coaching management 15.1

Coaching ManagementT R A C K & F I E L D P R E S E A S O N E D I T I O N 2 0 0 7

VOL. XV NO. 1 ■ $5.00

■ Getting Proactive with Parents ■ Strength Training for Middle Distance

BREAKING THROUGHHelping athletes manage performance plateaus

Untitled-2 1 1/2/07 6:41:07 PM

Circle No. 100

CONTENTS Coaching ManagementTrack & Field EditionPreseason 2007

Vol. XV, No. 1

Advertising Sales AssociatesDiedra Harkenrider, (607) 257-6970, ext. 24Rob Schoffel, (607) 257-6970, ext. 21

Ad Materials Coordinator Mike Townsend

Business and Editorial Offices31 Dutch Mill Rd., Ithaca, NY 14850(607) 257-6970, Fax (607) [email protected]

Mailing lists for Coaching Management Track & Field are provided by the Clell Wade Coaches Directory.

The Coaching Management Track & Field edition is pub lished in January and September by MAG, Inc. and is distributed free to college and high school coaches in the United States and Canada. Copyright © 2007 by MAG, Inc. All rights reserved. Text may not be repro-duced in any manner, in whole or in part, without the permission of the publisher. Unsolicited materials will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Coaching Management is printed by Banta Publications Group, Kansas City, MO. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Coaching Management, P.O. Box 4806, Ithaca, N.Y. 14852.

Printed in the U.S.A.

COACHING MANAGEMENT 1

COVER STORY

Breaking Through. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14Top coaches share advice for understanding and working with performance plateaus—both those you expect and those you don’t.

LEADERSHIP

Meet the Parents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23Handling today’s moms and dads can be a challenge for even the most experienced coach. A better relationship starts with establishing ground rules and clarifying roles.

CONDITIONING

Winning Ways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27Runners from the University of Washington claimed medals in both the women’s 1,500 meters and the men’s 800 meters at last season’s NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships. Find out how their strength and conditioning coach prepared them.

2 23LOCKER ROOM Bulletin Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Coaches cope with Facebook ... For female athletes, triad risk starts young ... Ohio State transitions to separate staffs ... High school coach shares fundraising success strategies ... Should high-altitude tents be banned? ... UMass opens new track facility with a flourish.

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

GUIDE TO TRACK SURFACES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33TRACK FACILITY EQUIPMENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34ADVERTISERS DIRECTORY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

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

27

COVER PHOTO: FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

Publisher Mark Goldberg

Editor-in-Chief Eleanor Frankel

Associate Editor Dennis Read

Assistant Editors R.J. Anderson, Kenny Berkowitz, Nate Dougherty, Abigail Funk, Greg Scholand, Laura Ulrich

Art Director Pamela Crawford

Photo Research Tobi Sznajderman

Business Manager Pennie Small

Special Projects Dave Wohlhueter

Marketing Director Sheryl Shaffer

Marketing/Sales Assistant Danielle Catalano

Circulation Director Dave Dubin

Circulation Manager John Callaghan

Production Director Don Andersen

Assistant Production Director Jim Harper

Production Assistant Jonni Campbell

Prepress Manager Miles Worthington

IT Manager Julian Cook

Administrative Assistant Sharon Barbell

Untitled-2 1 1/2/07 6:41:07 PM

2 COACHING MANAGEMENT

LOCKER ROOM BULLETIN BOARD

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

Facing FacebookTwo members of your team throw a party and post direc-tions to their off-campus apart-ment on the Internet. Your team meets at a bar for a post-meet celebration, and photos of underage athletes drinking wind up online. As your team prepares for a road trip, an athlete posts the travel itiner-ary on the Web, complete with information about hotels where the team will be staying.

If you think these scenarios present a safety and public-relations nightmare waiting to happen, you’re right. If you think they’re not happening already, you’re wrong.

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

As Facebook has grown in popularity, coaches and ath-letic administrators have taken notice of its potential hazards. Dave Harris, Head Coach of Track and Field and Cross Country at Emporia State Uni-versity, says he was “shocked” when he first found out what was on some of his athletes’ Facebook pages.

“I found some of the con-tent degrading to both the student-athlete and our pro-gram,” he says. “I also thought there was way too much pri-vate information out there. Our athletes didn’t realize how much information could be learned about them from their Facebook page. There’s a great deal of concern about our athletes posting informa-tion that could allow individu-als, whether they’re in our school or not, to intrude on the athletes’ lives. Anyone can learn where they live, who

their friends are, and what music they like, and still be a complete stranger.”

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

to meets and get to know them as individuals. I asked how they would like one of these boosters looking at their Facebook page. I think that hit home for a lot of them.”

Although some schools have banned athletes from using Facebook or similar sites, Har-ris didn’t take that step. “I told them I don’t want to be a policeman, and I don’t intend to look at everyone’s pages to see what’s there,” he says. “I’ve always had a simple rule on my teams: Don’t embarrass yourself, your team, your fam-ily, or your school. I have a lot of trust in my athletes, and I asked them to honor that rule on their pages.”

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

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

Study Shows Triad Starts EarlyThe symptoms of female athlete triad syndrome—dis-ordered eating, menstrual irregularities, and low bone mass—have been a concern among college athletes for many years. But recent research suggests high school girls, too, should be wary of the risks.

In a study published last year by researchers at San Diego State University, the authors found that among 170 female high school athletes from eight different sports, 20 per-cent exhibited at least one symptom of the triad. In the sample, 24 percent experi-enced menstrual irregulari-ties, 22 percent had low bone mass, and 18 percent showed signs of disordered eating.

“The results are a wake-up call for physicians, physical

coaching_management2 1 9/15/06 12:00:20 AM

Free Track & Field and

Cross Country Software

LynxPad ~ Event Management

from the makers of FinishLynx.

Download it at:

www.ethersport.com

FREE~ $1

89 Value

Workswith h

and times, t

oo!

Our Packaged Solutions contain Everything You Need

L

YNX

SYST

EM D

EVEL

OPE

RS, I

NC. 1

79 W

ARD

HIL

L AV

E., H

AV

ERH

ILL M

A 0

1835

Photo Finish and Timing

We have a complete range of fully-inclusive packages for every situation ~ suitable for

High Schools and Colleges of all sizes!

Contact us for more information

High Schools: [email protected] Colleges: [email protected]

Affordable and Easy to Use Packaged Solutions

coaching_management2 1 9/15/06 12:00:20 AM

Circle No. 101

Untitled-1 1 1/3/07 10:45:33 AM

Circle No. 102



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

therapists, athletic trainers, and coaches who work with female athletes,” study co-author Mitchell Rauh, Profes-sor of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences at SDSU, told the San Diego State Universe. “These conditions may happen earlier than realized and these profes-sionals should start to encour-age positive behaviors now.”

To help female athletes avoid the triad, which can lead to stress fractures, osteopenia (a precursor to osteoporosis), and full-blown eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia, experts say coaches should keep an eye out for early warning signs. “Anytime there’s a significant, unexplained drop in a female athlete’s performance, that’s cause for concern,” says Caro-line Hodges, Nutrition Counsel-or at the Elmira (N.Y.) Nutrition Clinic, who works with both high school and college ath-letes. “Other red flags include slow healing and recovery times, stress fractures, and any significant preoccupation or obsession with food.”

Hodges says coaches are often in the best position to observe triad symptoms—they can rec-ognize performance changes during training and competi-tion, and even notice abnor-mal eating habits, since most teams share meals when they travel. She also notes that track and field athletes are a high-risk group because the sport’s culture fosters a “thin-ner is better” mentality.

“Many track athletes subscribe to the idea that lighter is faster, and that’s a problem,” Hodges explains. “There’s no question that when female athletes go through puberty, their times usually get worse. It’s not because they’re get-ting fatter, they’re just going through physical changes, and their performance will often come back up over time. But

athletes don’t always under-stand that, so it can lead to unhealthy behaviors.

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

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

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

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

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

Ohio State Splits Coaching StaffWhich is better—separate coaches for men’s and women’s teams, or one head coach for both? Upon the retirement of 17-year Head Coach Russ Rog-ers last year, The Ohio State University opted for the former. The Buckeyes have created separate men’s and women’s head coaching positions, nam-ing Robert Gary as Head Men’s Coach and Karen Dennis as Head Women’s Coach. Gary has served for 10 years as Head Cross Country Coach and dis-tance coach for the track and field teams, while Dennis spent the past four years as an assis-tant coach for sprints and hur-dles under Rogers.

“We had been looking at going back to separate coaches for a number of years,” says Miech-elle Willis, Senior Associate Athletic Director at Ohio State. “When Russ Rogers notified us he was retiring in the spring, we saw it as a good opportu-nity to make the change. Most-ly, the decision was based on the logistics of one head coach managing a team the size of a combined program.

“One year the women would be competitive in the Big Ten, then they would fall and the men would be competitive—it went back and forth,” Willis continues. “We were concerned that at a given time one team or the other was being nega-tively affected by the combined programs. With separate head coaches, each coach can be

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

Untitled-1 1 1/3/07 10:45:33 AM

devoted to the recruitment and development of student-ath-letes in one program.”

In the biggest change for Ohio State track and field, each team will have not only its own head coach, but also its own staff of assistants (per Division I rules, each team may hire up to two full-time assistants). Previously, assistant coaches like Gary and Dennis coached one specialty area for both genders. “This head coach-ing opportunity has allowed me to refocus my appreciation for assistant coaches,” Dennis says. “Coach Gary and I have hired our own staffs. Having a smaller team to coach is going to allow us more time with each individual athlete.”

While the split may put more of a crunch on the athletic department’s budget, it will also give more athletes the

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

Cross-Over Zone™

TRACK PROTECTORBench Zone™

SIDELINE TRACK PROTECTOR

PROTECTS COSTLY TRACK SURFACEResists and cushions against steel tipped cleats, yet rain drains thru. Its entire edge is wrapped in vinyl with galvanized steel chain inserted all around, keeping Protector in place and virtually wind-proof WITHOUT THE USE OF STAKES OR STAPLES.Cross-Over Zone™ Protectors are black with gold or white edging for safety and durability.

SIZES: 7.5’ or 15’ wide x 30’, 40’, or 50’ Custom sizes available.

Sold by the best sports dealers.

FOR TRACKS THAT FIT TIGHTLY AROUND FOOTBALL FIELDS

Same cushioning, cleat-resisting, self-draining, and built-in chain ballasting features as our cross-over protector, but larger sizes come in two sections that are easily joined at center with built-in Velcro® strips. Easy to install and remove for storage.SIZES: 15’ deep x lengths 75’, 100’, 125’, or 150’

Custom sizes and available. SOME SCHOOLS GET EXTRA UNITS

TO PROTECT CHEERLEADER AREAS.

AER-FLO Inc. 800-823-7356www.aerfl o.comFROM THE MAKER OF WIND WEIGHTED® BASEBALL TARPS AND BENCH ZONE™ SIDELINE TURF PROTECTORS © 2006: AER-FLO, Inc.

AerFlo_CM1501.indd 1 12/5/06 10:27:11 AM

Circle No. 103



ed to undertake a fundraising project to not only replace the track facility, but also benefit other sports within the athletic department.

Loesel’s first step was to give his project a title that would provide instant name recogni-tion and promote a communi-ty connection. In light of Cave Spring High’s 50th anniversary, he proposed Project50, an overhaul of the school’s out-door track (phase one) and practice football and soccer fields (phase two).

“At the end of 2002 I went into our athletic director’s office and told him I had an idea that would fund some brand new facilities,” Loesel says. “He listened and said I needed to talk to the princi-pal. The principal heard me out and didn’t immediately shoot the idea down, but she told me I needed to do my homework and make a pre-sentation to the booster club and get them on board.

“I researched and gathered information on successful cam-paigns at other schools and

for the next month talked to experienced people who made those projects happen,” Loesel continues. “Then, when I pro-vided that data during my pre-sentation to the booster club, I received instant support. In fact, the booster club was so excited about the project that they added a fieldhouse with indoor practice facilities and coaches’ offices to the plans.”

