Functional Path Training

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.