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TRACK COACH 2017 / ISSUE 218 TRACK COACH Winter 2017 I 218 The official technical ATHLETE-CENTERED COACHING: WHAT, WHY, AND HOW ...... 6939 publication of USA Track & Field A FEW NOTES ABOUT A COACH NAMED PETROV ...... 6945 HAS THE ROTATIONAL SHOT PUT STYLE TAKEN OVER THE EVENT? ...... 6948 THE FUNCTIONS OF EXTREMITIES IN DISCUS THROWING ...... 6951 THE AMERICAN ENDURANCE RUNNING SCENE ...... 6956 USATF COACHING EDUCATION SCHOOLS ...... 6962 TRACK COACH CONTENTS ...... 6966 TRACK FROM THE EDITOR COACH RUSS EBBETS FORMERLY TRACK TECHNIQUE 218 I WINTER 2017 THE GRIP The official technical publication of USA Track & Field ED FOX......................................PUBLISHER Success is often about attention to the little things, seemingly RUSS EBBETS...................................EDITOR PUZPNUPÄJHU[\UJVU[YV]LYZPHS;OL`NLULYHSS`WYV]VRLHNYLLTLU[^OLU TERESA TAM.........PRODUCTION & DESIGN IYV\NO[\WPUJHZ\HSJVU]LYZH[PVU.YPWZ[YLUN[OPZVULVM[OVZL[VWPJZ FRED WILT.......................FOUNDING EDITOR @V\ ZOHRL OHUKZ JHYY` H IHN VM NYVJLYPLZ VY VWLU H QHY HUK [OPUR UV[OPUNVM[OLZLHJ[P]P[PLZVMKHPS`SP]PUN;OL`HYL[OPUNZ[OH[L]LY`VUL KVLZ;OL`HYLQ\Z[[HRLUMVYNYHU[LK PUBLICATION )\[NYPWZ[YLUN[OPZZVTL[OPUNZJPLU[PÄJYLZLHYJOLYZOH]LZ[\KPLK^VYSK^PKL MVY KLJHKLZ +PɈLYLU[ HNLZ YHJLZ JVSVYZ JYLLKZ OH]L ILLU HZRLK [V Track Coach is published quarterly by W\ZO[OPZHUKW\SS[OH[PUHULɈVY[[VKVJ\TLU[NYPWZ[YLUN[O.YPWZ[YLUN[O Track & Field News, OHZILJVTLHUPTWVY[HU[ZHMLZPTWSLHUKX\PJR[LZ[[VKVJ\TLU[VUL»Z 2570 W. El Camino Real, #220, ]P[HSP[`PUÄYTP[`VY[VJOHY[[OLWYVNYLZZVMVUL»ZYLOHILɈVY[Z Mountain View, CA 94040 USA. :VTLYLZLHYJOLYZOH]LL]LUKLKPJH[LK[OLPYSP]LZ[VZ[\K`PUNNYPWZ[YLUN[O The Spring 2017 issue (No. 219) HUKP[ZPTWSPJH[PVUZ6UVULOHUK[OH[TH`ZLLTSPRLHUVKK^H`[VTHRLH of Track Coach will be e-mailed SP]PUN\U[PS`V\JVUZPKLY[OLYLHYLHJ[\HSS`WLVWSL^OVNL[WHPK[V[LHJOV[OLY to subscribers by April 1, 2017. O\THUZOV^[VY\UHYV\UKHJPYJSLMHZ[LY>OH[PZ[OH[NSHZZOV\ZLX\V[L& 9\UUPUN L]LU[Z HYL UV[ T\JO VM H ¸OHUKZ VU¹ WYVJLZZ .YHU[LK VUL JHU SUBSCRIPTIONS \ZL[OLOHUKZPUHZWYPU[Z[HY[VY[VJHYY`HIH[VUI\[TVZ[^V\SKHNYLL[OL JVU[YPI\[PVUVM[OLOHUKZ[VY\UUPUNPZTPUPTHS $20.00 per year, U.S. or foreign. 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O\THU IVK` [V PTWHY[ MVYJL [V [OL PTWSLTLU[ PZ [OL ÄUNLYZ [OL ÄUNLYZ ^HYYHU[ To order, send your check to ZVTLÅL_HUKL_[LUK[PTLPU[OL^LPNO[YVVT Track Coach ;OL9\ZZPHUZ\ZLK[V[LZ[MVY[OLPYOHTTLY[OYV^LYZI`ZLLPUNOV^X\PJRS`WYVZWLJ[Z 2570 W El Camino Real, JV\SK[HW[OLPUKL_ÄUNLY0»SSNP]L`V\HTVTLU[[VZ[VWSH\NOPUNHUK[OLUJVUZPKLY Suite 220, [OPZ 7YVZWLJ[Z OHK [V OH]L H JLY[HPU IVK` [`WL HU[OYVWVTVYWOPJ TLHZ\YLTLU[ Mountain View, CA 94040 ;OL`\ZLK[OLPUKL_ÄUNLYILJH\ZLP[^HZ[OLVUS`ÄUNLYPU[OLOHUKPUULY]H[LKI` [OL[OYLLTHQVYULY]LZ[V[OLOHUKTLKPHUYHKPHSHUK\SUHY;OLPUKL_ÄUNLYHSZV OHZ P[Z V^U T\ZJSL MVY L_[LUZPVU +PK P[ ^VYR& 9LTLTILY ILMVYL [OL >HSS MLSS [OL CONTINUED ON PAGE 6944 TRACK COACH — 6938 ATHLETE-CENTERED COACHING: WHAT, WHY, AND HOW Marshall Milbrath is a PhD student in Sport Pedagogy at the University of Northern Colorado and serves as a USATF Level I Coaching Education Instructor. Milbrath has seven years of coaching experience at both high school and college levels. BY MARSHALL J. MILBRATH, M.ED. INTRODUCTION The humanistic view accepts that ideas about athlete-centered coach- every individual has a deep desire ing exist including the challenging of Over the past two decades, athlete- to fulfill his or her own potential, dominant practices (Gould, Guinan, centered coaching philosophies and that when appropriate condi- Greenleaf, Medbery, & Peterson, have emerged in promoted coaching tions (e.g., consistency in personal 1999; Vealy, 2007); descriptions practices (Cassidy, 2010). While treatment, unconditional positive of coaching processes (Green- athlete-centered coaching has been regard, and accurate empathic leaf, Gould, & Dieffenbach, 2001); advocated across a wide spectrum understanding) are present within descriptions of coach education of sport, athlete-centered coach- positive interpersonal relationships, strategies (Lombardo, 1999 as ing practices have been promoted individuals grow, as cited in Jenny cited in Jenny & Hushman, 2014 in track & field in both non-formal & Hushman, 2014; also see Rog- and Orlick & Partington, 1988); and clinics (Freeman, 2009) and in the ers, 1957. the coaching process itself (Ewing USATF Coaching Education Pro- & Seefeldt, 1989). gram (McGuire, 2015). Taking root Despite the growing interest in in humanistic psychology, athlete- athlete-center coaching, a clear defi- While it has been suggested that centered coaching emphasizes nition of it has yet to be established. research must continue to develop coaching that addresses