Author: Vernon Gambetta
London – The Olympics
I was in London for the Global Coaches House. The Global Coaches House was in London because of the Olympics. The Olympic games are the pinnacle of sport. Because they occur only once every four years and they are a multi-sport competition they are unique in their demands on the athlete and the coach. Security is stricter, sometime borderline oppressive. You live in a village with other athletes and all the distractions that entails. Food is abundant. Warm-up areas are crowded and often offer limited access to the coach. What are the coaching and preparation implications of all of this? This was an ongoing topic at the coach’s house. Preparing for the Olympic games is different and as coaches we must recognize this. If you are an American and you compete in a sport like track & field that is off the radar for the other three years you are now expected to go out and win it for the stars and stripes. Pressure rises. Four years is not enough time to prepare for the Olympic games, the reality is that in today’s hyper competitive environment is that it takes a six to eight year cycle of preparation. With that in mind stop and take a long hard look at where the 2016 and 2020 Olympians are coming from? 2016 Olympians are now 16 to 18 years old, for them the dye is cast; they are well on their way to being what they will be in four years. The 2020 Olympians are 12 to 14 years old today, for them we can still make significant impact on what they will look like, but we must approach it with a sense of urgency with a detailed plan. Above all we must remember that sport does not exist separate from society, it is a reflection of society. Therefore with a society that is more sedentary, significantly more obese than ever before it is going to increasingly difficult to nurture Olympians who will be competitive on the world stage. We should be proud that our athlete performed so well in London to lead the medal count, but we must heed the warning signs on the horizon and use the buzz and euphoria generated by our Olympic success to get the message out that a fit active population is the key to future success in the international arena. It is not a once every four year proposition it is a daily endeavor far from cheering crowds and medal ceremonies.
The Measure of a Coach – A Javelin Gold Medal
A good coach can produce results anywhere, no need for fancy facilities and huge amounts of funding. A good coach has his athletes ready to perform at the appointed time whether it is the county championship, nationals, World junior championship or the Olympic final. All you can ask is to guide the people you work to be the best they can be. Help them reach their potential, nothing more. Saturday a young man (19 years old), Keshorn Walcott from Trinidad and Tobago won the Gold medal in the Javelin. It was a first for his nation and somewhat unexpected unless you are real follower of the throws. Trinidad does not have a rich and long tradition in the throws, but if you follow it closely recently they have had throwers rank internationally in the juniors in the shot and discus. The reason is simple – coaching. Ismael Lopez Mastrapa is a Cuban coach who now lives and works in Trinidad. He is Keshorns coach. When I found out that throwers were being developed in Trinidad I asked the people from the sports ministry why and they said because Ismael has developed them. So last July when I was in Trinidad (I consult with the Sports Ministry and Sport Company) I asked to meet with Ismael to learn about his methods and ideas. We spend an hour discussing his philosophy and methods, nothing fancy, good basic principle based fundamentals. He was trained as a coach in the Cuban sports system. What stood out was his talent identification and selection. He knew exactly what he was he was looking for in a potential thrower. He spoke about body type and proportions. He wanted hungry throwers who wanted to work and get better. In his talent search he narrowed his focus to the Toco region of Trinidad, a rural area of farming and fishing villages where the kids grow up working and playing in a natural environment. He knows what he is looking for, he knows how to develop them and he knows how to get them to produce. Keshorn Walcott comes from the Toco region of Trinidad and he is coached by Ismael Lopez Mastrapa. A good coach can get did it done anywhere if you have a system and a plan to implement the system. Coaching does matter!
My Blog
This week is the seventh anniversary of this blog. I think the past year has been the most prolific in terms of number of posts. The blog is a labor of love for me. Seven years ago it started as a daily warm-up to get me writing in order to finish my book, Athletic Development – The Art and Science of Functional Sports Training and I have not stopped. I find it a great way to start my days, to organize my thoughts. It is not a business for me and except for mentions of my GAIN Apprentorship I studiously avoid promoting anything relating to my business. Notice that when I recommend a book I do not hyperlink to Amazon affiliates to get a percentage. I recommend books, people and seminars because I think they have value or something to offer, not to make a few bucks. I am not independently wealthy, I need to make a living like the next guy, but if you are interested you will will go to the website. I write the blog because I enjoy writing, it really does not matter to me if there is one reader or one thousand. It is a vehicle for sharing my ideas for anyone who cares to tune in. Hopefully I will make a small contribution to the coaching profession and defining the field of athletic development. It would be good to hear from on things you would like me to post in the next year.
