Track and Field

Coaching
ARLAN L. LISTANCO
THE ROLE OF THE COACH
 recruiter
 teacher
 trainer
 strategist
 communications expert
 spokesperson
 psychologist
 disciplinarian
 caring friend
 counselor
 parent substitute
Formula for Success
 Success = Ability + Preparation + Effort + Will
Ability. Everyone has ability, but it isn’t distributed equally or predictably.
This applies to coaches as well as athletes.
Often ability is a gift of birth, but that doesn’t guarantee success. The
challenge isn’t to have ability but to develop and use the ability that is given.
Preparation. We gain greater use of our abilities by investing in preparation,
this preparation is called training. Through proper training, athletes become
faster, stronger, more skilled, knowledgeable, confident and mentally tough;
however, although developing greater capability is important, it is still no
guarantee of success.
Effort. Developed ability realizes its value when expressed through the
challenge of competition. That expression is accomplished when physical and
mental effort summon every ounce of one’s capability. Still, athletes often
find themselves nearing the finish of their race exhausted, having given all
they think possible, but needing to find even more. In sport this is
called...crunch time!
Will. Crunch time is real, both in sport and life. It is
that moment when a person thinks he or she has given
all there is to give, only to find out even more is
required. Many athletic contests are won or lost at this
moment. Some athletes are able to draw on an inner
strength to summon greater effort than they know
themselves to have. This is the use of one’s will, the
power to go back to one’s personal reservoir again and
again as needed.
BUILDING SUCCESS
 1. The desire to strive for excellence.
 2. The realization that nothing of value can be
achieved without hard work and dedication.
 3. The desire to display self-confidence.
 4. The desire to show one’s ability in competition.
 5. The desire to cooperate as part of a team.
 6. The desire to have fun.
THE DESIRE TO HAVE FUN
It is the pride, satisfaction and fulfillment a youngster
experiences from improving his or her strength, speed and
skill after hours of training and practice. It is the thrill and
exhilaration of setting a new personal best in competition.
This is the fun that all athletes and coaches seek.
When athletes experience this kind of fun, they become
consumed with the desire to feel more of it more
often...preferably as soon as possible.
When athletes are filled with the desire to have fun, they
are likely to:
• Strive with all their heart for excellence.
• Dedicate themselves to consistent hardtraining.
• Show the self-confidence to make the tough
decisions and sacrifices it takes to train and
compete at their best.
• Be anxious to show their ability in competition, free
of fear or self-doubt.
• Gain personal strength from respecting, helping and
caring about their teammates.
Developing a Coaching Philosophy
Here are some suggestions that can help determine a sound
coaching philosophy:
• Remember the athletes should be the center of
attention. Sports were not created to glorify coaches.
• The simple objective of coaching is to help athletes
shorten the trial-and-errorprocess of learning and ease
the trial-and-terror experiences of competing.
• When coaching, focus on the skills needed, a method
to teach and demonstrate them, and drills to practice
and master them.
• Integrity, credibility and technical knowledge arethe
most important qualitiesof a good coach — in that
order.
• Every athlete deserves to be addressed by first name and
treated with dignity.
• A coaching style must not isolate a coach from the athlete.
There must be a forum for open communication or the coach
will never be in touch with the athletes. Coaches need to be
willing to listen to all the athletes, hear criticism and respond
by acting rather than reacting.
• Coaches cannot talk about winning without talking about
losing. Is placingsecond or third, or not placing but
recording a personal best, considered a failure? How do the
athletes behave when they finish races they lose? How does
the team behave after a tough loss? How are athletes expected
to bounce back after performing poorly?
• Regardless of the style, coaches need to command their
athletes’ attention and respect. Coaches must continually
and openly communicate, motivate, praise and discipline
effectively.
TLC: TEACH•LEARN•COMPETE
Teaching
represents what a coach provides student-athletes by way of
instruction.
The lessons a coach must teach include technical skills,
positive attitudes about competition, the process of training
and effective tactics and strategies. A coach must also teach
athletes emotional self-discipline, responsibility, self-esteem
and how to maintain poise by focusing on the things they can
control. No less important are social values such as
appropriate behavior, fair play, good sportsmanship and the
importance of working together to accomplish team goals
and objectives.
Learning is the athletes’ acceptance of what is
taught. Learning is greatly influenced by the
atmosphere a coach creates in helping athletes
reach for their best. Effective learning requires
communication, motivation, feedback, cooperation
and purposeful training. A positive approach to
practice and training that emphasizes skill
development, fitness, teamwork and fun will help
to ensure athletes’ learning experiences are positive
Competition is the essence of sport. Track and field
is a sporting arena in which athletes demonstrate
both their physical and competitive skills. Coaches
should portray the adventure of athletic