Given the green light to start soliciting dollars, Loesel became a fundraising machine. His first idea was to run across America to generate publicity for Proj-ect50. So over two months dur-ing the summer of 2003, Loesel and two friends, one a fellow Cave Spring High alum and the other a fellow Roanoke Col-lege alum, loaded up an RV and took turns running almost 3,000 miles from Sacramento, Calif., back to Roanoke.

There was no specific fundrais-ing associated with the cross-country run, but the local media attention it garnered along the way created a buzz about the project—the local paper kept a running update and Loesel posted daily a blog

using wireless Internet hook-ups along the way. He made sure a contribution form was up online for donors to print out and send in with dona-tions, and keeping in touch with the local community dur-ing the run kept the money coming in.

Loesel’s other fundraising projects over the past three years have included commu-nity pasta dinners and foot-ball tailgating where local business owners donated their “cooking expertise.” Loesel also hooked up with a local running club, the Star City Striders, to organize a half marathon and 5K race in which proceeds were donat-ed to Project50. Back Creek Elementary School, where Loesel teaches, recently made a donation of over $3,000. There is a current push called “50 for 50” in which $50 donations are solicited on the project’s Web page. Loesel hopes this latest effort pulls in the last few hundred dollars needed to complete phase one, which includes installa-tion of the eight-lane synthet-ic track.

chance to compete. The teams will no longer travel to meets together, opening spots for athletes who had been forced to stay behind. “Traveling will be a little more intimate,” Gary says. “It was a pretty big pro-duction when we traveled with two teams of 32 athletes each. When you add coaches and support staff, we were bring-ing more than 100 people, plus all the equipment. Being able to get around more easily will definitely be a benefit.”

But just because the men and women have their own coach-ing staffs and will travel sepa-rately most of the time doesn’t mean the teams will no longer work together. They will still practice together. And Dennis and Gary aren’t going to sever their close relationship, either.

“I’ve seen our program with one staff and with split staffs,” Gary says. “There are pluses and minuses both ways, but regardless of the circumstanc-es, Karen and I have always worked well together. I know a lot of track teams where the men’s and women’s coaches don’t even talk to each other. We have a close-knit group and we won’t throw those positive relationships away.”

Fundraiser Gets a Running StartSpearheading a large fundrais-ing project requires years of experience and expertise, and coaches with neither shouldn’t bother trying, right? Wrong. A high school in Roanoke, Va., is getting new athletic facilities, thanks to a 26-year-old rookie coach who didn’t let his inex-perience deter him from start-ing a campaign that has so far raised $300,000.

Laurence Loesel, a 1998 gradu-ate of Cave Spring High School, returned to his alma mater in 2002 as Assistant Track and Field and Cross Country Coach. He quickly realized that the school’s track facilities were woefully inadequate, and decid-

To raise funds and awareness for his effort to bring a new track facility to his school, Assistant Track and Field Coach Laurence Loesel of Cave Spring High School in Roanoke, Va., ran nearly 3,000 miles from California to Roanoke, trading off legs of the journey with two friends.


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

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

period of time,” he says. “This project is in its third year, and right now we have more peo-ple helping than ever before. Fundraising isn’t a one-month-and-you’re-done deal. It’s tak-en heartbreak and a lot of hard work. There is no simple for-mula. I believe that when you do something for the good of the community, the positive will come back to you.”

To learn more about Proj-ect50, visit Cave Spring High School’s Web site at: www.rcs.k12.va.us/cshs, and click on the “Proj-ect50” icon.

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

used altitude tents to follow a “live high, train low” train-ing philosophy. Their school of thought says that if ath-letes live at high altitudes and train at lower elevations, their performance improves. Accli-matizing the body to higher altitudes—7,000 to 8,500 feet—increases the number of circulating red blood cells as the body compensates for the lower-oxygen environment. More red blood cells mean more oxygen is delivered to tissue during exercise. Altitude simulation allows athletes to create more red blood cells, which helps them to work out longer and harder under nor-mal conditions and results in greater physiological gains.

The hypoxic chambers, usually set up around an athlete’s bed, pump in nitrogen to lower the space’s oxygen level, simulating the air at higher altitudes. Start-

of competitive athletics. But when it comes to performance enhancing practices, the line between fair and unfair can be harder to define. This fall, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) examined the issue as it applies to athletes using high-altitude tents, deciding—for now—that the practice resides on the fair side of the line.

WADA ruled against adding hypoxic chambers, or high-alti-tude tents, to its list of prohib-ited substances and training aids in September. The deci-sion means Olympic-level ath-letes are still allowed to use artificially induced hypoxic conditions in their training. If WADA had banned the hypox-ic chambers, the NCAA likely would have followed suit.

In recent years, many athletes, especially those competing in endurance events, have

ATHLETIC RECORD BOARDS“Strive For Athletic Achievement”

What a great way for motivating yourTrack & Field athletes!

Austin Plastics & Supply, Inc.2415 A Kramer Lane, Austin, TX 78758

(800)290-1025 email: [email protected]: www.athleticrecordboards.com

45” x 80”board shown

$1125.00 withengraved recordsor $895.00 using our perforated

card stock

Record Boards available for all

sports

Custom boardsavailable

austinplastics 138.indd 1 12/7/05 10:19:34 AM

Circle No. 104

PERSONALIZED NUMBERST-SHIRTS, BANNERS, SIGNS

Untitled-9 1 12/12/06 2:39:50 PM

Circle No. 105



the track and field program, so efforts to spread the word about the celebration started there. The department also identified point people among alumni groups who could help get the message out.

“Within each group of five or six classes, there’s a person who maintains Web sites or e-mail addresses to keep in contact with others,” O’Brien says. “We went to them immediately, told them the rough outline for the day, and

ing at around $5,000, altitude tents are cost-prohibitive for many high school and college athletes. However, a number of professional and world-class athletes are utilizing the technol-ogy, including Suzy Favor-Hamil-ton, a three-time Olympian and former U.S. record holder in the 1,000 meters.

WADA’s decision is immersed in debate regarding what consti-tutes “performance enhancing.” Dr. Benjamin D. Levine, Direc-tor of the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine at Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas and a professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, believes altitude tents are no different than an athlete traveling to a mountain loca-tion to sleep—they’re simply cheaper and more practical. As a result, Levine believes that banning the tents should not be on WADA’s priority list.

Levine expressed his views in a letter to WADA, which was also signed by 76 other scien-tists and bioethicists. Levine feels it’s problematic to target altitude tents when other, simi-lar legal practices athletes use to enhance performance are legal—for example, sitting in a sauna to acclimate to heat and humidity, or wearing a cooling vest or sitting in cold water to cool the body before a race in hot weather. “If you’re going to ban altitude tents, why not ban those practices, too?” Levine asks.

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

“We are pleased with the progress of the discussion sur-rounding artificially induced

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

Celebrating a New FacilityWhen it came time to open a new $3.1 million track this fall, officials at the University of Massachusetts knew a sim-ple ribbon-cutting and pho-to op would not suffice. So instead, they made the Sept. 23 track opening ceremony part of a day-long celebration that included a home football game, alumni run, and cross country meet.

According to Ken O’Brien, Head Coach of Men’s Track and Field and Cross Country, the university’s goal was to bring track and field alumni back to celebrate the facility’s opening in a day filled with events. The cross country meet was scheduled before a home football game on dedi-cation day in order to draw a larger crowd. Before the meet, former track and field athletes were encouraged to take a run around the 5,000-meter course.

“Most of the people jogged then got into a semi-run near the finish line, but it was more about camaraderie than com-petition,” O’Brien says. “After-ward, they stayed to watch the cross country race.”

UMass enticed former athletes to the celebration using what O’Brien calls a “three-pronged attack” from the athletic department, university admin-istrators, and university fund-raisers. The athletic depart-ment was already in contact with athletes through a project to build an endowment for

asked them to get the informa-tion out as soon as possible.” Meanwhile, the university went through its formal process of invit-ing state officials and politicians, as well as adminis-trators and pro-fessors.

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

O’Brien says after going 12 years without a proper track, the team was ready to cel-ebrate a top-of-the-line facility that is already beginning to pay dividends for the program. “As soon as we put an artist’s render-ing of the track

in our media guide, recruit-ing picked up,” O’Brien says. “We’ll have three home meets this season and every-one is very excited about them. These meets will not only energize the athletes, but they will also get alumni to come back on a regular basis. I see this as a unifying facility for the community, alumni, and most important-ly, our athletes. They didn’t have a track for so long, and I can already see their efforts improving.”

The University of Massachusetts opened its new track facility this fall with fanfare, including an alumni run that got Jim Hunt (‘77) onto the new cross country course.

2006 THO

M K

END

ALL


CM: You didn’t run track or participate in college athletics, so how did you end up coaching?Carnahan: In high school, I did every-thing—football, basketball, baseball, and track—just because I loved sports. I thought then that I would like to coach some day. When I started at Russellville 40 years ago, I had no intention of stay-ing this long. But we had some early success, and once you grow roots some-where it becomes very hard to leave. So a love for sports is what got me started, but what makes me stay is working with kids and seeing them work hard to improve.

Has your coaching philosophy changed over 40 years?Everybody’s philosophy evolves over time, but the important parts of mine have stayed the same. My staff and I believe in trying to help every single student-athlete be the very best that they can be. We coach the athlete who’s not as talented just as hard as we do the exceptional one. One of the greatest satisfactions we get as coaches is seeing athletes who may never be good enough to win a medal at a meet achieve their personal goals as they go through the program.

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

teams do, our chances of doing well in meets are better.

Do you have all of your athletes set goals?Yes. And although it’s hard to do, we encourage them to set personal achieve-ment goals, not outcome goals. You real-ly have no say in whether you’re going to be a state champion or not. You could do your very best, but some guy down the road may just be better than you. We try to get the kids to buy into the fact that achieving their personal goals is what’s important, not the outcome. That way they feel successful even when we aren’t the state champions.

How do you get your athletes to buy into setting personal goals?Their goals have to be attainable. Some of them—especially the younger ath-letes—have no idea what I’m saying when I talk about an achievement goal or a per-sonal goal. They only think about outcome goals. So we explain the importance of personal goals and tweak those goals to reflect what I think their capabilities are.

At the beginning of the season we work together to establish our goals, and then we re-evaluate them at midseason and possibly set new ones. At the end of the year we do individual evaluations of each athlete’s season, and if we’re lucky, we have achieved our goals. If we haven’t, we try to track down why we didn’t do what we thought we were capable of—did we set the goal too high or have an injury, or did we fail to do the caliber of work necessary to reach it? From there,

Q ADon Carnahan is entering his 40th year as Head Coach of the boys’ and girls’ track and field teams at Rus-sellville (Ark.) High School. A five-time state Coach of the Year, Carnahan has led his track teams to 11 state cham-pionships and 12 second-place fin-ishes. Just last season, the girls’ team won the state indoor championship.

Carnahan has also served as Head Cross Country Coach since 1972. Dur-

ing the 2001-02 season, Russellville’s boys’ teams won the 5A Triple Crown, claiming the indoor and outdoor track and cross country championships in the state’s larg-

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

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

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

& Don Carnahan Russellville (Ark.) High School

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


SCO

TT AN

DE

RSO

N/C

OU

RIE

R-P

OST

the athlete has the off-season to work on their own and the chance to set new goals for the next season.

How do you help your athletes prepare for big meets at the end of a long season?Our workout program changes as we approach that peak time of the year—we want to see our athletes rested, not worn out. Mentally, we try to keep them relaxed and avoid letting them get uptight over the fact that this is the competition we’re really trying to win. To do that, we just keep the focus on their personal achieve-ment goals—not how good the competi-tion is, but the personal goals we’ve been focused on all year.

There have been times when we should have been the champion, but we got a little too uptight. We didn’t lose because the other team was better than we were, but because we let our anxiety defeat us. As a coach, I work hard to keep that from happening.

How do you involve the student-athletes who aren’t the most talented on the team?In cross country, most of our meets can be run with unlimited participation, so everybody is able to compete and feel like part of the team. It gets a little harder in track because each event has a par-ticipation limit. The meets I want to win are at the end of the year, so I use our early-season meets almost as a preseason. I use as many kids as I can in those early meets. They may not be in every meet, but they’ll at least get some early-season experience. We may lose a meet we could have won, but it pays off in the long run because we keep them all involved.

