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Environmental conditions, \^^^ © by IAAF training systems and performance 11:4:25-36, 1996 development of Kenyan runners by Colm O'Connell « « During the tast few years. Kenyan runners 1 Personal involvement and have amassed a brilliant string of Olympic and development as a coach Wortd Cliampionship titles as well as world records. There seems to be a gigantic pool of My involvement in the coaching of athletics young talent because every year new. previously could be described as an accident. The particular virtually unheard of runners are catapulted to group of Brothers which I belong (The Patrician the fore. This success hos led to widespread Brothers), specialize in the development of young discussion and debate of people trying to figure people, mainly through education. For me this out the Kenyan secret. Father Colm O'Connell. extended far beyond the confines of a classroom, who is the head of the famous St. Patrick's High to any area which attracts their interest and School in Iten/Kenia and has been coaching involvement, and in which I can assist them to young Kenyan elite runners for years says that grow up to develop their talents, become better the secret is mainly a combination of genetic people and conlribule to the society in which we talent, hard and disciplined work, enthusiasm for live. running and, last but not least, the ability to Before coming lo Kenya 1 was involved not relax and take a rest whenever needed. In this only in the more formal side of leaching but also article Father O'Connell talks, among other in youth work and dabbled a little in football things, about his personal involvement as a coaching. On coming here in July 1976, 1 was coach, his relation to and influence an young immediately called upon to assist in preparing athletes at Iten, the development of athletics in and coaching the track team. This was al the in­ Kenya, life and training at St. Patrick's High stigation ofthe then coach, Peler Foster, brother School and the Kenyan athletics system. * ft to the well known British alhlete. Brendan. He came direclly and asked for help. Why me? I'll never know. But such is often the nature of things in Kenya. One often gets involved in areas where he/she has little or no experience and may de­ This contribution was originally presented as a lecture, pend on learning on the job. Interest and good­ given at the II International Coaches' Symposium of the will are sometimes placed before knowledge and Track and Cross-Country Running Team of the German experience and rightly so. Very often we have athletics federatiün (DLV) in co-operation with thc Mairz people who are quite knowledgeable but lack the OLV-Coaches' School in Berlin. 1.-2. November 1996. interest to impart their knowledge. It was an opportunity for me to get to know the students in a more informal setting and mix with them outside the classroom. I was also fac­ ing a new and challenging cultural adjustment. and this for me was an opportunity to break Father Colm O'Connell is a teacher at and the down any barriers or fixed notions I may have head of the S(. Patrick's High School in Iten/ had. I had a belief that one of the best ways lo Kenia. He hos been coaching young Kenyan elite understand, get to know and influence young runners since 1976 and has an expert knowledge people was through an aciivity which Ihey enjoy of what may be called the secret of Kenyan run­ and can easily associate with. At that parlicular ning success. He has coached, among others, time in Iten. sports ranked highly among the Kipkoech and Charles Cheruiyot, Salina Chirchir, activities of the students. Helen Kimaiyo, Peter Rona, Mathew Birir. Wilson It's very often difficult to say exactly why one Kipketer, Sally Barsosla, Rose Cheruiyot. Joseph makes certain decisions at particular times. Tengelei. Benson Koech, David Kiptoo. Lydia Coming to Kenya was for me the opening up of a Cheromei. Julius Chelute. new world, new challenges and, perhaps, a way iAAF quarterly New Studies in Athletics • no. 4/1996 25 of getting out of a rut into which I was likely to At a certain stage for me this relation is often slip if I remained in Ireland. To avoid this and changed when the alhlete has lo venture into accepi new challenges, I decided to take up the the wider world of sport on his/her own, but is offer of a teaching post in St. Patrick's High never broken. The many young athletes I have School, Iten, in the Western Highlands of Kenya. asisted continue to keep in touch with me and, in In no way can 1 claim to have a very great some cases still follow the same programme that depth of knowledge about the scientific or tech­ they learned and used at Iten with me. Part of nical side of athletics. The little I have in this area my approach to training is lo assist the athlete to can be partly attributed Walter Abmayr, a Ger­ prepare him/herself for the day in which he/she man coach who was posted lo Kenya in the early will be able lo continue lo train alone or in a dif­ 1980's to assist in the identification and training ferent environment. To achieve this I often play of potential coaches to promote athletics. I was only a passive role in the coaching exercise. The lucky to be among those coaches to benefit from alhletes themselves quickly learn the programme such a programme. This was done through organ­ and after a couple of years the older ones are ising a series of courses for people such as myself able to lead, direct and implement it. Because of and they helped greatly to widen my knowledge this 1 often see myself more as a person who pro­ of the sport, confirm my approach and give me vides the opportunity, motivation and environ­ the necessary confidence to undertake coaching ment conducive to training than strict technical from a slightly more technical angle. coaching input. 2 Relation to and influence on young 3 Relation with the internationally athletes at Iten successful graduates from Iten and their influence on the younger Much of my coaching is based on 'getting to students know the athlete'. Like education itself it is a per­ sonal relalionship. It is a wholesome exercise I like to retain a close friendship with all the where I enjoy the personal side of the sport athletes with whom I work, whether they make it rather than the more technical side or indeed the to the top or not. I would like to think that all achievements obtained. For me il's important to benefilied in some way from their experience know the athlete. Having had little or no previ­ with me. Certainly I did and still do. For me the ous experience, whal other approach could I coaching of young alhletes is almost an end in have taken? This meant that I learned my athlet­ itself without any long-term aims. It is difficult ics first-hand from the athlete and not from any for any of them to definitely say that they are academic aspect, ll was a question of trial and going to make athletics their career or be suc­ error at the beginning. I probably could say that I cessful at it. Therefore, the here-and-now is as know more about the athlete than aboul athlet­ imporlant as what it might bring them in the ics. It was much much later that I began to gain fulure. any knowledge aboul the technical side of the Many of our past graduates keep a close con­ sport. Coaching for me is a relationship and not tact wilh our younger members and, indeed, some merely the inparting of knowledge or technique. of them return to do part of their training here. Young people play sports mainly for enjoyment. This is, perhaps, because they feel a certain affin­ This is an integral part of it. One should not get ity with the place where many of Ihem took their overtechnical at the expense of that enjoyment. first strides in athletics. It Is a great source of The more serious side will come soon enough. encouragement and inspiration for the younger Il's very difficult lo assess one's influence in ones and, indeed, for me. any social activity. I would like lo think that I help to identify in the young people I coach a 4 Development of athletics in Kenya talent which they have, and that I help them to develop that talent, to assisl them to become Historically one can divide Kenya's develop­ better people and further their aims in life and ment in athletics in six sections: secure a better future. However, this lalent can­ 1) The early 1950's saw the foundation of the nol be developed in isolation. This is especially National Association (KAAA), and the coun­ true of young people where their needs are many try's first participation in international com­ and varied. One has to cater for the whole per­ petitions with some success. son. In fact, in most cases the parents entrust the 2) This was followed by the rather explosive child to the teacher but we end up becoming 'all appearance in the Tokyo and Mexico Olym­ things' to that child - parent, teacher, guardian, pics as well as the first All-African Games in coach, and even the provider.

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