The Podium – Your Choice
The goal of every athlete who competes in the Olympic games is a place on the podium, hopefully a place on the top step. Every athlete who competes in the Olympic games works hard, some have more talent than others. It has been my experience over the years that those who stand on the podium are there because they choose to be there. Michael Phelps, arguably the greatest Olympian of all time acknowledged that there were days when he glided into the wall at practices in the past four years. “And that came out at the moment I needed it the most,” Phelps said, adding: “I’m not going to sit and make excuses. Those lazy finishes were decisions I made.” It cost him another Gold in the 200 Meter Butterfly. It was his choice. Athletes make conscious choices to do the little things, to make the sacrifices, to listen to their coaches and to being comfortable with always being uncomfortable. The podium is lofty territory. Getting there is not for the faint of heart and dilettantes. Many are called and few choose. Make the choice to be great everyday in training and give yourself a chance to stand on the podium.
The Olympic Games – Don’t Forget the Coaches
It is so easy to lose sight of the people who guided and nurtured the athletes to this pinnacle of performance. Australian Olympic swim coach Leigh Nugent summed it up: “The biggest factor at this stage isn’t so much the technology, it’s the coach and the athlete,” Nugent said, “and that hasn’t changed for probably a century or more. If you get that combination and that relationship right, then the athlete is well prepared and you’re going to get the best result.” As you watch the great performances of these games remember those who prepared them – the coaches. They, more often than not made equal to or greater sacrifices than the athletes. The education and mentoring of coaches is the key to future sport greatness and this is a tremendous opportunity to be part of the process. We need to get it right. We need to pass the wisdom to the younger generation of coaches. I consider myself very fortunate to be a coach. I also consider myself lucky to be here at the Global Coaching House interacting with coaches from all over the world in a variety of sports all interested in learning and sharing. That is the essence of sport.
Coaching Philosophy
In preparation for my presentation at the Global Coaching House in London next week http://www.globalcoacheshouse.net/ I have been giving a lot of thought to coaching philosophy and its implications for policy and practice. A coaching philosophy is the coaches guiding light. It is the cornerstone upon which everything else is built. Without a sound well thought out philosophy you will not be effective as a coach. The philosophy consists of certain foundational beliefs that you will never compromise. They are absolute and should never change. My philosophy is governed by the following quote from George Bernard Shaw: " Some people see things the way they are and ask why? Others see things the way they should be, and ask Why not?” The pursuit of excellence has it's own rewards. I am the coach of people not sports. Coaching sports is easy, that is the X's and O's. Coaching people is more complex; it demands understanding of what makes each athlete tick. Know why you coach? Know why your athletes participate. Know your coaching style, that is the means of implementing your philosophy. The cornerstone of any effective coaching style is communication. Coaching = Leadership & Communication Harry Truman said that leadership is: "The ability to get other people to do what they don't want to do, and like it." Genuine leaders have an intuition and ability to visualize the big picture. They think long term. They grasp the relationship of larger realities, have political skills, cause change, affirm values, and achieve unity.
Just Enough
We are three days away from the culmination of four years of preparation for the Olympic games. I was reflecting on the final phases of preparation – what needs to be done to put the finishing touches on the training? It can be summed up in a quite succinctly – just enough! Do just enough work to allow the years of preparation to be applied. In the final phase of training what isn’t done may be more important that what is done. That last hard workout is in most cases not necessary, do just enough to get tired, calm the nerves and fine tune. Now is the time to reap the harvest of the hard work from the career buildup. Seldom if ever can anything be done in the final preparation stages that will directly impact performance in a positive manner. Be confident in your preparation and focus on competing. This is where the art of coaching is most important.