Each of your four assistant coaches is the head coach of another sport at Russellville. What is your approach to utilizing them?Because part of our philosophy is to compete in every event, we work hard to make sure every event is coached. I just figure out what areas my assistants are

strong in, and I coach the events that are left over.

What’s great about having other head coaches as assistants is that coaching is teaching, and my assistants have experi-ence and understand how to teach. It probably takes five or six years for some-one to really get to know an event well, so it’s great when I get a coach who stays for more than a year or two.

When I have a novice assistant, I will plan their workout down to the last detail, and as I become more confident in them I say, “Okay, you’re my throws coach. Plan the workout.” They’ve been learning from my style for years by that point, and I like that I can pass the responsibility for certain events to an assistant and concentrate on my own.

Does having successful college track and field programs in Arkansas help you as a high school coach?We’re about an hour and a half away from

Untitled-1 1 12/21/06 5:11:17 PM

Circle No. 106


• Receive TIPS & ADVICE from

fundraising experts who have

experience raising funds for sports

teams

• Read about SUCCESSFULFUNDRAISING projects

implemented by teams at schools

around the country

• Research & CONTACTPOTENTIAL VENDORS for your project through our

online Products & Services Guide

• SHARE IDEAS with other fundraisers at schools through

the Fundraising For Sports Message Board

www.FundraisingForSports.comwww.FundraisingForSports.comTIPS & ADVICE SUCCESS STORIES PRODUCT DIRECTORY FAQ

THE

• Receive TIPS & ADVICE from

fundraising experts who have

experience raising funds for sports

teams

• Read about SUCCESSFULFUNDRAISING projects

implemented by teams at schools

around the country

• Research & CONTACTPOTENTIAL VENDORS for your project through our

online Products & Services Guide

• SHARE IDEAS with other fundraisers at schools through

the Fundraising For Sports Message Board

Presenting the first Web site...specifically for sports booster

clubs, a valuable resource to help you raise money for

your athletic teams.

$www.Fund

raisingForSports.com

of your FundraisingProject

Q A&


the University of Arkansas. The team got a new indoor facility six or seven years ago and has been hosting some top-qual-ity meets—the NCAA indoor champion-ships and professional meets. A bunch of our kids take it upon themselves to go up there and watch the athletes they see on television and in the paper. I think their success and the interest generated has helped our sport not only in Russellville, but statewide.

What effect have doping scandals at the professional level had on high school track and field?It’s killing us. It gives the sport a big black eye because it seems it’s the true stars who are cheating. It’s the biggest change I’ve seen in this sport, and I don’t know how we can protect ourselves from it. I

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

you really have to enjoy working with the kids or you won’t stay long.

Entering your 40th year as a coach, how do you keep yourself motivated?It’s the satisfaction I get from helping student-athletes improve. That’s what it’s all about. You’re lucky as a coach when you get that really talented guy, but see-ing average or below-average athletes work hard to improve, accomplish their personal goals, and leave high school sports in a positive frame of mind is what keeps me coaching.

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

don’t feel like we have a drug problem here with our kids, but it’s always a possi-bility. When their heroes are doing it and feel they’re benefiting from it, our ath-letes think, “It’s going to help me, too.”

Part of our school policy is that every team starts its season with a drug educa-tion program, but it’s hard to say how effective it is. I think by the time athletes are in high school they’ve made their minds up whether they’re going to do drugs or not. We may need to start the education process even earlier.

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

For 40 years you balanced three coaching jobs. How did you handle it

©2006 OPTP

Stretcheseverything more

effectively.

Including your

budget.

While there are many machines and productsthat help stretch, none are as simple,effective and affordable as theStretch Out® Strap from OPTP.

The unique design fitsanyone, and the includedinstruction booklet demonstrates 30solo stretches to increase range of motionfor major muscle groups. Exercise poster and video arealso available. Want increased flexibility and performancewithout sore muscles? Go farther with the Stretch Out Strap.

www.optp.com/ad1-800-367-7393

T O O L S F O R F I T N E S S • K N O W L E D G E F O R H E A L T H

Untitled-3 1 12/27/06 8:11:55 PM

Circle No. 107


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


or most athletes, plateau is a four-letter word. In their minds, they should improve after every work-out, and every meet should bring a new PR. As a coach, though, you know that performance gains don’t come in a straight

line—there are many times during the season when performances should flat-ten and hold steady for a while. Rather than signaling a problem, plateaus are often simply part of the training plan.

On the other hand, there are times when an athlete’s lack of improvement actually signals that something has gone wrong. Rather than being a healthy plateau on the way to the next break-through, level performances over a long period of time can be a sign of overtrain-ing, psychological roadblocks, or even an undetected illness.

In this article, we’ll take a close look at plateaus, both good and bad. In the case of a planned plateau, we’ll offer ideas for teaching athletes that patience is the name of the game. In the case of a plateau that is really a roadblock in disguise, we’ll provide the training tools for breaking through.

Part of the ProcessWhen an athlete’s performance lev-

els off, it can be frustrating for both the athlete and coach. However, the first step in understanding plateaus is real-izing that they often represent a normal phase in the training progression.

“Everybody plateaus,” says Rick McGuire, Head Coach of Men’s and Women’s Track and Field at the University

BY DENNIS READ

COVER STORY

of Missouri. “Coaches have yet to find a training system where results are ever onward, upward, further, higher, faster, and better. Plateaus are just part of the deal.”

Vern Gambetta, President of Gambetta Sports Training Systems in Sarasota, Fla., and a co-founder of the USA Track and Field coaches education program, likens plateaus to the landings on a staircase. “You go up a flight of stairs and there’s a landing, which is where you stabilize your performance,” he says. “Then you go up another flight of stairs to the next landing. It usually takes about four flights of stairs before you reach your peak per-formance, so there can be three or four lengthy plateaus.”

Plateaus are also an inevitable part of the mental adaptation to training. According to sports psychologist Keith Henschen, Professor in the Department of Exercise and Health Science at the University of Utah and consultant to USA Track and Field, plateaus result in part from the brain assimilating new information.

“When we’re learning, it takes time for the mind to digest information,” he says. “Although we may feel we’ve mastered a task, it takes a while for the brain to finish processing everything, so we see a plateau. And you’ll see that hap-pen more with the elite athlete because it takes so much longer for them to improve just a little bit compared to a novice athlete who can improve a lot over a short period of time.”

Dennis Read is an Associate Editor at Coaching Management. He can be reached at: [email protected].

F


Waiting It Out It’s one thing for a coach to be com-

fortable with an athlete’s plateau, and another thing to help the athlete accept the situation. For McGuire, education is the key to helping his athletes have patience through a plateau. He teaches them that, from a physical standpoint, plateaus are a necessary component of great gains.

“I explain that if we were always rising to the next peak, we’d have to do a lot of resting,” he says. “That wouldn’t give us as much time to build more biomotor capability to put in the storehouse of our bodies. Then we wouldn’t have as much capability available in that storehouse when it came time to deliver the next peak, so the peak wouldn’t be as big.”

Part of the challenge, McGuire says, is that society conditions athletes to fight plateaus. “Society teaches us to demand immediate greatness, and when that doesn’t happen for an athlete, they ask, ‘What’s wrong with me? Have I lost it?’” says McGuire, who has a PhD in sports psychology and is an Assistant

Professor in Missouri’s Department of Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology. “So we have to fight the mes-sages from society that tell our athletes to hate the plateau.”

To do that, McGuire often uses a concept from a book by George Leonard titled Mastery. “The book isn’t about sports, although the author uses some sport metaphors and examples,” McGuire says. “It’s about people trying to be highly effective in their lives and applying themselves in a way that allows them to be masters of their fate and their own excellence.

“One of Leonard’s concepts is ‘Love the Plateau,’” he continues. “Now, most people hate the plateau. They want to get off the plateau, so they fight it. But as a coach, the idea of loving the plateau makes sense to me.”

A large part of McGuire’s discussions with his athletes involves teaching them to love the plateau. “I tell them this doesn’t mean they have to be satisfied with where they are,” he says. “It simply means we know plateaus are part of what

leads us up the path to the big peak we’re aiming for. Our intention every day is to work hard doing things that will allow us to be better tomorrow than we were yesterday. But we aren’t going to see that better tomorrow in new PRs every day. And since we know that there will be plateaus, we’re going to do smart things while we’re there, and we aren’t going to beat ourselves up during the process.

“We spend a lot of time discussing this approach starting with our first meeting,” McGuire adds. “That way, when athletes find themselves on a pla-teau, they understand what’s happening and think, ‘Oh, this is what Coach is talk-ing about.’ And I’m there telling them, ‘Don’t get frustrated. This is exactly what we want to happen. This is the pla-teau just before the big peak.’”

Lou Duesing, Head Coach of Women’s Track and Field and Cross Country at Cornell University, also believes that coaches need to set the right tone when an athlete finds themselves in a holding pattern. “It’s important to be positive and not to panic,” he says. “Athletes

COVER STORY

™

EXCLUSIVE

5 YEARLIMITED

WARRANTY

• Made of non-woven fibers

• Lightweight • Easy to clean up

and store• NEW strong-as-

steel fibers are “HEAT WELDED” on both sides to be fuzz-free, fightabrasion damage,stretching, and water retention

www.proturfproducts.comQUALITY SINCE 1989

The Ultimate in Athletic Field Protection!

The Ultimate in FieldProtection. Bench &Track Cross-over Tarps

Toll-Free: (866) 726-3326 PH: (724) 929-2111 FAX: (724) 929-0282

or contact your local authorized Turf Armor™ dealer

Untitled-2 1 1/3/07 11:34:01 AM

SPORTS TIMING CLOCKS

Tel: 800-854-8530

Daylight-BrightLED Digits

The Clock Preferred By Race Directors

ELECTRO-NUMERICS, INC.42213 Sarah Way, Temecula, CA 92590Tel: (951) 699-2437 Fax: (951) 695-7246Email: [email protected]

Web: www.Raceclock.com

Battery Powered

4”, 6” & 9” Digits

Single and Double Sided.

Carrying Cases and Stands Available.

Built-In Keypad and Battery Charger.

Finish Lynx Photo Finish Compatible

electronum60v0.indd 1 8/29/06 4:37:47 PM

Circle No. 109Circle No. 108

reflect the personalities of their coaches, and if they see coaches panicking about a plateau, they’re likely to follow suit.”

Some athletes accept plateaus more naturally than others. McGuire has a special message for athletes who fight a plateau. “I tell them, ‘You can be frus-trated. You can be depressed. You can put on a face like the world is going to come to an end because you didn’t set a new PR in the long jump last night. But it’s only going to make jumping farther more difficult,’” he says. “‘If you want to be great, you don’t have the luxury of not using each minute at practice most effectively to lead you to the next break-through.’”

Unplanned PlateausPatience and education are the solu-

tion to many plateaus, but sometimes a plateau has gone on longer than expect-ed and despite following the training plan and working hard, the athlete never reaches the expected peak. There’s no hard and fast rule for how long is too long when it comes to plateaus. Training

age, event, and the training plan itself are only some of the factors to consider when evaluating a plateau’s length.

In general, if a plateau has lasted longer than you expected and you can’t identify a flaw in the training plan, it’s time for a deeper assessment. The first step is ruling out the com-mon causes that can keep an athlete from making a breakthrough, starting with the physical. Sometimes this begins with some quick ques-tions for the athlete. Other times, it may require an out-side medical evaluation.

“When a plateau lasts lon-ger than we’ve planned, we begin by checking to see whether something physi-cal is getting in the way,” McGuire says. “We look for fatigue result-ing from lack of sleep, poor diet, or low iron stores through a blood test—par-ticularly with endurance athletes.”

McGuire has observed that when an athlete is stuck, often the first inclina-

tion is to assume a psychological block. But addressing psychological issues before eliminating possible physical causes can be counterproductive. “The athlete may have something mental going on, but if not, we’ll be wasting our time. In one case, I discovered that an athlete I was working

with to break a plateau had Graves’ dis-ease, and boy were we glad we checked.”

When other physical causes have been ruled out, overtraining can be an explanation for an extended plateau. “The number one red flag for overtrain-


Once physical causes have been ruled out, there are psy-chological aspects to consider. Duesing often finds that when an athlete cannot break through a plateau, it’s because they do not truly believe they can hit the higher mark.

