vault Standards, the Vault-O-Matic kit includes one wired digital keypad, one control panel, two steel base adapters, and two aluminum runway frames with VOM technology. Circle No. 502 AAE’s new Shot Return System made its debut at the 2007 Penn Relays, where more than 1,000 shots were returned. The SRS saves officials and

coaches much aggravation in returning heavy shots from the field during practices and events. It also creates a designated area for participants to retrieve their shot implement and eliminates the need to walk out into a danger zone. Circle No. 503 Austin Plastics & Supply 800-290-1025 www.athleticrecordboards.com Athletic record boards from Austin Plastics are a great way to motivate your athletes to do their very best. The company’s boards are easy to install, made of durable plastic, and available in your school colors. Track record boards are available in three standard sizes and can be customized to fit your needs. Record plates can be engraved, or you can print your own using Austin Plastics’ printing program and perforated card stock. Custom and standard boards are available for all sports. Circle No. 504 Beynon Sports Surfaces, a FieldTurf Tarkett Company 888-240-3670 www.beynonsports.com The BSS 300 is an IAAF-certified surface. Its Dual Durometer Sandwich

system features a paved-in-place polyurethane base mat topped with a twocomponent polyurethane seal coat. The surface is finished with a flowapplied layer of two-component polyurethane and your choice of embedded EPDM granules or a state-of-the-art encapsulated texture. BSS manufactures a full range of IAAF-certified track surfaces as well as indoor gymnasium and fieldhouse surfaces. Circle No. 505 Designed for a specialized and unique feel underfoot, the BSS 1000 with Beynon’s Encapsulated Texture is an optimum training and competing surface. Its bioengineered force-reduction layer integrates very fine SBR rubber with environmentally friendly polyurethane to create an impermeable shockabsorbing cushion. The BSS 1000 can be customized to match the specific needs of coaches and athletes. Beynon Sports Surfaces is a manufacturer, designer, and installer of premium poured-inplace polyurethane athletic surfacing. Circle No. 506 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 “flip” digits. The single- and double-sided models are accurate to 1/100th of a second. Internal batteries provide more than 10 hours of operation with selectable timing modes set by a keypad. Accessories include a tripod stand, carrying case, remote control, and remote display operation compatible with FinishLynx. Circle No. 507

Track Facilities FieldTurf Tarkett, Inc. 800-724-2969 www.fieldturftarkett.com www.runonlemonde.com From the polyurethane Beynon Sports Surfaces to the high-performance Le Monde rubberized sheet system, FieldTurf Tarkett offers one of the most comprehensive lines of track products in the industry. Backed by a powerful warranty from the world’s largest sports surfacing company, you can expect some of the most advanced, high-quality, durable tracks on the market. FieldTurf Tarkett’s customers include the University of Oregon, Auburn, Princeton, the University of North Carolina, Clemson, the University of Wisconsin, Villanova, the University of Alabama, and more. Circle No. 508 With the recent acquisition of Beynon Sports Surfaces, FieldTurf Tarkett boasts track design and construction expertise that’s unparalleled in the industry. Well known for its high-quality, high-performance surfaces, Beynon’s tracks are used by countless high schools and some of the world’s top track and field programs, including the world-famous Hayward Field at the University of Oregon. Rely on FieldTurf Tarkett and Beynon Sports Surfaces for your track surfacing needs. Circle No. 509 Lynx System Developers 800-989-5969 www.finishlynx.com Lynx System Developers is a premier manufacturer of digital photo finish and timing equipment. For more than a decade, the company has offered topquality 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. 510