competition as an opportunity for success rather
than failure.
COACHING CREED FOR YOUTH SPORTS
 1. Establish the well-being of your athletes as your #1 goal.
 2. Use your sport to teach young athletes that victory and
athletic achievement are meaningful only if achieved in a fair
and sportsmanlike manner.
 3. Teach young athletes by example to respect their
opponents, the rules of the sport, and the role and judgment of
officials.
 4. Develop the competitive spirit of your athletes by
encouraging them to "play to win." But remember young
athletes should derive primary satisfaction from the experience
of playing, improving, and attaining personal goals, which
should not be limited to winning.
 5. Be reasonable when scheduling practices and competitions.
Young athletes need some time to be able to enjoy other
worthwhile activities and interests.
6. Be sure your equipment and facilities meet safety standards appropriate for
the age and ability level of your athletes.
7. Never yell at your athletes for losing or making a mistake. Young athletes
should be able to participate in sports without fear of failure or ridicule.
8. Remember that young athletes thrive on enthusiasm and encouragement. Be
positive and generous with your praise.
9. Avoid overplaying your most talented athletes. All your athletes need playing
time, or experience in competition, to be able to develop.
10. Always follow a physician's advice when deciding when injured athletes are
ready to resume practice and competition.
11. Get to know your athletes' parents and encourage them to become
supportive volunteers for Get to know your athletes' parents and encourage them
to your program. Educate parents and volunteers to understand that the physical
and emotional well-being of young athletes can be threatened by programs that
involve a high level of psychological stress and over-zealous parental supervision
to win.
COACHES CODE OF ETHICAL CONDUCT
A Show respect for athletes, officials, and other coaches.
B Respect the integrity and judgment of your officials.
C Establish standards , and be a model for fair play, sportsmanship,
and proper conduct.
D Establish athlete safety and welfare as your highest priority.
E Provide proper supervision of your athletes at all times.
F Use discretion when providing constructive criticism and when
disciplining athletes.
G Be consistent in requiring athletes to adhere to the rules and
standards of the sport.
H Always instruct your athletes in the safe use of equipment.
I Do not exert undue influence on your student-athletes’
decisions on which college or university they should attend.
J Avoid influencing student-athletes to take easier course work
in order to be eligible to participate in high school
athletics.
K Do not encourage or permit your athletes to use
performance enhancing drugs.
L Do not recruit student-athletes from other schools.
M Enforce the rules of behavior and procedures for crowd
control established by your conference and local board of
education
 EVENT WHAT TO LOOK FOR
LONG AND TRIPLE JUMP. Long legs, excellent vertical jumping
ability, good speed: Vertical jumping ability
is a much better indicator of long and triple
jumping potential than high jumping
potential. This is because an athlete must
create a great moment of force at takeoff
to jump high vertically or long horizontally,
while the universal flop technique of high
jumping employs take off mechanics of
transfer of momentum. The ability to create
horizontal velocity (speed on the runway) is
another important asset for long jumpers
while long leg levers are an obvious asset
for triple jumpers. Good horizontal jumpers
can often sprint or hurdle as second events.
 HIGH JUMP- Tall, lean body-type, good coordination and
sense of rhythm. Being tall and thus having
a high center of mass is an advantage in an
event where you have to raise your center
of mass several feet off the ground to snake
backward over a horizontal crossbar! more
than speed or explosiveness, the high jump
requires a rhythmic transfer of horizontal
velocity into a vertical takeoff, clearance
and landing. Good high jumpers can often
hurdle or triple jump as second events.
 THROWERS-Large, athletic body-type with a “good arm”: The throws are the
most technical and explosive events in track and field. it is not
unusual for a good shot putter, in particular, to be able to run
stride-for-stride with a good sprinter for 30 to 50 meters. Body
mass and long arm and leg levers help propel the mass of the shot
and discus. But more than size and strength, the throws require
great timing, coordination and agility to accelerate the implement
across the circle. most of all, shot putters and discus throwers
must have a good arm.
POLE VAULTER. Aggressive athletes with all-around ability:
The pole vault requires more all-around
athletic ability than any other track and
field event. Pole vaulters need to have the
arm strength of a wrist wrestler, the speed
of a sprinter, and the agility of a gymnast.
most important, pole vaulters must have a
passion for catapulting themselves off the
ground as high as they can onto their backs!
Good pole vaulters can often sprint, long
jump, or hurdle as second events.
HURDLERS- Above average height, good sprinting ability,
agility, aggressiveness and mental toughness:
The hurdles require special athlete
personalities. male 110m hurdlers should be
above average height or have a high split, but
all hurdlers must have a mind-set to attack the
hurdle, not merely negotiate it. Hitting hurdles
is part of being a hurdler, and athletes have to
be tough and aggressive enough to ignore bruises
and scrapes and an occasional fall.
.