COVER STORY

Track & Field Starts Here!1-800-676-7463

www.VSAthletics.com

VS_Athletics_CMTrack.indd 1 9/12/06 4:41:01 PM

Circle No. 110


COVER STORY

ing is difficulty in recovering and mal-aise,” Gambetta says. “When an athlete is on a positive plateau, the energy levels and the bounce are still there but the results just haven’t come yet. With over-training, if you watch the athlete’s body language, you’ll see an overall feeling of not wanting to train.”

Overtraining can negatively influence both an athlete’s emotional state and physical well being. “There’s a direct cor-relation between the amount of physical work an athlete does and their eager-ness to work,” says Craig Poole, Head Coach of Women’s Track and Field at Brigham Young University and a profes-sor in sports psychology. “Overtraining can depress an athlete’s ability to psy-chologically prepare for the max efforts he or she is trying to achieve.”

In addition, plateaus in meet perfor-mances can occur when an athlete is working too hard in practice. “I worked with an elite distance runner who was achieving really good training marks in practice, but he was doing so by giv-ing competition-level effort in practice

every day,” Gambetta says. “He had a huge competition plateau, because he was basically competing five days a week in practice and then trying to compete again on Saturday. You have to make sure that there is a recognizable differ-ence between training effort and com-petition effort, and you can’t just look at the times the athlete records. You have to see if they’re really straining to reach a time or if they working at the proper level to achieve it.”

Overtraining can also result when ath-letes take it upon themselves to do extra work in an attempt to break through a plateau. “Some kids, especially distance runners, are perfectionists who sneak in workouts beyond what they really should be doing,” Poole says. “If a coach isn’t aware of the extra work they’re doing, he or she won’t have all the data needed to make an accurate judgment about what’s going on. If you suspect this might be the case, you may have to bring them into your office and ask them directly whether they’re doing extra workouts on the side.”

Once physical causes have been ruled out, there are some psychological aspects to consider. Duesing often finds that when an athlete cannot break through a plateau, it’s because they don’t truly believe they can hit the higher mark. “I constantly tell our athletes that limi-tations in sports are self-imposed,” he says. “You can always find a hundredth of a second. Once you believe that—not just cognitively, but in your heart as well—you open a door to continued improvement.

“Let’s say their dream is to run a sub-five-minute mile,” Duesing continues. “If you really press them on it, they may say, ‘I really don’t know that I can do it.’ They impose that limitation on themselves, if not consciously then sub-consciously. They see it as just a dream, and if they don’t believe they can do it, they probably won’t.”

The Next PeakFortunately, with all the different ways

for athletes to put themselves onto unde-sirable plateaus, there are even more ways

Untitled-2 1 12/5/06 1:45:16 PM

Circle No. 111

COVER STORY

to help them break them. A common way to overcome a plateau is to have the athlete stop whatever they’re doing in favor of doing something else.

“If an athlete is doing everything right and it’s just not happening for them, I have them get away from their particular event for while,” McGuire says. “There is no magic answer to how long ‘a while’ is. It might be two or three practices or a couple of weeks.”

However long the break lasts, the idea is the same: Give the brain a chance to process all the information it has been flooded with. “Athletes in training are exposed to a lot of motor neural information through their kinesthetic senses, listening to people describe what they should do, and watching others do it,” McGuire says. “The body takes all this information and integrates it into a high jump, a hurdle, or whatever the event is. Athletes can put so much pressure on themselves that they’re on motor neural overload—their sensory motor neural filter gets clogged up and can’t separate good information from bad. If we want to keep the good stuff, we have to let the mind purge the bad stuff. So we halt the flow of information for a while by doing something com-pletely different.”

Duesing has even had an athlete change events for an entire season to

break an unwanted plateau. “I once had a miler who was really in a rut,” Duesing says. “I knew he had done some inter-mediate hurdling in high school, so in outdoor track I moved him to the steeple-chase. It was really different in terms of energy system usage and it was fun for him, so it got him away from the stale feeling he had when running the mile.

“He came back the next year and knocked about eight seconds off his mile time,” Duesing says. “He had been away from the mile long enough that he forgot his bad habits, not just physi-cally but also mentally. Plus, in order to run the steeplechase well you have to be strong. And it turned out adding strength was the key to him improving his mile time.”

Most athletes don’t need to take a full season away from their main event to get back on track, so McGuire has a wide range of alternatives. “I might just take out the skill development portion of a practice,” he says. “I’ll have them do a warmup, some speed drills, their weight-room workout, and then go home.”

A plateau is also a good time for film review, as long as it’s positive. “You want to show athletes film from when they had great days,” McGuire says. “This is not the time to examine mistakes. This is the time to filter the system. It’s not usually my first choice, because watching film doesn’t get

you completely away from the activity, but if you’re looking at good performances, it can be a positive thing.”

Gambetta likes to change various elements of the training program. The most common changes involve adjusting training volume and intensity. Although load can be increased or decreased, it’s best to not change by more than 10 per-cent from one training period to anoth-er. Similar adjustments can be made to intensity when a change is needed.

“As the athlete accumulates training over the years, I’m more prone to go toward higher-intensity and higher-qual-ity work while cutting down on the vol-ume,” Gambetta says. “But at younger training ages, the training hasn’t accu-mulated, so you can give them slightly greater workloads at various times.”

Another area that can be easily tweaked is rest, both within workouts and between workouts, especially if over-training may be a factor. But Gambetta warns that just because some rest is good, more is not necessarily better.

“There’s a traditional tendency to overwork and under-recover,” he says. “But right now, rest and recovery are the buzzwords in training, and I’m beginning to see people resting too much. Recovery is really important, but only if you’ve done the work first.

Continued on page 22

One surefire path to an unwanted plateau, according to Lou Duesing, Head Coach of Women’s Track and Field and Cross Coun-try at Cornell University, is allowing ath-letes to do too much too soon. To avoid that pitfall, Duesing is careful to make sure athletes are leaving something in the tank early in the season, even if their natural

inclination would be to train at a higher intensity.

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

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

PREVENTING PLATEAUS


MONTREAL 1976

MOSCOW 1980

LOS ANGELES 1984

SEOUL 1988

BARCELONA 1992

ATLANTA 1996

SYDNEY 2000

ATHENS 2004

BEIJOfficial supplier of Athletic track, Basketball & Handball Courts

Where the

Untitled-1 1 12/21/06 7:00:35 PM

8 0 0 3 6 1 3 7 4 7 m o n d o @ m o n d o u s a . c o m w w w . m o n d o u s a . c o m

ING2008!

Games come to play

Untitled-1 1 12/21/06 7:00:35 PM

Circle No. 112

“Don’t forget about rest within a workout,” Gambetta continues. “Often, we don’t provide adequate rest between sprints and throws and jumps in practice and that can have a leveling effect on performance.”

Beyond the old standbys of volume, intensity, and recovery, Gambetta also

likes to tinker with training modes. “For example, for squats you can use body-weight, a weighted vest, a bar, dumb-bells, jump squats, back squats, front squats, or overhead squats,” he explains.

“The movements and muscles used are all similar, but the stimulus is varied enough that the body will perceive each exercise differently.”

Then there are changes to training sequences, such as swapping the order of plyometric work and weight work within a workout. “It’s important to have sev-

eral different patterns of work,” Gambetta explains, “so that you can change the order of the pri-mary stimulus for the days of the week. These sequence changes go a long way toward avoiding or breaking through plateaus.”

Gambetta says other small-er changes can include alter-ing balance by having athletes perform on soft surfaces or barefoot, visual feedback by changing the workout environ-ment, and kinesthetic awareness

by going from a thin weight bar to a fat one or from a medicine ball to a power ball. “The key is that each of the changes must have a specific purpose and meth-odology,” he says.


COVER STORY

When the problem is a psychological block, Duesing creates practice situa-tions where the athlete can build the confidence needed to achieve the next breakthrough. “For example, part of running a fast mile is getting to the 1,200 mark in a time that’s going to have the athlete feel like they’re on pace without feeling like they have to bend over and rest,” he says. “So I’ll design some front-loading workouts that get them to that point. But you also need to back-load.So we design workouts that get them as tired as they might feel when they reach that 1,200 point, and then have them work at a faster-than-normal pace. That way, they know they’re capable of feeling that level of fatigue and still maintaining their pace.

“When we put them in those situa-tions in practice, they see that they have what it takes physically and mentally to maintain the pace that’s needed,” adds Duesing. “They begin to really believe they can hit the new mark, and when that happens, a breakthrough is just around the corner.” ■

Smaller changes can include altering balance by having athletes perform on soft surfaces or barefoot, visual feedback by changing the workout environment, and kinesthetic awareness by going from a thin weight bar to a fat one.

Untitled-6 1 12/12/06 1:26:31 PM

Circle No. 113

ealing with parents is one of the most overlooked aspects of coaching. From the dad who questions the coach’s methods for teaching hurdles to the mom who believes her booster club efforts

should gain her daughter special status, parents rarely accept their children’s lot in sports just because someone says so.

It simply makes the parents distrust the coach. I’ve found a better solution is to make parents part of the team’s success by educating them on their role and on the procedures for raising questions.

Communicate RolesThe first step in educating parents

is delineating roles. It helps immensely when parents know their responsibili-ties as well as those of the athletes and coaches. These may vary depending on

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

D BY LEM ELWAY

This generation of moms and dads wants logical explanations for every action a coach takes. They have questions about why certain decisions are made and con-cerns about how the coach’s actions affect their child. Correctly handed, these situa-tions can make for a positive experience. Handled incorrectly, they can cause a lot of sleepless nights.

For many coaches, a natural first response is to tell parents not to inter-fere. But this strategy usually backfires.

MEET THE PARENTS

LEADERSHIP


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

that many parents who ask questions will never be thoroughly satisfied, but as coaches, we need to provide the answers, whether or not they are accepted.

Coaches also need to be ready to justify their actions when dealing with athletes (which also helps to ensure that we are doing the right things in all situations). We need to be ready to respond to the disagreeable parent. And we need to be patient with the parent who has coached or is an active runner, and thus thinks he or she is an expert on the sport.

At the same time, we need to realize that most parents’ experiences are very limited. Something that seems obvious to a coach may need extra explanation to a parent. In addition, parents, by nature, have tunnel vision—they see only their child’s needs and don’t have the ability to be objective when dealing with a situation. It falls on the coach’s shoulders to educate and lead parents through this experience.

your particular school and support staff, but I’ll explain how I break it down in my program as an example. (See “Rules on Roles,” below, for a complete list.)

The coach’s role is to be the leader and communicator. They lead by acting professionally at all times, being good teachers, making fair rules and decisions, staying organized, and setting a good example through their actions. As com-municators, they must exhibit good lis-tening skills, be available to athletes and parents, clearly outline rules and expec-tations, and be in touch with all admin-istrative guidelines. Another constant responsibility of the coach is to reduce all risks associated with the sport and follow safety rules. And, finally, coaches alone make training and competition decisions.

The role of the parent is to be a sup-port system for the athletes and coaches. This entails respecting the rules and decisions made by those in charge, stay-ing positive about every aspect of the

team and all of its athletes, and keeping any negative thoughts to themselves. It also entails thoroughly understanding the role of the coaches and knowing not to interfere with that role.

The athlete’s role is to be a respon-sible member of the team. This includes having a good attitude, following team rules, and asking questions of the coach when needed.

Be ProactiveOnce you’ve outlined the responsibil-

ities of the three major groups, you need to communicate to parents and athletes exactly what these roles are. With ath-letes and assistant coaches, opportuni-ties naturally arise to talk about roles and responsibilities, but with parents, you need a more proactive plan.