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. 511 MFAC, LLC 800-556-7464 www.mfathletic.com M-F Athletic offers its First Place Competitor high school pole vault pit. This pit meets all NFHS standards and comes with a 10-year guarantee on the workmanship and materials—making it a highquality pit at an affordable price. The Competitor is made with top-quality heavy-duty materials, including 21-inch knife-coated vinyl with a 16-ounce liquid urethane spread. It’s available as the pit alone, or see it in the Everything Track & Field catalog as part of a specially priced package including the pit, cover, PV standards, base pads, and PV crossbars. Call today or go online to request your catalog. Circle No. 512 Mondo 800-361-3747 www.mondousa.com The Super X Performance surface is driven by science. Mondo’s biomechanical design provides a running track that delivers competition-caliber performance. Extensive research and development has produced an innovative design with vulcanized rubber for technically superior characteristics. The firm,

non-slip top layer provides maximum elasticity and outstanding durability. The surface requires no coatings and is UV-stable. The geometrically molded bottom layer is designed for maximum energy absorption and return. Super X Performance is a multi-purpose product that can be used indoors and outdoors, and it’s available in many colors. Circle No. 513 Mondo’s indoor track systems are yet another example of the company’s commitment to research, development, and state-of-theart engineering. Years of research, testing, and installation experience have determined optimum banking and construction techniques for almost any indoor configuration. Features include a perfectly uniform surface, controlled deflection, correct banking, safety zones, protection barriers, and custom designs. Permanent banked tracks, portable banked tracks, and hydraulic banked tracks are all available. Circle No. 514 Traction 866-757-5569 www.nasftraction.com ProTraxx pre-fabricated rubber tracks, manufactured and installed by Traction, are for indoor and outdoor use. Made of virgin rubber, ProTraxx delivers the ultimate in performance, safety, and longevity. Call today for a free sample. Circle No. 515 TruSport is a multi-purpose athletic surface from Traction. The company manufactures and installs all-purpose pre-fabricated rubber athletic surfaces, and TruSport is suitable for multi-sport activities providing optimal traction, even when wet. Call today to request a free sample. Circle No. 516

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ADVERTISERS DIRECTORY CIRCLE NO.

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361 Untitled-4

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101 . . . AAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 107 . . . Aer-Flo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 103. . . Austin Plastics & Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 106. . . Beynon Sports Surfaces, a FieldTurf Tarkett Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 118 . . . Blazer Mfg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 113 . . . California University of Pennsylvania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 120 . . . Cho-Pat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 104. . . FieldTurf Tarkett . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 112 . . . HighSchoolSports.net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 109. . . Jump Stretch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 115 . . . Lynx System Developers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 122 . . . MFAC, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BC 119 . . . Marathon Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 121 . . . Mondo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IBC 108. . . Omni-Lite Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 105. . . On Track . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 111 . . . Polytan-USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 117 . . . Professional Turf Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 114 . . . Raceclock by Electro-Numerics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 100 . . Tartan Track Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC 102. . . Traction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 116 . . . Training Sweeps (Lane Gainer) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 110 . . . VS Athletics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

PRODUCTS DIRECTORY CIRCLE NO.

COMPANY

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503 . . AAE (Shot Return System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 502 . . AAE (Vault-O-Matic) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 500 . . Aer-Flo (Cross-Over Zone) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 501. . . Aer-Flo (Landing Zone) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 504 . . Austin Plastics & Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 506 . . Beynon Sports Surfaces, a FieldTurf Tarkett Co. (BSS 1000) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 505 . . Beynon Sports Surfaces, a FieldTurf Tarkett Co. (BSS 300) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 524. . . Blazer Mfg. (Discus Ring) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 525. . . Blazer Mfg. (Rocker Hurdle) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 537. . . Cho-Pat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 509 . . FieldTurf Tarkett (design and construction) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 508 . . FieldTurf Tarkett (Le Monde) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 539. . . HighSchoolSports.net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 538 . . HighSchoolSports.net (Coaches Clipboard) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 532. . . Jump Stretch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 534 . . Lane Gainer (Bullet Belts). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 533 . . Lane Gainer (Training Sweeps) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 510 . . . Lynx (FinishLynx) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 511 . . . Lynx (LynxPad) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 527. . . MFAC, LLC (catalog) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 512 . . . MFAC, LLC (First Place Competitor) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 526. . . Marathon Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 514 . . . Mondo (indoor track systems) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 513 . . . Mondo (Super X Performance) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 529. . . Omni-Lite (lightweight spikes) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 528. . . Omni-Lite (Pyramid spikes) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 518 . . . On Track (Fast Lane) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 517 . . . On Track (high jump/pole vault standards) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 519 . . . Polytan-USA (Polytan M) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 520. . . Polytan-USA (Polytan WS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 535 . . Power Systems (Predator Belt) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 536 . . Power Systems (Premium Speed Sled) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 521. . . Professional Turf Products (Trax Armor) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 507. . . Raceclock by Electro-Numerics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 522. . . Tartan (indoor portable modular tracks) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 523. . . Tartan (track surfacing) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 515 . . . Traction (ProTraxx) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 516 . . . Traction (TruSport) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 530 . . VS Athletics (Velocity warmup) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 531. . . VS Athletics (Xplosion) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

