A couple of weeks ago when going through some old computer
files I came across an article I wrote on the USA Track & Field (Then known
as TAC) Coaching Education program. This weekend I will be going to the USOTC
in Chula Vista for some planning meetings on the coaching education program. As
I have gotten back involved over the last eighteen months I have become
increasingly aware of how few people know the history and origins of the
program. The programs started with a meeting at the 1981 TAC Convention in
Reno. A group of us felt that we needed to start a coaching education program.
An ad hoc sub-committee of the men’s and women’s development committees was
formed. I was chair of the committee; the other members were Joe Vigil, Gary
Winckler and Al Baeta. We were charged with coming back with a specific
proposal to be presented at the next convention. I presented the proposal and
it was accepted after much vocal opposition from a group of coaches who viewed
it as a threat to their power within the organization. I became the first
Chairman of the program and the other members and organizers’ were Gary
Winckler and Joe Vigil. The budget we were allocated was $3,000! Somehow we
were able to pull it off. We trained out first group of instructors in December
of 1983. At that time we also defined and refined the Level I curriculum. The
first schools were offered in January of 1984. The first Level II School was
offered in December 1986. Today it represents one of the most successful
programs within USA Track & Field. It certainly has its faults and it’s
strengths. I have chosen to get back involved in an advisory capacity to help
move the program forward in a positive direction and to hold to the ideals of
the founders of the program. To give a complete overview here is the article
that appeared in the IAAF Technical Journal it was published under the title "Coaches
Education – a perspective," New
Studies In Athletics, Vol. 6 # 4,1991, pp. 7-11:
I
am writing this from the perspective of my experience with the development of
the TAC coaching education program in the United States. The US was one of the last major
athletics nations to adopt a coaching education program in 1984. I will draw
comparisons and conclusions for the development of coaching education in
athletics throughout the world.
This should not be interpreted as an attempt to portray the TAC program
as a model for others to follow.
Instead it is an attempt to share on our experience to help others to
develop their own programs. There are common problems and solutions that
transcend language, political ideology, religious beliefs and the athletic
developmental level of the country.
We must focus on these commonalities in order to improve the quality of
coaching worldwide.
Historical
Perspective
The
TAC program evolved out of a perceived need of a small group of coaches and the
encouragement of national coaching coordinator, Berny Wagner, in Dec 1980. For
many years the US had a relatively unchallenged position of leadership in the
international arena. This
domination was the result of several factors: The educational system in the US
provided coaches and facilities for the development of athletes. There was and
continues to be a large, healthy talent pool. The country was not devastated by
war and famine. There were educated coaches from the beginning of an athlete's
career. There was excellent competition at all development levels. There were excellent facilities that
were accessible to all.
It
is my opinion that the role coaching played in this success has never received
due credit. This is especially true for the coaches at the beginning levels.
The system was and continues to be a transport system where the athletes were
passed from coach to coach as they progressed through their athletic career.
This never allowed the club coaches, junior high and high school coaches to
receive the recognition they deserved for identifying and nurturing these
youngsters. Ultimately the coach who was associated with them at the apex of
their career received the credit. Nonetheless the beginning coaches usually
were teachers or recreation leaders who had paid positions and continued with
their jobs of getting the youth off to a good start by providing direction and
competitive experience.
By
the early 1970's this supremacy was being challenged by many nations of the
world. Events that the US had previously dominated were now closely contested.
This all began to change as educational funding was reduced. Mandatory daily physical education was
gradually eliminated until today only one state has mandatory daily physical
education at all levels. Physical education that had formerly provided a core
of youngsters who had a basic fitness level and sound fundamental movement
skill was taken away.
In
addition there was a trend to specialization and early tracking in sports other
than track and field, which cut down on participation. This also had the effect
of reducing the number of coaches involved. Formerly the football or basketball coaches who had assisted
and coached several events in track now did not help because they were busy
running their off season programs. The net result was to shift greater
responsibility onto fewer coaches. This also coincided with a period when a number
of experienced coaches became eligible to retire which further reduced the pool
of available coaches.
The
growth of girls and women's programs added another dimension. Their inclusion in the scholastic and
collegiate program was a positive step, but the net effect was to put more
pressure on an already declining number of qualified coaches. Conflict arose
between club and school coaches in sharing athletes. All this served to weaken the talent pool of qualified
coached available especially at the beginning levels.
The
ultimate solution, especially for the schools desperate for coaches, was the
so-called "walk on" coach or "rent-a-coach", a non-faculty
member who was interested and willing They were usually given a small stipend.
There was no assurance that they had any qualifications to coach aside from
their interest in doing so.
It
was this background that lead to the formation of the TAC Coaching Education
program. The goal was to provide beginning coaches with a basic body of
knowledge in the sport sciences and the actual events. This would provide the
background for them to effectively coach beginning athletes at the junior high
school and high school level.
From
the formation of an ad hoc committee to explore the concept to the first Level
I school it took three years. This was done entirely by volunteers with limited
funding. The committee examined certification programs from many different
nations. The final program borrowed the best aspects of many programs and
synthesized them into one applicable to the situation in the US.
Developing
a cadre of trained instructors is the key to any program. Qualified, motivated,
and committed instructors are essential to the success of the program. This
proved especially difficult because the people originally chosen were already
extensively involved in many aspects of coaching and administration and they
would be volunteering their time for this program. Instructors were chosen for
their proven excellence in teaching the fundamentals of track and field, organizational
ability, and geographic distribution.
The latter was necessary in order to insure that the program was truly
national in scope. The second generation of instructors has come from coaches
who have been through the Level I course. This has proven to be very helpful,
especially in consistency of presentation. More emphasis must be placed on the
training of instructors in order to maintain a high standard.