The first step is accepting that paren-tal involvement comes with the job. It is very important to make parents feel comfortable about asking questions and to provide good answers. We all know

LEADERSHIP

RULES ON ROLES

COACHES’ ROLES:

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

2. Be positive, fair, and consis-tent with the athletes.

3. Make decisions with thought and care.

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

5. Be a good communicator with athletes and parents.

6. Protect the safety of all athletes.

7. Know and employ injury-prevention procedures.

8. Make sure athletes know expectations, procedures, rules, and lettering require-ments for the program.

9. Make sure everyone has practice and meet schedules.

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

11. Keep inventory of equip-ment.

12. Work to help assistants improve.

13. Keep track of the academ-ic progress of athletes.

14. Be available to talk with athletes and parents.

PARENTS’ ROLES:

1. Be a fan of everyone on the team.

2. Respect the coaches’ deci-sions.

3. Respect other fans, coach-es, and athletes.

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

5. Don’t poison the water toward a coach, the program, or teammates by your conver-sation.

6. Don’t talk to coaches on meet day about a complaint.

7. Understand that the coaches’ responsibility is to make certain that students are safe and become better people and athletes, not to win every meet.

8. Be supportive of their child.

ATHLETES’ ROLES:

1. Be positive and have a good attitude.

2. Support their teammates.

3. Work hard at practices.

4. If they have any questions, ask the coach.

5. Know and follow school and team rules.

6. Challenge themselves as athletes and as people.

7. Meet classroom expecta-tions.

8. Notify the coach of any scheduling conflicts in advance.

9. Talk to the coach about any special concerns about phi-losophy or expectations.


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


LEADERSHIP

Meet OftenBeing proactive in dealing with par-

ents also means opening up the lines of communication from day one. I do this by setting up three or four group meet-ings with parents. This may seem like a lot of extra work, but it actually reduces the number of one-on-one discussions I need to have with parents.

I start with a preseason meeting for potential athletes and their parents. I cover expectations and procedures; the responsibilities of coaches, athletes, and parents (as outlined above); and my coaching philosophy. I also explain some of the details that come with participa-tion on the team: paperwork that parents have to fill out, dates of future parents’ meetings, procedures athletes need to follow, and meet schedules for all levels.

This is not a time when I answer many questions. Rather, it sets the tone that, as the head coach, I am in charge and these are my rules.

Periodically throughout the season, I hold more parents’ meetings. This is a time for me to further explain procedures

or address new circumstances. And, unlike the preseason meeting, it also allows par-ents a forum to express their concerns and give me feedback on the program.

I use a printed agenda so we stay on track. The topics change depending on the time of year and what situations have arisen, but they mostly focus on what rules we have and why. For example, I might talk about our training schedule, expectations of athletes during meets and on bus trips, the consequences of missing practices, plans for spring vaca-tions and field trips, and my expectations of the team.

Allowing a lot of time for parents to ask questions is key. The important thing is that they don’t feel embarrassed to ask something. I don’t want them to have that excuse, so I try to let them know I’m open to any and all questions. During these meetings we have the parents sign in so we know who was there and who was not. That way, if an issue comes up from one of our disruptive parents we can say, “If it was that important to you, why didn’t you come to one of the meetings?”

I’ve found these meetings clear up many misconceptions parents may have. Most importantly, though, they create an environment of openness, which most parents equate with fairness.

Outline the RulesAlthough these group meetings usu-

ally set the right tone and answer most parents’ questions, a handful of very involved parents will have individual questions and concerns. They will want to talk with you, argue with you, and challenge you. And you will have to deal with them in a positive manner.

Therefore, as a smart coach, it is important to educate parents on how, when, and why to communicate with you. In addition, they need to understand the guidelines for questioning the coach so it’s done professionally and positively rather than as a confrontation. I’ve found that the more guidelines I give parents on how they should communicate with me, the better these discussions go.

First, I ask them to do a little thinking. “If you have a question or concern,” I

Stop The Action!Stop The Action! The World’s First Point & Shoot High-Speed Camera The World’s First Point & Shoot High-Speed Camera Designed For SportsDesigned For Sports

• Fast…. Portable…. Easy-To-Use

• Record up to 500 frames per second and stop the action

• Perfect for Coaching, Training, Biomechanics Research, Gait Analysis and Physical Therapy

See What You’ve Been Missing!

call 858.592.2342 ext.14visit www.fastecimaging.comMotion analysis by Xcitex Inc.

Fastec_CM1501.indd 1 12/5/06 12:16:31 PM

Circle No. 114

They are also welcome to ask about how their child can improve. I give them examples about how to best phrase these questions:

■ “Does my child work hard and have a positive attitude at practice?”

■ “What areas does he need to improve in?”

■ “Do you have some suggestions we could use to make these improve-ments?”

Asking about their child’s behavior or attitude is also acceptable. They may ask, “Is my child a positive addition to the team?” or “Is there something I can do to help you?”

Working with and educating parents is an ongoing process and must be done in a proactive manner. Coaches must encourage communication and make the process comfortable and positive for everyone. Being questioned in a forth-right manner can be a growing process for a coach, so don’t shy away from it. ■

A version of this article has run in previous editions of Coaching Management.


LEADERSHIP

tell them, “please take the time to think about exactly what it is.” Next, I ask them to follow our athletic department’s three-step process:

1. If appropriate, talk with your child about your question. What is his or her perspective? Can your child solve the problem without your help?

2. Set up a meeting with the coach if you still have questions. This should be

an informational meeting where you ask questions, listen, and have a discussion. But, emotions and language must remain professional. Remember that the coach makes decisions for the good of the team based on practice, ability, and attitude.

3. If questions remain, set up a meet-ing between the athletic director, the coach, and yourself.

For any of these meetings, I also

explain four simple guidelines:1. Conversation must be professional

with regard to both language and con-duct.

2. Everyone gets a chance to talk, but everyone must listen as well.

3. Emotional control by all parties is imperative.

4. Meetings are by appointment and must not occur on meet days.

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

Frequent meetings clear up many misconceptions parents have. Most importantly, though, they create an environment of openness, which most parents equate with fairness.

Great EquipmentKeeps You On Track

DE C A D E S O F

CO A C H I N G & CO M P ETITION

EX P E R I E N C E W E N T I N T O

T H I S CO L L E C T I O N…

YO U R B E S T P E R F O R M A N C E S

W I L L C O M E O U T!

Com p l ete Line ofFi eld & Track Equ i p m en t

Vaulting Poles ShotsDiscu s Javelin s

Hammers Starting Block sAnd much, much more!

Write, call, fax or e-mail for a FREE Catalog:P.O. Box 1674 Burbank, California 91507

Ph: (800) 697-2999 Fax (818) [email protected]

or check us out online at www.ontrackandfield.com

Who was selectedto star on

this year’s cover?Order one and find out!

Who was selectedto star on

this year’s cover?Order one and find out!

Untitled-8 1 12/12/06 2:22:56 PM

Complete Line ofField & Track Equipment

800 � 697 � 2999 ontrackandfield.com

� Stackable to 20 hurdles high

� 100% Steel frame & tubes

� Heli–arc welded, no nuts & bolts

� Zinc–plated for lasting looks

� Open approach to hurdle

� Tubes available powder–coated in most school colors at NO extra charge

� Board printing available for a nominal charge

� No assembly required

� Shipped ready–to–use!

� See our website formore information...

FAST LANE HURDLE

Time fornew hurdles?Others just don’tstack up to On Track’s

FAST LANE HURDLE

Mention PromoCode

CM06, get FREEboard

printing for 10+hurdles!

Mention PromoCode

CM06, get FREEboard

printing for 10+hurdles!

ontrackandfield63v0.indd 1 9/15/06 2:42:02 PM

Circle No. 115 Circle No. 116

t the University of Washington, we were proud to have a pair of runners bring home middle distance titles from the 2006 NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships. Ryan Brown won the men’s 800 meters in 1:46.29, and Amy Lia was the women’s 1,500 meters champion with a time of 4:14.63.

In addition to the work they do on the track with Head Coach Greg Metcalf, our middle distance runners work hard in the weightroom. As the strength and condition-

ing coach for track and field here at Washington, I developed a program for them a year ago that we believe helped them reach their top performance, while remaining injury free.

One of the keys to our program’s success has been start-ing carefully and building a solid foundation. Another has been open communication between myself and Coach Metcalf to ensure that the work we do in the weightroom complements the training athletes do on the track. In this article, I outline our strength and conditioning program for middle distance runners and detail the logic that went into its design.

Matthew Ludwig is an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at the University of Washington. He can be reached at: [email protected].

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

A BY MATTHEW LUDWIG

CONDITIONING


WINNING WAYS

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

STEP

HEN

NO

WLA

ND

/NC

AA

PH

OTO

S

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

they will work for us. Establish a base. Many middle dis-

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

Setting GoalsIn our strength-training department

here at Washington, we like to work closely with our sport coaches to develop programs. Therefore, my first step in setting up workouts for the middle-dis-tance runners was to meet with Coach

Metcalf. We talked about the runners’ strengths and weaknesses, their past experiences using the weightroom, and previous training they had tried. We also discussed our philosophies on the biomechanics of the events and energy system needs. At the conclusion of our analysis, Coach Metcalf and I set the fol-lowing goals for the program:

Make it doable. We wanted to devel-

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

results. Therefore, we keep things very simple in our weightroom and rely on the principle of progressive overload to establish strength throughout full ranges of motion.

Shin splints, knee pain, foot and ankle pain, calf and achilles pain, and hamstring and low back pain are com-mon in middle distance runners because of the high volume of impact on their

CONDITIONING


After we gather information through our needs analysis, it is time to get athletes into the weightroom and begin preseason training. Our athletes are very in tune with their bodies, and they know two things: “The better I feel, the better I will run” and, “The stronger I am, the faster I will run.” This influences our approach to their training.

email: [email protected] Fax: 1-952-884-34248337 Penn Ave. S., Bloomington, MN 55431

•Power Fitness Chutes

•Plyometric Benches

•Jump Ropes

•Agility Hurdles

•Resistance Sleds

•Weighted Vests

•Overspeed Systems

•Training Videos

•Resource Books

www.kytec.us 1-800-732-4883

Call for your free catalog!

kytec63v0.indd 1 11/27/06 1:00:50 PM

Medals, Pins & Patches

• Custom designs created by you• Any size – any shape• Up to 5 colors on medals, price includes drape ribbon, event card and poly bag• Stock medals for speedy delivery

800-251-2656In TN: 615-244-3007Fax: 615-244-5937

[email protected]

231 Venture CircleNashville, TN 37228

Something for everyone!

• Up to 7 colors on custom patches, patches 50%-100% embroidered• No setups or die charges• Minimum order 100 pieces• Delivery in 3-5 weeks

Custom & Stock Items

goldner 129.indd 1 9/24/04 11:37:47 AM

Circle No. 117 Circle No. 118


CONDITIONING

involved in an organized strength-train-ing program promotes muscle balance, enhances metabolic adaptations, and improves force production, joint stabil-ity, performance output, recovery rates, flexibility, structural stability, and motor development. But to receive these ben-efits, they first must establish a base. Our program for middle distance runners consists of two or three workouts a week lasting 45-60 minutes each depending on the time of year.

Improve flexibility. Any time a mus-cle repeatedly performs an action in a limited range of motion, it gradu-ally becomes limited to that range of motion. Distance runners run straight ahead and rarely utilize their full stride length with maximal hip flexion and hip extension. Consequently, they end up with tight hamstrings, hip flexors, glutes, calves, internal and external hip rotators, and backs.

Incorporating static, dynamic, and PNF stretching into a runner’s training program can have astounding results. Our athletes have always trained on

the track before they arrive to the weightroom, so we don’t have to spend time warming up. Instead, we focus on improving flexibility. As one form of dynamic flexibility training, we train every movement in the weightroom using the fullest range of motion pos-sible. We finish the workout with static flexibility training and a PNF (contract-relax) program using elastic bands.

Improve core strength. To build core strength, we believe it is most impor-tant to teach the athlete to move his or her limbs throughout a full range of motion in space before introducing balls, gadgets, and other resistance- or balance-manipulation devices. Although these are all great tools for training, we take the time to first generate motor unit recruitment in the core through sport-specific movements like squatting, pulling, lunging, and step-ups. In addi-tion to these exercises, we incorporate weighted abdominal work, physioballs, and static abdominal work.

Strengthen weak and lagging muscle groups. Although middle distance run-

ners use their legs for most of the work they do, a large portion of their lower extremities are often underdeveloped. Common areas of lower-body weakness in middle distance runners include hamstrings, hip flexors, hip abductors, and hip adductors. Most middle dis-tance runners also display some level of weakness when asked to perform any unilateral exercise. Upper-body weak-nesses typically consist of weaker poste-rior chains compared to their anterior counterparts. Therefore, we focus our program on strengthening these muscle groups to avoid imbalances.