2/5/08 3:44:32 PM

Track Facilities 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 certain and secure at all heights—no more slipping because of loose screwdowns. 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. 517 On Track Fast Lane high school hurdles are the original truly stackable rocker-type hurdles. Constructed with a double-tube steel base and heli-arc welded for superior strength and durability, they ship completely assembled and ready to use. There is no rear crossbar to intimidate young hurdlers, and button latches quickly adjust to five heights. Upright tubes are available in most school colors at no extra charge. See On Track’s ad for a special promotion board printing offer. Circle No. 518 Polytan-USA 877-POLYTAN www.polytan-usa.com Polytan M is an IAAF-certified surface suitable for use with track facilities as well as halls and outdoor areas. It is ideal for high-performance venues, ambitious school and club facilities, and multi-function facilities. Polytan M is a three-layer sandwich system laid in-situ onto a prepared asphalt base. It is designed for longevity with minimal maintenance requirements and has excellent performance characteristics, even under extremes of temperature and climatic conditions. Tim Montgomery of the U.S.A. set a then-world record of 9.78 seconds in the 100 meters in Paris on Polytan M. Circle No. 519

Polytan WS is an IAAF-approved synthetic, resilient surfacing material that meets the toughest requirements for durability and performance. It is ideal for schools, recreational activities, and rigorous track and field competition. Polytan WS is both waterpermeable and spike-resistant. The spray-coat finish is available in a variety of colors. Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia set a world record of 14:11:15 in the 5,000 meters at Bislett Stadium in Oslo, Norway, in 2008 on Polytan WS. Circle No. 520 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. 521 Tartan Track Surfaces 951-273-7984 www.tartan-aps.com Tartan indoor portable modular tracks are some of the finest banked indoor tracks available. They’re manufactured with new Pure Tartan polyurethane sheets and designed and engineered by Tartan-APS. “The Fresno State athletic department is extremely pleased with all phases of your work and service, and would recommend you to anyone who calls,” says Bob Fraley, Head Track Coach at Fresno State. “It reminded me of the old days when companies built their reputations on customer service.” Circle No. 522

Tartan is the only track surfacing company certified Cradle to Cradle by the MBDC. The company’s “green” TartanAPS product qualifies Tartan customers for LEED innovation credits. Single-source accountability and peaceof-mind service result in some of the finest full-pour polyurethane surfaces for competition and training. Tartan invented and patented this surface, and it is manufactured in the company’s own plant in Pittsburg, Kans., and installed only with Tartan-APS crews. Circle No. 523 Blazer Mfg. Co. 800-322-2731 www.blazerathletic.com 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. 524 Blazer’s premium line of hurdles includes some of the strongest, longest-lasting hurdles on the market today. The new 1130 High School Open Base Rocker Hurdle is an extremely strong knock-down hurdle, and it is shipped flat to reduce freight costs. The 1138 Collegiate Hurdle is a welded L-hurdle that features an interlocking, stackable base. The FormFinder SelfTraining Hurdle helps athletes develop the correct body position for hurdling. Circle No. 525

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Testimonial

Team Equipment

Elite Facilities Worldwide Choose a Track Surface Leader

Marathon Printing, Inc. 800-255-4120 www.marathononline.com

Polytan has been a global leader in track surface technology and installation since 1969. Polytan manufactures and installs a variety of high-quality running track systems in accordance with international standards.