Coaching Classics
I think just like in literature and history there are classic books in coaching that you must read to be considered literate in your field. The books listed below played a huge role in forming my ideas and philosophy. I find myself going back to many of them for reference even though some are fifty plus years old; they have stood the test of time. The list is somewhat biased toward track & field because that is my background, but track & field training is the foundation for training in virtually all other sports – run, jump & throw. I recommend that all you young coaches just beginning your careers endeavor to read the books on this list, it will give a knowledge base that will put current research and practice in historical context. In order to know where you are going you have know where you have been. In addition I recommend at least one hour of current professional development reading a day ( Not the internet, books or journals) – make it a habit and you can do it. The Inner Athlete by Bob Nidefer Problem Athletes and How to Handle Them by Tom Tutko and Bruce Ogilvie Psychology and the Superior Athlete by Miroslav Vanek and Bryant J. Cratty Scientific Principles of Coaching by John Bunn What Research Tells The Coach About Sprinting by George Dintiman Track & Field Omnibook (First, Second, Third or Fourth Editions) by Ken Doherty Modern Track & Field by Ken Doherty Modern Training For Running by Ken Doherty The Science of Swimming by James E. Counsilman The Mechanics of Athletics by Geoffrey Dyson Better Athletes Trough Weight Training by Bob Hoffman Hidden causes of injury, prevention, and correction for running athletes by John Jesse Strength, Power, and Muscular Endurance for Runners and Hurdlers by John Jesse Wrestling – Physical Conditioning Encyclopedia by John Jesse Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation: Patterns and techniques by Dorothy Knotts and Margaret Voss Scientific Principles and Methods of Strength Fitness. By Patrick O’Shea Total Body Training by Richard H. Dominguez and Robert Gajda Kinesiology by Gene Logan and Wayne C. McKinney Skill In Sport By Barbara Knapp Acquiring Ball Skill – A Psychological Interpretation by H.T.A. Whiting The Thinking Body by Mabel Todd Run Run Run by Fred Wilt How They Train by Fred Wilt Mechanics Without Tears by Fred Wilt No Bugles, No Drums by Peter Snell The Unforgiving Minute by Ron Clarke with Alan Trengove Run to the Top by Author Lydiard Franz Stampfl on Running by Franz Stampfl The Jim Ryun Story by Cordner Nelson Another Hurdle by Dave Hemry Run To Daylight by Vince Lombardi and W.C. Heinz Track and Field Dynamics by Tom Ecker Championship Track and Filed by Tom Ecker Biomechanics of Athletic Movement by Gerhard Hochmuth Sports Physiology by Edward L. Fox Interval Training – Conditioning for Sports and General Fitness by Edward L. Fox and Donald K. Mathews Biomechanics and Energetics of Muscular Exercise by Rodolfo Margaria Biomechanics of Sports Techniques by Jim Hay Introduction to Biomechanic analysis of sport by John W. Northrip, Gene A. Logan and Wayne C. McKinney Principles of Sports Training – Introduction to the Theory and methods of Training by Dietrich Harre Fundamental of Sports Training by L. Matveyev Sports Training Principles by Frank Dick Training Theory by Frank Dick Track Speed – Hurdles, Sprints and Relays by John Le Masurier Track and Field – Textbook for Coaches and Sports Teachers Edited by Gerhardt Schmolinsky Olympic Track And Field Techniques by Tom Ecker, Fred Wilt, and Jim Hay International Track and field Coaching Encyclopedia by Feed Wilt and Tom Ecker Track in Theory and Technique Edited by Thomas P. Rosandich The Hurdlers Bible by Wilbur Ross Mechanics of the Pole Vault by R.V. Ganslen The Triple Jump Encyclopedia by Ernie Bullard and Larry Knuth Tendinitis: it’s Etiology and Treatment by Sandra Curwin and William D. Stanish The Sweet Spot in Time by John Jerome Weight Training In Athletics by Jim Murray and Peter V. Karpovich Weight Training in Athletics and Physical Education by Gene Hooks Circuit Training by Manfred Scholich Circuit Training by R. E. Adamson and G.T. Morgan The Miracle Machine by Doug Gilbert The System of Physical Education in the USSR Edited by G. I Kukushkin The Soviet Road To Olympus – Theory And Practice Of Soviet Physical Culture And Sport by N. Norman Shneidman 1000 Exercises d’ Athletisme by Kurt Murer and Walter Bucher Winning Volleyball – Fundamentals, Tactics and Strategy by Allen E. Scates The Pursuit of Sporting Excellence – A Study of Sport’s Highest Achievers by David Henry The Athletic Revolution by Jack Scott Meat on the Hoof – The Hidden World of Texas Football by Gary Shaw Out of Their League by Dave Meggyesy