Getting StartedAfter we gather information through

our needs analysis, it is time to get ath-letes into the weightroom for preseason conditioning. Our track athletes are very in tune with their bodies, and they know two things: “The better I feel, the better I will run,” and “The stronger I am, the faster I will run.” This influences our approach to their training.

We begin by introducing basic move-

If you want to be XPLOSIVE,

you have to train

XPLOSIVE !

If you want to be XPLOSIVE,

you have to train

XPLOSIVE !

Call 800-697-5658 281-693-4034

Email [email protected]

www.TheXvest.com

Deon Minor4x400m WRH

Voted “Best of the Best”in Testosterone Magazine Adjustable Weighted Vest

Now, you can train with real confidence -it’s safe, effective and delivers real results. Track & Field is a game of speed, strength, quicknessand endurance. Deon Minor uses the Xvest not just onthe Track but also in the weight room. The Xvest isabout getting you all that!!

The Xvest is the perfect training tool for your Speed,Plyometric, Strength, Resistance Running, Quickness,Endurance progressions and programs. The Xvest canbe utilized in the weight room and on the field. TheXvest is perfect for specific drills, such as coming outof the blocks.

The Xvest will transform your body into the superi-or power-producing animal that you always wanted

to be. You will experience a new intensity inyour workouts.

The Xvest is the ULTIMATE accessory for anXTREME sports training program - It’s timeto own the Xvest.

Circle No. 119

leg (see Figure Two, below).Hanging knee-ups: Two sets of 10.At five weeks, we are able to increase

the volume using the same loads to minimize muscle soreness and show the athletes that strength training can be done effectively with minimal muscle soreness. Week Five training goes as fol-lows, with 30-45 seconds of rest between exercises and sets:

Sissy squat: Three sets of 10 reps.Body weight step-ups: Three sets of

eight reps on each leg. Standing single-leg hip flexion with

knee extension: Two sets of 12 reps on each leg.

Hanging knee-ups: Three sets of 15 reps.

Using this program over the first five weeks of their training last season, our athletes improved their overall ability to do work from the original baseline of 53 reps in week one to 123 total reps. During the five weeks, the load never changed. This is a very basic approach to improving general physical prepared-ness and diminishing recovery time.

Building On The BaseThe training year for our middle dis-

tance runners is divided into six meso-cycles: off-season, preseason, transition, in-season, transition, and postseason. Below is a detailed look at a year-long macro cycle and how we have designed the strength-training program for each phase.

Off-season (mid-June to September): We conduct two full-body workouts per week, Monday and Thursday. This training cycle focuses on recovery, res-toration, and repair from the high-intensity loads experienced during the season that just ended. The athletes cut back on the total running volume in June and gradually increase from July to September. Strength training focuses on building strength endurance starting in Week One of the off-season program with a total volume of 298 reps (exclud-ing core work) per week and building to 520 reps by week 18 (see “Off-Season Conditioning,” on page 31). Many of our middle distance runners compete in outdoor competitions in September and October, so we try to enhance both their ability to metabolize lactate and their metabolic response to training by improving oxygen consumption and fuel utilization.


CONDITIONING

ments to establish an understanding of the motor development the athletes cur-rently possess. Muscle soreness has to be very limited to avoid hurting perfor-mance. We know the first four weeks of learning a new exercise are mainly neuro-logical, but if the muscles are being asked to perform in an unfamiliar range of motion, the risk of micro tears increases.

Remembering another of our goals—to create a training program that keeps our runners coming back for more—we are careful to not get overzealous on day one. You can always add to a program, but it is extremely difficult to undo over-reaching in a short amount of time. I start with very low volume and very low intensity and slowly raise the volume from week to week. I don’t progress the athletes to more volume or more inten-sity until I feel they have established a sound comfort level with the load they are initially assigned.

For example, when introducing squats, we start with sissy squats holding

a 10-pound plate across the chest (see Figure One, below). Sissy squats allow the athletes to keep their torsos in an upright position and promote maxi-mal range of motion without limitation. Hamstring strength for middle-distance runners tends to be very weak after the first 45 degrees of hip flexion. By placing the athletes in a position to use the quads and get maximum depth, we build up to performing a back squat.

Week One consists of the following exercises to begin strengthening the lower body. Each exercise is performed with one minute of rest between exer-cises and sets.

Sissy squat: Three sets of five reps (between each set, stretch hamstrings statically for 20 seconds.).

Body-weight step-ups: Two sets of five on each leg using 90 degrees of hip flexion (focus on using glutes and ham-strings for hip extension).

Standing single-leg hip flexion with knee extension: One set of eight on each

F IGURE ONE : Sissy Squat

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

F IGURE TWO: Standing Single-Leg Hip Flexion with Knee Extension

The athlete stands on her right leg with left knee bent to 90 degrees, left thigh parallel to the floor, and hands on hips. She then extends her left knee, straightening her left leg paral-lel to the floor. Repeat for other leg.


Preseason (October to mid-Decem-ber): We progress to three full-body workouts per week. Training is now focused more on improving overall mus-cle strength and forcing production in preparation for the indoor and outdoor seasons. During this time period, the ath-lete’s volume stays at or under 120 total reps per workout (excluding core work). Set and rep ranges consist of two to four sets of five to 12 reps, depending on the exercise being performed. Athletes also spend more time with their sport coach working on their running economy and efficiency and building cardiovascular endurance.

Transition (last two weeks in Decem-ber): Continuing with three full-body workouts per week, the transition phase is a short deloading period last-ing one to two weeks that allows the body to recover from off-season and preseason training. A strength-train-ing program is still in place, but the total volume of work drops to less than 80 total reps per workout (excluding core work).

CONDITIONING

OFF - SEASON CONDI T ION ING

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

During the off-season, our middle dis-tance runners complete two strength-training workouts per week. Listed below are the exercises performed on each day, along with the reps and sets performed on week one.

MONDAY

Back squat 3x8Bench press 4x4DB step up 2x8, each legWide-grip lat pulldown 2x12 Triceps push down or push up 3x8DB rear fly 2x8

Core Work ■ Straight-leg sit up 3x15■ Seated Russian twist 3x15■ Superman 3x15■ Lying hip abduction 2x15, each side

THURSDAY

DB incline bench 2x12DB walking lunge 2x10, each sideDB military press 3x8RDLs with barbell (hold 2 sec. on bot-tom) 3x6One-arm DB row 2x10Shoulder complex* 2x8, each exerciseDB curl 3x8Core work ■ Elbow bridge 3x30 sec.■ Side crunch 2x30 sec.■ Alternating pointer 2x12, each side■ Standing hip flexion w/knee ext. 2x10, each side

*The shoulder complex consists of front raise, side raise, and upright row. Athletes do all three exercises in succession, then rest.

The Most Innovative On-Line Buyer’s Guide

for Athletic Organizations

Athlet icbid .com

See for yourself why more than 13,000unique users each month rely on

● View the complete product lines of companies listed.

● View catalog pages or spec sheets from many of the top companies.

● Read a profile or description of select companies.

● Send an e-mail directly to a supplier or make a request to be contacted by a company representative.

● Request catalog and sales literature from companies.

AthleticBid.com is a free service to help buyers at schools and athletic organizations contact many companies in the most efficient fashion to request product specs and pricing information.

It used to take hours to contact dozens of companies to research products and plan purchases. With AthleticBid.com, it now only takes minutes.

athleticbidquarter.indd 1 1/3/07 10:39:58 AM

Untitled-3 1 9/9/05 2:21:18 PM

Circle No. 120


CONDITIONING

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

events for five solid months. We per-form two workouts per week (Mondays and Wednesdays) to allow full recovery in time for weekend events. During this time, the weightroom is more of a tool for active recovery and restoration, maintaining flexibility, and prehab or rehab work. In-season is a time of speci-fied training on the track, and the inten-sity must be high at every practice.

Transition (one week in May): Athletes are given on week off from

training to allow for a mental and physi-cal break. This is a time for those who are competing in conference, regional, and national events to freshen up men-tally and disengage for a brief period.

Postseason (second week in May until nationals): Weightroom activities are vol-untary during this time, but flexibil-ity training after every track practice is strongly encouraged.

Collaborate For SuccessThroughout the season, we strive

to improve communication between myself, Coach Metcalf, and our athletic trainers. Each person involved with the progress of our athletes needs to be

on the same page. The success of our program revolves around open com-munication.

As a staff, we meet weekly to discuss current injuries, practice plans, and each

athlete’s progress in the weight-room. This ensures that we avoid overtraining and that we utilize the knowledge of our sports-med-icine staff to help validate our training plans. We also revisit our overall needs analysis at least twice a year, once before the indoor season and once at the conclu-sion of the outdoor season.

Our program at the University of Washington works very well for us and we are proud of the athletes who have dedicated themselves to it. When our middle distance runners step on the track for competition, they know they have trained hard and can compete to their fullest ability. ■

A version of this article ran in Coaching Management’s sister publication, Training & Conditioning.

As a staff, we meet weekly to discuss current injuries, practice plans, and each athlete’s progress in the weightroom. This ensures that we avoid overtraining and that we utilize the knowledge of our sports-medicine staff to help validate our training plans.

Jump Stretch has been supplying the large continuous-loopFlexBands® to high school, college, and pro teams since 1980.We have a total of seven sizes, but most teams use either theLight or Average bands for stretching. For more information,visit our website at www.jumpstretch.com or call 1-800-344-3539.

Jump Stretch, Inc.1230 N. Meridian Rd. Youngstown, OH 44509www.jumpstretch.com 1-800-344-3539Fax: 1-330-793-8719

Ever wonder where the pro teamsget those GIANT rubber bandsthey use for stretching?

Look no further!Look no further!

jumpstretch62v0v3.indd 1 1/3/07 1:39:01 PM

Circle No. 121


Guide to Track Surfaces

Beynon Sports Surfaces offers four IAAF-certified track and field surfaces that are completely seamless and chemically bonded to the substrate, providing a significant-ly longer lifecycle than sheet goods or latex track systems.

Recent installations:U.S. Coast Guard Academy University of IllinoisUniversity of Missouri University of Wisconsin

BSS-2000 (outdoor)IAAF, NCAA, NFHS, and ASBA approvedMaterials: PolyurethaneResurfacing: Yes, 12 yearsRestriping: Yes, eight years Length of warranty: 10 years

BSS-1000 (outdoor)IAAF, NCAA, NFHS, and ASBA approvedMaterials: PolyurethaneResurfacing: Yes, 12 years

Restriping: Yes, eight yearsLength of warranty: seven to 10 years

BSS-“Hobart” 1000 (indoor)IAAF, NCAA, NFHS, and ASBA approvedMaterials: PolyurethaneResurfacing: Yes, 12 years Restriping: Yes, eight years Length of warranty: seven to 10 years

Beynon Sports Surfaces410-771-9473www.beynonsports.com

See ad on page 11Circle No. 500

Surfaces:

Mondo offers a world-leading track that is fast, comfortable with unpar-alleled durability. Athletes choose Mondo for its comfort, consistent feel for long training sessions, and speed on which to achieve outstanding per formance results.

Recent installations:University of Arkansas, Class 1 IAAF-Certified FacilityMarietta High School, Marietta, Ga. (photo)University of FloridaDrake UniversityGeorgia Tech University

Super X Performance (Indoor and Outdoor)lAAF, NCAA ASBA, and NFHS approvedMaterials: Vulcanized rubber Resurfacing: NoRestriping: Yes, 10 years

Mondo800-361-3747www.mondousa.comSee ad on pages 20-21

Circle No. 501

Pro-Traxx by North American Specialty Flooring is a pre-fab-ricated rubber sport flooring made from synthetic and natural rubber compounds that can sustain the combined effects of compaction, abrasion, spike damage, UV light, water, variations in temperature, and reduces athletes’ muscular fatigue.

Recent installations:Reading High School, Reading, Mass.Swampscott High School, Swampscott, Mass.Tri-County YMCA of the Ozarks, Osage Beach, Mo.