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. 526

Polytan’s tracks offer many key characteristics: • IAAF certified • High wear and abrasion resistance • Excellent shock absorption • Energy-boosting performance • Biomechanical and user friendly • Resilient, fast, and spike-resistant The company’s track products include Polytan PUR, on which Asafa Powell of Jamaica set a then-world record of 9.77 seconds in the 100 meters at Gateshead in 2006. Justin Gatlin of the U.S. matched that time in Doha, Qatar, also on Polytan PUR. Those performances eclipsed Tim Montgomery’s 9.78, which he clocked in Paris in 2002 running on Polytan M. Just this year, Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia ran the 5,000 meters in 14:11:15 at Bislett Stadium in Norway on a Polytan WS surface. Here is just a partial list of recent Polytan customers: Misericordia College Austin Peay State University Kingston High School, WA Paragould High School, AR Clearwater High School, FL Walter Payton Center, IL University of Toronto Daimler Benz Stadium, Stuttgart, Germany Chao Yang Stadium, Peking, China Crystal Palace, London, England Gugl Stadium, Linz, Austria Volos Olympic Stadium, Volos, Greece

Polytan-USA 1640 Powers Ferry Rd., Bldg. 14, Ste. 360 Marietta, GA 30067 877-POLYTAN Fax: 770-563-9297 info@polytan-usa.com www.polytan-usa.com

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MFAC, LLC 800-556-7464 www.mfathletic.com M-F’s Everything Track & Field catalog contains 72 pages that focus on a wide selection of track and field specialties, including vaulting poles, javelins, discuses, shots and hammers, hurdles, pole vault and high jump pits, starting blocks, stop watches, and more. All items shown have been carefully tested by the M-F staff for quality and performance. Call today or go online to request your copy. Circle No. 527 Omni-Lite Industries, Inc. 800-577-6664 www.omni-lite.com 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 middleto 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. 528

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 compatible 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. 529 VS Athletics 800-676-7463 www.vsathletics.com The new VS Athletics Velocity warmup top features Dri-Hex breathable fabric that creates a comfortable layer of air next to the body. The halfzip design allows for further temperature regulation. VS has also added a DMP (digital media pocket), located discreetly on the side seam. Available colors are black, navy, royal, and scarlet, and available sizes range from XS to 3X. Call for team pricing. Circle No. 530 The VS Athletics Xplosion is a top-ofthe-line weightlifting shoe that features a leather upper and sole plate with a leatherreinforced flat rubber sole. The two “hook and loop” straps over the laces and the reinforced heel cup provide excellent support throughout. This shoe is available in royal patent leather with white trim. Call for team pricing. Circle No. 531

Conditioning Products Jump Stretch, Inc. 800-344-3539 www.jumpstretch.com The Jump Stretch Door Harness makes it easier than ever to train with FlexBands® when you travel. This sturdy harness conveniently attaches over any door that can be closed to hold it in place. Position it on the top or side of the door and attach your bands (sold separately) to perform back extensions, standing benches, leg curls, and a host of other exercises. It’s also great for home use. The Door Harness adjusts easily, and an instructional video is available. Circle No. 532 Lane Gainer Sports 800-443-8946 www.trainingsweeps.com New Training Sweeps create a soft brush edge for instant “proximity” feedback as athletes perform drills in nearly all sports. Hurdle Sweeps and Target Sweeps give tactile, audible, and visual feedback for hurdle training and warmup drills. Ground Sweeps stay in place if tapped during step-over drills. Plyo-Box Sweeps attach to most traditional plyo boxes and feature a soft brush edge that provides varying heights and safer “fail” conditions. Circle No. 533 Bullet Belts, from Lane Gainer Sports, with the original “pop and rip” design, are made for several starting drills. They can be used for fullextension breakaway explosion off each of the starting block pedals, and to resist the acceleration phase of the start before smoothly