DISTANCE RUNNERS-Small, lean body-types, tenacious workers,

good students: Small, lean body-types are not
well suited for most other sports or track and
field events, but they can develop into great
aerobic athletes. it requires an extraordinary
amount of persistent, dedicated training to
become a good distance runner. Distance
runners have to be self-motivated and able to
see success at the end of a long path of
development. Good students usually have all
of those personality traits. -
SPRINTERS-Strong, muscular body-types, self-assertive or
having a reputation for outstanding sprint speed: Sprinting is
a power activity. Sprinters have to be able to apply a great
amount of force to the ground repeatedly, in very short
moments of time, for 10 to 50 seconds. most sprinters either
have muscular body-types or a predisposition to become so
with training.
SYSTEMATIC TRAINING
Training for planned performance requires a coach to integrate
several types of training. These types of training can be divided into
three categories:
• General training
• Specific training
• Specialized training
General training develops the overall physical capacity and
fitness of the athlete. This encompasses basic running, weight
training, plyometric exercise and rhythm development.
Specific training has a direct correlation to the skills
necessary for a given event. Often it is a refinement of
general training. Running and jumping technique drills,
specific plyometric drills, hurdling and block starts are
examples of specific training.
Specialized training duplicates the exact movements and
conditions of an event. This normally involves exercises that
replicate a specific feature or phase of the event. Full
jumps, time trials, strict throws and full hurdle flights are
examples of specialized training.
Universal Principles of Training

OVERLOAD The most important principle of training for

athletics is that of overload. It should be the aim of coaches
to improve their athletes’ levels of performance and the
capacity for work. In order to achieve this goal, a coach
must cause his or her athletes to adapt to a higher level of
physical and mental performance.
PROGRESSION AND VARIABILITY The logical consequence of
adaptation to overload is progression. As an athlete adapts
to a given training load, a progressive increase in load then
becomes necessary to continue the process of adaptation to
the next level of performance.
SPECIFICITY Our bodies adapt to exercise or physical stress
in direct response to the nature of the demands imposed.
This phenomenon is known as the specific adaptation to
imposed demands (SAID); therefore, training needs to
address the specific requirements of an event. An athlete
must train the skill or system that will be employed in
competition. Distance runners must train to raise aerobic
thresholds; jumpers must train for rhythm and
explosiveness; 400m runners must train for lactate
tolerance. Moreover, athletes need to train physically and
mentally for competition,
RECOVERY AND RESTORATION All gains in training are
achieved during periods of recovery. This fundamental fact
of athletics is probably the most ignored. Recovery and
restoration of the body are integral and active elements of
training, not the absence of training. For the body to adapt
positively to the progressive overload of training, it must be
able to recover adequately from the applied stress. The
mantra “no pain, no gain” all too often runs the very thin
line between maximum beneficial training and overtraining.
The volume of training is far less important than its intensity
and intelligent application. Training without proper rest
yields poor results and, often, injury.
INDIVIDUALITY Every athlete has a different response to and
capacity for training. Recognizing individual differences and
adjusting expectations when designing and applying training
programs for our athletes is exceedingly important. Size,
age, strength, training age and even emotional maturity
factor into the type and amount of training under which any
athlete will thrive
Types of Training
5 categories
1. Running composes the bulk of most track and field training.
2. Strength and agility training focus on the overall development of
physical capacity and coordination skills.
3. Technique development concentrates on the development of the
whole action of a given event.
4. Drills are a subdivision of technique development. Drills develop
and reinforce individual elements of a particular technique.
5. Warm-up/warm-down/mobility/flexibility are those portions of
training that help athletes prepare for strenuous activity and
help them recover properly after the activity.
RUNNING WARM-UP EXAMPLES:
 • 2000 meters (5 laps), surging the last 200m of laps 3
and 5
 • 2400 meters (6 laps), surging the last 100m of laps 2, 4
and 6
 • 2800 meters (7 laps), surging the last 50m of the last 5
laps
PRE-TRAINING WARM-UP
Young athletes must be constantly reminded that a complete
workout includes a warm-up run, stretching, acceleration sprints and
a warm-down to ensure a quality performance and reduce risk of
injury.
STRETCHING EXERCISES
After athletes are warmed up, they can begin to stretch. A
stretching routine should include exercises to develop balance,
flexibility and mobility. Balance refers to the equal function of the
muscles which work in opposition to each other (e.g., the quadriceps
muscles on the top of the thigh and the hamstring muscles on the
back of the thigh). Flexibility refers to the elasticity of muscles.
Mobility refers to range-of-motion.
VARIOUS TRAINING METHODS

Continuous Running: This involves covering long distances at low speeds

to help develop the body’s ability to take in and use oxygen. The “Talk
Test” is a good guide as to how fast to run. You could run with a friend and
if you are not able to talk to your friend, because you are out of breath
then you are running too fast.