Pro-Traxx (Indoor and Outdoor)IAAF approvedMaterials: Rubber track surface with an EPDM top layer and a thick, elastic black rubber bottom layerWarranty: One year for installation; five years for materials

North American Specialty Flooring

866-757-5569www.pro-traxx.net

See ad on page 4Circle No. 502

As the world leader in the supply of polyurethane components for sports surfacing systems, Conica has multiple IAAF approvals, and its indoor and out-door Class A track systems meet ASTM F2157-02 require-ments. Conica materials are 100-percent free of mercury.Recent installations:

Baylor University Mansion Park Stadium, PA University of New Mexico West Seattle Stadium, WA

CONIPUR SW (Indoor & Outdoor)IAAF approvedMeets ASTM F2157-02 standardMaterials: Polyurethane base mat with embedded EPDM surfaceSpike resistant: YesResurfacing: YesRestriping: YesLength of warranty: five years

CONIPUR SP (Indoor & Outdoor)IAAF approvedMeets ASTM F2157-02 standardMaterials: Polyurethane base

mat with structural spray surfaceSpike resistant: YesResurfacing: YesRestriping: YesLength of warranty: five years

CONIPUR MX (Indoor & Outdoor)IAAF approvedMeets ASTM F2157-02 standardMaterials: Polyurethane full-pour with embedded EPDM surfaceSpike resistant: YesResurfacing: YesRestriping: YesLength of warranty: five years

Conica800-642-7010www.conica.basf.com

See ad inside front coverCircle No. 503

Surfaces:

Surfaces:

Surfaces:


Track Facility Equipment

Aer-Flo, Inc.800-823-7356www.aerflo.com

The Bench Zone™ track protector is for tracks that fit tightly to football fields. The tough polypropylene fabric resists and cushions against cleats, yet allows

rain to drain through. A steel chain is double-stitched

into the vinyl edging all around, keep-ing the protector down—even in high winds—without the need for stakes. The Bench Zone features gold or white edging to maximize visibility. It is 15 feet wide and 75, 100, 125, or 150 feet long. Custom sizes are also avail-able. This product is great for protect-ing cheerleader areas.

Circle No. 504

The Cross-Over Zone™ track protec-tor from Aer-Flo® resists and cushions against steel-tipped cleats. Its breath-able polypropylene fabric allows rain to drain through while protecting modern track surfaces from crossing traffic. A steel chain inserted in the edging keeps the protec-tor in place without stakes or staples, even in windy conditions. The entire edge and chain are wrapped in white or gold vinyl for durability and safety. The Cross-Over Zone is 7.5 or 15 feet wide and 30, 40, or 50 feet long. Custom sizes are also available. This product is easy to install, remove, and store.

Circle No. 505

Aluminum Athletic Equipment800-523-5471www.aaesports.com

At many schools, multiple teams use practice facilities at the same time. As a result, track athletes risk being hit by stray balls and teams waste practice time searching for, avoiding, or tripping on loose balls. AAE’s solution is the HBS BallStopper system. Available in self-standing and ground sleeve models to accommodate synthetic and grass

fields, the BallStopper system features heavy-wall aluminum uprights installed

into ground sleeves and treated synthetic netting with per-manently

attached galvanized steel cables (top and bottom). For more information on outdoor sports equipment, visit AAE online.

Circle No. 506

AAE’s The Donkey is a portable, elevat-ed multi-purpose center with a long list of uses. It’s a scorer’s table, observa-tion center, video sta-tion, broad-cast booth, coach’s station, pen-alty bench (optional), and on-field storage unit (optional). Whatever the sport—track, lacrosse, soccer, field hockey, baseball, or tennis—users will benefit from what The Donkey has to offer. It’s fully por-table, easy to move, features lockable wheels, and affords protection from wind, weather, and sun. Constructed of durable aluminum, it stands nearly 11 feet high and comfortably seats up to six people.

Circle No. 507

Austin Plastics & Supply, Inc.800-290-1025www.athleticrecordboards.com

Athletic record boards from Austin Plastics are effective tools for motivat-ing your athletes to do their best. The

boards are easy to install, made of durable plastic, and avail-able in various colors. They come in three

standard sizes: 38” x 48”, 45” x 80”, and 72” x 120”. Engraved record nameplates are available, or teams can print their own using perforated card stock supplied by the company. All record boards, custom and stan-dard, are available for all sports.

Circle No. 508

Blazer Mfg. Co.800-322-2731www.blazerathletic.com

Blazer’s premium line of hurdles includes some of the strongest, lon-gest-lasting hurdles on the market today. The new model 1130 High School Open Base Rocker Hurdle is an extremely strong knock-down hurdle, and it is shipped flat to reduce freight costs. The model 1138 Collegiate Hurdle is a welded L-hurdle that fea-tures an interlocking, stackable base. The FormFinder Self-Training Hurdle helps athletes develop the correct body position for hurdling.

Circle No. 509

New additions to Blazer’s premium equipment line include the model 1262 Indoor Urethane Discus Ring and the model 1189 Collegiate PV Standard.

The orange discus ring is highly vis-ible and snaps

together for easy assembly and com-pact storage. The standard offers collegiate-level quality with aluminum uprights and a steel base for stability. Blazer also offers a full line of track equipment, including Steelex spikes, shot puts, performance indicators, and much more.

Circle No. 510

Raceclock by Electro-Numerics, Inc.800-854-8530www.raceclock.com

Raceclock timing clocks are available with four-, six-, or nine-inch digits fea-turing super-bright LEDs or traditional


Track Facility Equipment

“flip” digits. The single- and dou-ble-sided mod-els are accurate to 1/100th of a second. Internal batteries pro-vide over 10 hours of opera-tion with select-able timing

modes set by a keypad. Accessories include a tripod stand, carrying case, remote control, and remote display operation compatible with FinishLynx.

Circle No. 511

Lynx System Developers800-989-5969www.finishlynx.com

Lynx System Developers is the world’s premier manufacturer of digital photo finish and timing equipment. For more than a decade, the com-pany has offered top-quality technolo-gy to high schools and col-leges nationwide. FinishLynx hardware and software packages give you every-thing you need to manage a track meet—from athlete entries to seed-ing, FAT timing, and results. Even the most basic (bronze) package provides a turnkey solution to event management issues, and lower-level packages can be upgraded at any time.

Circle No. 512

The LynxPad computer program from Lynx System Developers provides an efficient, easy-to-use interface for

admin-istering track and field meets and other athletic competi-tions.

Creating lists of events, competitors, affiliations, and seeding marks is a snap, and results can be compiled and ranked quickly and easily. With

just a few clicks, the software creates heats or flights according to the criteria you specify. LynxPad can be used by itself or in conjunction with FinishLynx, FieldLynx, ReacTime, and ClerkLynx products.

Circle No. 513

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

The 2007 M-F Everything Track & Field catalog is an 80-page publication that includes all the basics: pits, vaulting

poles, hurdles, starting blocks, stopwatches, throwing imple-ments, javelins, and much more. There’s even a special 10-page training equip-ment section, offering state-of-the-art train-

ing aids for track and field and cross country athletes at the high school and college level. Call today or go online to request your copy.

Circle No. 514

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

Marathon Printing specializes in num-bers for all kinds of athletic events. The company’s goal is to provide on-time delivery of the high-est-quality custom and stock bibs available. Marathon prints all numbers in-house, giv-ing 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 competi-tions in the world, and would be glad to talk with you about your event.

Circle No. 515

On Track800-697-2999www.ontrackandfield.com

On Track high jump and pole vault standards feature lightweight anod-

ized aluminum uprights equipped with polymer mea-surement scales that resist peel-ing and tearing. Unique on–off riser clamps make height adjustment cer tain and secure at all heights—no more slipping because of loose screw-downs. The steel riser tubes and offsets are electroplated

with zinc for durability. The pole vault standard slides along heavy steel rail units for unsurpassed stability.

Circle No. 516

Professional Turf Products866-726-3326www.proturfproducts.com

Trax Armor™ Cross-Over Tarps are designed to protect your synthetic run-ning track surface from all types of traffic, including football cleats, cheer-leaders, and even mainte-nance 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 specifica-tions and to locate a dealer near you.

Circle No. 517

Need helpfundraising for

your team?Check out the new source for fund-raising tips, support, and suppliers:

www.fundraisingforsports.com


A D V E R T I S E R S D I R E C T O R YCIRCLE COMPANY PAGENO. NO.

103 . . . Aer-Flo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6104. . . Austin Plastics & Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8106 . . . Beynon Sports Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11111 . . . Blazer Mfg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18120 . . . BulletlBelt (Lane Gainer) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31122 . . . Cho-Pat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36100 . . Conica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IFC114 . . . Fastec Imaging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25118 . . . Goldner Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28121 . . . Jump Stretch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32117 . . . Kytec Athletic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28101 . . . Lynx System Developers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3125 . . . M-F Athletic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BC105 . . . Marathon Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8112 . . . Mondo USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-21102 . . . North American Specialty Flooring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4113 . . . Omni-Lite Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22115 . . . On Track (catalog) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26116 . . . On Track (hurdles) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26107 . . . OPTP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13124 . . . Power Lift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IBC108. . . Professional Turf Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16109 . . . Raceclock by Electro-Numerics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16123 . . . TurfCordz/NZ Mfg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38110 . . . VS Athletics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17119 . . . Xvest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

P R O D U C T S D I R E C T O R YCIRCLE COMPANY PAGENO. NO.

506 . . AAE (HBS Ballstopper) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34507. . . AAE (The Donkey) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34504 . . Aer-Flo (Bench Zone) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34505 . . Aer-Flo (Cross-Over Zone) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34508 . . Austin Plastics & Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34500 . . Beynon Sports Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33510 . . . Blazer Mfg. (Discus Ring) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34509 . . Blazer Mfg. (Hurdle) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34537. . . Cho-Pat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40503 . . Conica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33526 . . . Fastec Imaging (software) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39525. . . Fastec Imaging (SportsCam) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39538 . . Goldner Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40518 . . . Jump Stretch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37527 . . . Kytec Athletic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39528. . . Lane Gainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39512 . . . Lynx System Developers (FinishLynx) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35513 . . . Lynx System Developers (LynxPad) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35519 . . . M-F Athletic (facility equipment catalog) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37514 . . . M-F Athletic (track & field catalog) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35515 . . . Marathon Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35501. . . Mondo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33502 . . North American Specialty Flooring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33520. . . Omni-Lite (ceramic spikes) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37521 . . . Omni-Lite (lightweight spikes) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38516 . . . On Track (high jump/pole vault standards) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35522. . . On Track (training implements) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38529 . . OPTP (Axis roller) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39530 . . OPTP (Stretch Out Strap) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39531 . . . Power Lift (Belt Squat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39532 . . Power Lift (Leg Press) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40534 . . Power Systems (Dual Agility Ladder) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40533 . . Power Systems (VersaStep hurdles) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40517 . . . Professional Turf Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35511 . . . Raceclock by Electro-Numerics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34524 . . . VS Athletics (Denfi discus) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38523. . . VS Athletics (Wind Gauge) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38535 . . Xvest (Don Chu) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40536 . . Xvest (Fire Fighter model) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

AchillesTendonStrapThis patenteddevice will reducestress upon theAchilles Tendonand provide effec-tive relief frompain and discomfort associated withAchilles Tendonitis. Sizes: Sm - Med - Lrg

DualActionKnee StrapPatented deviceoffers an extralevel of pain reliefand protectionfrom knee

degeneration and overuse syndromes.Stabilizes and strengthens the jointwhile allowing full mobility. Sizes: Sm - XL

KneeStrapCho-Pat’sOriginal KneeStrap is designedto alleviate certainknee discomfortsdue to overusesyndromes, arthritis, and other forms ofdegeneration. Nearly two million sold!Sizes: XS - XXL • Colors: Black and Tan

www.cho-pat.com 1-800-221-1601

Great Ideas For Athletes...

Circle No. 122

The Most Innovative On-Line Buyer’s Guide

for Athletic Organizations

A t h l e t i c b i d . c o m

See for yourself why more than 13,000unique users each month rely on

● View the complete product lines of companies listed.

● View catalog pages or spec sheets from many of the top companies.