releasing the sprinter into a full sprint. The belt worn by the athlete also works interchangeably with 10 other speedtraining devices, including the overspeed pulley, triple pop, bungees, and indoor sleds—all part of the Bullet Belt system. Circle No. 534 Power Systems 800-321-6975 www.power-systems.com The Predator Belt is made with halfinch thick padding measuring 19” x 6”, so its large surface area dissipates the force of the pull. This twoinch-wide belt fits waists of up to 48 inches and has an overlapping Velcro™ closure to ensure it stays secure. Athletes can per form forward runs, backpedals, lateral shuffles, and other multi-directional drills by attaching a lead to one of the three D-rings fixed to the back and sides of the belt. The Predator Belt can be used with Power Systems’ Power Harness, Premium Speed Sled, Power Sled, Power Builder, Speed Harness, or Leap Frog. Circle No. 535 The new Premium Speed Sled from Power Systems is designed with S-shaped runners to generate less friction between the sled and surface for faster runs during sprint training drills, thus improving acceleration and increasing stride length. Suited for use on a track or other outdoor surface, its angled tray holds up to three 45-pound plates on a five-inch post and keeps the sled stable by directing the force downward. Dual leads result in a straighter pull. Because it weighs only 28 pounds, this strong, welded-steel sled is a great tool for introducing sled training to youth athletes. It is available with a shoulder harness or a waist belt. Circle No. 536

More Products Cho-Pat 800-221-1601 www.cho-pat.com Medical professionals helped design and evaluate Cho-Pat’s Shin Splint Compression Sleeve, a unique device that alleviates the symptoms of pain and discomfort associated with shin splints. The sleeve has a threefold approach: It uses compression to support the leg muscles and soft tissue; it stimulates circulation and maintains warmth to control fluid buildup; and the straps at the top and bottom of the sleeve act as shockabsorbers to reduce micro-trauma to the tendons and other soft tissue, thus helping maintain the device in its proper position. Circle No. 537 HighSchoolSports.net 800-822-9433 www.HighSchoolSports.net The Coaches Clipboard on HighSchoolSports.net has free tools for coaches to showcase their teams all in one location. Athletic directors can save time and assign coaches the tools they need to stay ahead of the game. Add, postpone, or cancel events and practices, enter scores and stats, access your roster, and get cumulative player and team stats, all on HighSchoolSports.net. Go online and click on Coaches to start saving time today. Circle No. 538 Simplify your life with HighSchoolSports.net. Anytime you have a cancellation, postponed game or practice, or facility change, you can notify parents instantly through HighSchoolSports.net. It’s compatible with a BlackBerry, iPhone, or other smart phone, so parents and fans can be notified of any event change via text message, e-mail, or both. Get started today and sign up for the free Coaches Clipboard. Just go online and click on Coaches. Circle No. 539

CoachingManagementOnline.com

THE COOLDOWN

NEXT STOP: WEB SITE

Our editorial coverage continues on www.CoachingManagementOnline.com. Here is a sampling of what is on our Web site:

Coaching Videos: Getting Ready:

Reliable Relays:

Dynamic warmups for low-intensity work days.

Drills designed to keep the baton off the track.

Pick and Choose:

Dietary Dozen:

How different training methods help runners in different ways.

12 useful nutrition tips for your athletes.

Articles: Strength & Conditioning Nutrition

Coaching Life

Student-Athlete Welfare

Tips for improving your athletes’ ﬂexibility and strength.

Fueling with soybeans.

A look at ﬁve coaches who have stepped outside the norm and developed innovative approaches to coaching. A high school in Massachusetts has laid out in writing what it means to be a team o ccaptain.

Downtime: Blogs by Lem Elway Dealing With Administrators: A little understanding can go a long way toward keeping this important relationship positive. Deﬁning a Season: Okay, so we had a losing season. That doesn’t mean it was bad. In fact, we all learned a lot.

Resources: Links to clinics, coaching associations, polls, and rules changes.

www.CoachingManagementOnline.com

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