Fartlek: Fartlek is short periods of fast running which are completed in a

longer run. Between each of the faster efforts there is slow recovery
running. In a fartlek run there should be variations in speed, distance and
recovery depending upon the event and athlete’s fitness.
Hill Running: Hill running sessions consist of a number of
hard efforts performed up a hill with a jog or a walk back
recovery. Longer hills (eg. 200-400m) can be used to improve
strength and endurance. Shorter hills (eg. 50-80m) can be
used to improve strength and speed.

Interval Running: Interval training is divided into phases of

hard efforts and easy recovery efforts and is decided by
distances, speed, repetitions and recovery. The distance
may vary from 50m-1km.
Sprinting: Sprint training involves maximum speeds over short
distances with long recoveries between the fast efforts to ensure full
recovery. Distances can vary from 30-150 metres.

Strength Training: As a general rule, young athletes should not get

involved with strength training through the use of weights. Strength
activities such as push-ups, sit-ups, etc can be completed as the
athlete uses their own body weight.

Circuit Training: Circuit training is a method of strength training,

usually using body resistance type exercise.
 Stretching Exercises
(Approximately 12-15 minutes duration )

Static stretching starting from the head down.

The sketches on the next slide are a few examples of basic

static stretching exercises which should be included in all
warm-up sessions
 Running Drills
(approximately 3.-5 minutes duration) On the spot high knees (10
seconds)
2 x 50 metres and 2 x 80 metres build ups

 The basic training/competition workout can be broken up into

three areas:-
1 warm up (20 - 25 mins)
2 training/competition period
3 warm down (5-10 mins)
 Dynamic / Continuous Warm Up

An alternative to the static stretching routine is the dynamic

or continuous warm up. This type of warm up is designed to
closely mimic the actions of the event, elevate body
temperature and enhance joint mobility.
 Warm Down

The warm-down should be basically the same as the

warm-up, but on a reduced scale. The warm-down
gradually brings the body back from a high intensity
workload to rest, thus helping to rid the muscles used of
lactic acid, the removal of which in turn prevents soreness
and possible cramping.
SPRINTS
 Safety Precautions

• Ensure athletes run in the same direction. Usually this is anti-

clockwise.
• Athletes should move off the track at the end of each run.
• Athletes should wear suitable footwear. Spike footwear is
available for the more experienced athlete.
• Look both ways before crossing the track.

Sprinting is running at or near maximum speed as long as possible.

 Points Of Technique
• Light quick movements.
• Upright carriage of head and trunk.
• Movement of the feet and limbs in a straight path.
• Use of short arm levers, pivoting about the shoulder joint.
• A high pick-up of the leading thigh.
• An extension of the support leg.
• Running ‘tall’ and with ‘high hips’.
• A slight forward inclination of the trunk.
• Chin in, chest out, abdomen in, tail in, shoulders down, knees straight
ahead, feet slightly apart and pointing forward.
• Relaxation throughout.
 Error Detection And Correction

Error 1: Athlete running too upright – weight is behind the centre of gravity, thus
causing stride to be wasted and detracting from forward speed.
Correction: Resistance running – harness, uphill (approx 200 - 400 ), downhill
(approx 100). Distance 20-60m

Error 2: Athlete patters, not gaining full extension of the leg in the drive. The
back knee is usually bent.

Correction: Work on knee lift and bounding (bounding should not be used for young
athletes under 11).
Error 3: Athlete uses an exaggerated arm swing or swings
arms across body’s mid-line. This causes unnecessary
rotation (hips, legs and shoulders).
Correction: Emphasise backwards power-drive action. Drive
through elbows, relax on forward swing.
Error 4: Tension seen in clenched fist, hunched shoulders,
tight neck.
Correction: Practice relaxed. Smile when running.
Error 5: Bottom down, knees bent, inefficient stride.
Correction: Any technique drills which avoid this such as ‘high
knee drill’, and keeping head high.