● Read a profile or description of select companies.

● Send an e-mail directly to a supplier or make a request to be contacted by a company representative.

● Request catalog and sales literature from companies.

AthleticBid.com is a free service to help buyers at schools and athletic

organizations contact manycompanies in the most efficientfashion to request product specs

and pricing information.

It used to take hours to contactdozens of companies to research

products and plan purchases.

But by using AthleticBid.com,it now only takes minutes.

AthbidhalfpgH.indd 1 10/25/04 1:58:26 PM

Team Equipment

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

“Don’t Ice that Ankle Sprain!” is the new book co-written by Jump Stretch founder Coach Dick Hartzell and Dr.

Michael Shimmel. It details a technique for treating ankle sprains that gets the athlete up and running significantly faster than traditional methods. The technique utilizes 4

FlexBandsR (3 Mini and 1 Average). The book is currently available as an e-Book, with the print version due out in March.

Circle No. 518

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

M-F Athletic has released its new catalog of athletic facility equip-ment, which offers hard-to-find items

such as bleachers, benches, wall and field pad-ding, wind screens, flooring, weight-room equip-ment and design, tents, and goals for

all major sports. The catalog gives coaches and athletic directors quick, organized access to important equip-ment. Request your copy today by calling M-F Athletic or visiting the company’s Web site.

Circle No. 519

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

Omni-Lite’s ceramic spikes are one-third the weight of steel, and they’re designed to compress on the track to

allow for maximum perfor-mance. The Pyramid spikes are recom-mended

for middle- to long-distance events. The spikes are available in five lengths: 1/8”, 3/16”, 1/4”, 3/8”, and 1/2”, and seven colors: black, silver, fast blue, Olympic green, violet, fast red, and Olympic gold.

Circle No. 520


Team Equipment

VS Athletics800-676-7463www.vsathletics.com

Make your sprint and jump marks official with the help of VS Athletics’

Compact Wind Gauge, the smallest and best-selling legal wind gauge in the world. It’s very easy to set up and use.

This product is a must for champion-ship meets.

Circle No. 523

Give your throwers the same discus Olympians use. The Denfi discus from VS Athletics was thrown by all med-alists (men and women) at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. It’s sci-entifically designed to outper-form any other discus on the market. There are four different models to suit any thrower’s ability and any throwing conditions.

Circle No. 524

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

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

patible with all major brands of track shoes, and extended-length threads are available for use with sprint crowns. Omni-Lite’s spikes are made of ceram-ic, so they will never rust. They’re avail-able in several different styles, includ-ing Pyramid, Christmas Tree, Needle, and Blank. Omni-Lite has the right spike for every track event.

Circle No. 521

On Track800-697-2999www.ontrackandfield.com

Gillett’s overweight and underweight training implements are the same throwing trainers you’ve read about on

coaching Web sites. Modern training the-ory calls for incremental weight varia-tion below and above competition weight for strength, speed, and

technique development. With this theory in mind, Gillett implements were created in both a discus series and a shot put series. An adjustable shot model is also available—all of its dimensional measurements remain consistent with competition specs.

Circle No. 522

Filled with tips & advice,www.FundraisingForSports.comis the fi rst Web site specifi cally for sports booster clubs. There you can read about successful

fundraising projects and fi nd the potential vendors you need to make your own success story!

www.www.FundraisingForSportsFundraisingForSports .com .com

YourFundraising

Resource

© 2006 NZ MFG LLC, Tallmadge, OH T&C0806

This Meet beFaster! Quicker!Stronger!

800-556-7464 • www.performbetter.com

TurfCordz are distributed by

M-F Athletic Company

• Explosive off-the-block starts!• Faster over the hurdles!• The safety, security and reliability

professional athletes demand!• To learn more about the innovative

TurfCordz line, call 800-556-7464 oronline at www.performbetter.com

TM

Untitled-2 1 6/26/06 9:56:50 AM

Circle No. 123


Strength & Conditioning

Fastec Imaging858-592-2342www.fastecimaging.com

SportsCam is an affordable point-and-shoot 500-frame-per-second digital video camera with a built-in display screen, a USB 2.0 connection, and CompactFlash download capability.

As the world’s first high-speed digital camera spe-cifically designed

for coaching, training, gait analysis, kinematics, physical therapy, and bio-mechanics research, the SportsCam captures thousands of images at very high frame rates and then plays them back in slow motion. This allows coaches, athletic trainers, athletes, and researchers to immediately analyze performance.

Circle No. 525

Fastec offers the new MiDAS Express software from Xcitex for controlling, synchronizing, and automating the company’s point-and-shoot digital video cam-eras. High-speed sports activities can be recorded on command with vari-able trigger settings and saved in standard file formats such as .AVI, .TIFF, and .JPEG. On-screen features include velocity and distance measurements. Users can easily upgrade to MiDAS 4.0 Standard or Full Versions for more sophisticated analysis.

Circle No. 526

Kytec Athletic Speed Equipment800-732-4883www.kytec.us

Kytec manufactures and distributes the ultimate multi-sport Power Fitness Chute, invented by Ky Michaelson. It features an innovative way to adjust the resistance—you slide the patented cord lock up the shroud lines to change the

shape of the chute. The Power Fitness Chute uses only four lines, so it won’t become tangled like other chutes that

use eight lines. Another innovative addition to the Power Fitness Chute is

its parabolic cup canopy. Rather than relying on the wind to give the chute its shape, the parabolic cup is sewn into this chute for consistent shape and sta-bility. The Power Fitness Chute opens quickly and remains stable, making it ideal for speed development in sprint-ers. It comes with a quick-release belt and instructions.

Circle No. 527

Lane Gainer810-231-1545www.lanegainer.com

Lane Gainer offers Gorilla™ agility hurdles. Convenience is the primary feature of these highly visible orange hurdles. They can be stacked and carried “briefcase style”, and they’re easy to store. The hurdles have a synthetic edge, making them ideal for indoor or outdoor use, and the collapsible design makes them safe for any athlete. Gorilla hurdles are very affordable, and are available in three sizes: three inches, six inches, and 12 inches. A carrying tote bag is also available.

Circle No. 528

OPTP800-367-7393www.optp.com/ad

Engineered for moderate to heavy use, the exclusive OPTP Axis roller offers all the ben-efits of traditional rollers, plus extra durabil-ity so it

won’t break down. The Axis’ advanced injection-molded foam is firm, dense, and smooth on the surface. It will not lose its shape after moderate to heavy use. Fitness and rehab professionals will love the lasting power of this roller. For more information or a free OPTP catalog, call or go online today.

Circle No. 529

The Stretch Out Strap, available only from OPTP, delivers all the benefits of PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facil-

itation) stretching without the need for a partner. This type of stretching com-bines isotonic, isometric, and prolonged stretching. The Stretch Out Strap has a double-stitched series of loops for the hands and feet that allow users to work progressively into a stretch.

Circle No. 530

Power Lift800-872-1543www.power-lift.com

The Power Lift® Belt Squat is a great way to train the hamstrings, glutes, quadriceps, and hips while eliminating spinal compression. From a standing position, the user disen-gages the work arm to start the exercise. The Belt Squat attaches to the work arms on each side, over the user’s hips. Force is evenly distributed through the user’s heels, emphasizing the muscles in the hips, glutes, and hamstrings. The machine is ideal for rehabbing injuries and for teaching squats, one-legged squats, and lunges. Weight storage and three custom belts are standard.

Circle No. 531


Strength & Conditioning More Products

Power Lift800-872-1543www.power-lift.com

The Power Lift 40-degree Uni-Lateral/Bi-Lateral Leg Press features a unilat-eral/bilateral locking mechanism, an

adjust-able back pad with lumbar support, weight storage,

seven-gauge steel construction, and an adjustable starting position. The unilat-eral motion is ideal for athletes with a lower-body injury, since it allows them to isolate and train their non-injured leg. Sixteen high-grade liquid cast poly-urethane wheels guarantee smooth operation of the carriage. Alternative angles are also available.

Circle No. 532

Power Systems, Inc.800-321-6975www.power-systems.com

For quickness and agility training, the benefits of step hurdles are well known. Power Systems has improved on the traditional hurdle by increasing its durability, stability, and portability with the new VersaStep hurdles. With a wide, weighted, non-intrusive base and a pliable bounce-back design, VersaStep hurdles are more user-friendly because they don’t need to be reset again and again. Even when stepped on, they return to their original shape. Transporting the entire set of six is a breeze, since they stack neatly onto the carrying handle. VersaStep hurdles are available in six- and 12-inch heights, and both sizes have an 18-inch base.

Circle No. 533

Double the ladder, double the number of athletes, doubles the success. Get more out of your athletes—one or two at a time—with one super-sized piece of equipment: the new 40-inch-wide Power Systems Dual Agility Ladder. Bring on the challenge with this extra-large ladder by increasing the difficulty

of agility drills, footwork patterns, bal-ance, and change-of-direction exercises. It’s ideal for accommodating space and time constraints because you can work

two ath-letes at a time, indoors or out. The dou-

ble width and 15-foot length creates 20 stepping areas. The ladder neatly folds into its carrying bag for easy transport.

Circle No. 534

Xvest800-697-5658www.thexvest.com

“I have found the Xvest to be an excel-lent tool for providing overloads in plyometrics, strength training, condition-ing, and rehabilitation programs. The fit and adaptability are excellent. The Xvest allows freedom of movement and doesn’t interfere with any of the agility, bounding, or run-ning programs that I write for a wide variety of ath-letes, both collegiate and professional. The Xvest has proven itself in my programs. Thank you for all your efforts and help in improving my capability as a strength and condi-tioning specialist.”—Donald A. Chu, Ph.D., PT, ATC, CSCS, author of Jumping Into Plyometrics

Circle No. 535

Xvest has a new weight configuration, and it’s heavy: 84 pounds of heavy. The new Xvest, known as the Fire Fighter model, was developed especially for

fire fighters and their rigorous training. It has the same basic design as the original Xvest, but internally it has a new weight con-figuration that allows for 84 pounds of weight. Because of its ability to adjust weight like the original Xvest,

everyone from body builders to military personnel is buying them. For more information on all the Xvest models, call the company or visit its Web site.

Circle No. 536

Cho-Pat800-221-1601www.cho-pat.com

Cho-Pat’s Shin Splint Compression Sleeve eases the pain associated with shin splints. Designed and evaluated

by medical profes-sionals, this unique device tackles inflammation and discomfort by using gentle compres-sion to support the lower leg muscles. It also stimulates circulation, maintains warmth, and controls excess fluid. Finally, two straps act as shock absorbers to reduce microtrauma

to the tendons and other soft tissue and keep the device in proper position. Call Cho-Pat or visit the company’s Web site for more information.

Circle No. 537

Goldner Associates, Inc.800-251-2656www.goldnerassociates.com

Goldner Associates has been a leading supplier of medals, pins, and patches for 40 years. The company can create custom designs in any size or shape, and stock items are also available. Looking for an item with your team logo? As a top-50 distributor, Goldner offers a full line of promotional products, including team caps and T-shirts, trophies and awards, fundraising items, giveaways, and much more.

Circle No. 538

Check out

www.AthleticBid.comto contact

these companies.

powerful ideas for

powerful results™

www.power-lift.com1-800-872-1543

LASTBUILT TO

RACKS

8’ Multi Rackwith “Lever Action”

Bench

9’ Half Rackwith “Lever Action” Bench and Olympic Training Platform

9’ Combo Power Rackwith “Lever Action” Bench and Olympic Training Platform

9’ Power Rackwith “Lever Action” Bench and Olympic Training Platform

Untitled-1 1 10/9/06 10:28:54 AM

Circle No. 124

M-F ATHLETIC COMPANY • P.O. Box 8090 Cranston, RI 02920-0090 • Toll-Free 800-556-7464 Fax: 800-682-6950

theSuperSourceSuperSourcefor

We Deliver WHAT You Need...WHEN You Need it.

Call for your 2007 Track & Field Catalog.800-556-7464

MFathletic_CM1501.indd 1 1/3/07 7:09:27 PM

Circle No. 125

coaching management 15.1

Documents

field coach

high school coaches

track surfaces

head track

assistant coaches

conditioning coach

coaching managementt

time state coach