not only Humanism itself has been described a working definition of athlete-cen- the physical requirements of sport, as an adapted attitude rather than tered coaching, common methods but also addresses the needs of the a prescriptive orientation. This may recognized as athlete-centered mind and spirit. help explain why such a range of practices have been identified. This TRACK COACH — 6939 review describes some of these in component parts, but as a in agreement with the mission of approaches taking into account whole. the Olympic Games, the pinnacle scientific findings from a multitude 5. A constant pursuit of knowing of sport competition. This section of sports contexts, rationales for one’s self should be promoted outlines the importance of these why these should be considered as no two people experience four implications in sport. by the track coach in her or his human nature in the same way. practice, and recommendations for Empowering its implementation. These five themes guide coaching Athletes and Coaches that focuses on collaborative and WHAT ATHLETE- non-manipulative methods, quali- Several sources of empowerment CENTERED COACHING IS fying athlete-centered coaching as through humanistic coaching for democratic, interactive, collabora- both the coach and the athlete have Humanistic fulfillment in sport has tive, and empathetic. This kind of been identified (Cross, 2002 as ref- gained increasing focus in the past coaching may include posing chal- erenced by Jenny, 2013; De Souza two decades in psychological and lenges and questions to athletes in & Oslin, 2008). For the coach these pedagogical research. This has re- order to deepen their understanding include: 1) transferring responsibility sulted in an emphasis on humanistic of sport. Additionally, coaches may to the athlete for their own suc- coaching practices by promoting share the decision-making process cess, 2) pressure on the coach is positivity and development of the with athletes while delivering feed- reduced as he is no longer the sole whole person (Smoll & Smith, 1987; back in a way that allows athletes source of direction, knowledge, and Thompson, 1995, 2003; Weiss to retain understanding and gain in- wisdom, 3) decreased likelihood to & Gould, 1984). This practice is dependence and confidence in their play the “blame game” as all share rooted in a focus on humankind’s abilities as athletes (Arena, 2003; responsibility, and 4) the importance striving for unmet potential in an Jenny & Hushman, 2014; Lombardo, on winning is no longer the primary effort to seek self-actualization, or 1987, 1999). These approaches motivator. self-fulfillment (Lombardo, 1987). emphasize the empowerment of This notion of self-actualization was athletes through personal achieve- first coined by Abraham Maslow ments and positive relationships. BY FOCUSING ON who described a hierarchy of needs TEACHING THE MIND, (e.g., physiological, safety, love and The athlete-centered approach BODY, AND SPIRIT belongingness, esteem, etc.) all breaks away from negative articula- OF THE ATHLETE, which build upon each other as one tions in coaching, while reducing the HUMANISTIC NEEDS becomes everything she or he is prevalence of autocratic, “win-at-all ARE FULFILLED capable of becoming (Maslow, 1943, cost” mentalities common in many AND ATHLETES ARE 1954). Jenny (2013) describes five sporting contexts. Athlete-centered EMPOWERED underpinning themes in humanism: coaching adopts an attitude of fa- cilitation and teaching. By focusing 1. Because people possess a on teaching the mind, body, and Athletes are empowered through: variety of feelings and views, spirit of the athlete, humanistic 1) encouragement to discover personal interpretations of expe- needs are fulfilled and athletes are their full potential, 2) increased riences should be personalized empowered. independence, self-reliance, and to the individual. control, 3) prioritization of personal 2. The notion of a separate re- WHY ATHLETE-CENTERED goals over winning, 4) ownership lationship between mind and COACHING IS BENEFICIAL of responsibility for success and body is rejected in favor of an failure, 5) valuing of creativity and interconnected view of the body. Athlete-centered coaching has sev- imagination, 6) increased feelings of 3. Freedom and autonomy of the eral positive implications in sport. competence and motivation, and 7) individual is promoted through Athlete-centered coaching empow- support through the highs and lows freedom of choice and decision ers athletes and coaches, focuses of sport involvement. Additionally, making. on athletes’ personal achievements, communication is boosted between 4. Experiences are not analyzed is preferred by athletes, and is coaches and athletes.