conteVolume 6, ntsNumber 4 May 2013 2 A Letter from the President REPORTS 4 Division I Track & Field Division I Cross Country 5 Division II Track & Field Division II Cross Country 6 Division III Track & Field Division III Cross Country 7 High School FEATURES 14 10 Growth and Development As a Coach By Todd Lane 14 The Potential Developing the athlete’s performance potential by Christine M. Brooks, Ph.D. 24 Relationship Between High School and College Coaches by Bill Schnier 30 The 200m Athlete Team Contributions and Even Phases By Leo A. Settle 36 Pacing Strategies For Distance Events in 2012 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials By Molly Hirt and Dr. Phil Henson 56 Updates From the NCAA Eligibility Center by Leigh Ann Kennedy 30 36 49 AWARDS 2013 USTFCCCA Cross Country Regional Coaches & Athletes of the Year Cover photograph courtesy of LSU Sports Information MAY 2013 techniques 1 A Letter From the President PUBliSHER Sam Seemes trust that the indoor track & field season was a success for you and your program. Regardless of how the undercover campaign ExECUTivE EDiTOR Mike Corn turned out, the outdoor season brings new opportunities and ASSOCiATE EDiTOR Sylvia Kamp challenges for coaches and student-athletes. As I write this, our MEDiA MANAGER Tom Lewis Iwarmer climate programs as well as those traveling from colder envi- MEMBERSHiP SERviCES Dave Svoboda rons have begun outdoor competition. Most of us in the Midwest as well as the northern areas of the country should have their outdoor PHOTOGRAPHER Kirby Lee seasons well underway by the time you read this. EDiTORiAl BOARD Tommy Badon, One of the things that I enjoy about coaching the sports of cross country, indoor track Larry Judge, Boo Schexnayder, and outdoor track is the creativity and problem solving required when faced with less than ideal conditions. With rare exception, we regularly need to adapt our practice plans Dr. Ralph Vernacchia, to current conditions. Whether it is trying to get a quality pole vault practice done with 40 Gary Winckler mph winds blowing across the Texas plains; planning early season cross country train- ing in Louisiana knowing the expected high temperature that day is 104 along with high humidity; or getting your team ready for the first outdoor meet in Minnesota when there is still 6 inches of snow on the ground, coming up with a plan to create the best experi- ence possible for our student-athletes is one of the unique challenges of our profession. Published by Renaissance Publishing llC As I write this letter, the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments are drawing 110 veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite 123, to a close. As you may know, the basketball coaches’ organizations (men and women are Metairie, lA 70005 separate) hold their conventions during their respective Final Fours. Possible alternatives (504) 828-1380 to our annual December convention have been discussed in the past. Besides the many www.myneworleans.com logistical reasons why pairing our convention with an event (say the NCAA Division I Outdoor Championship) would present many problems, I am glad that our time to gather as coaches is a stand-alone event. When comparing convention notes with my colleagues in other sports, it quickly becomes apparent that we have a really good thing going. We can be proud that our convention is a true professional meeting. The business that gets USTFCCCA conducted, the professional development that occurs and the quality of the celebratory National Office events makes the USTFCCCA annual convention, one of, if not the best, coaches associa- tion conventions in the country. We need to continue working to make the event even 1100 Poydras Street, Suite 1750 better but it certainly is one of the top benefits of being a member of our association. New Orleans, LA 70163 The ultimate destination for our student-athletes in any season is the national cham- Phone: 504-599-8900 pionship. This outdoor season will conclude with national championship meets in Marion, Indiana (NAIA), LaCrosse, Wisconsin (NCAA III), Pueblo, Colorado, (NCAA II) Fax: 504-599-8909 and Eugene, Oregon (NCAA I). I am sure that each of these championship events will provide a quality experience for all of the student-athletes and coaches who take part. While I have always respected the time and effort that host institutions put into hosting a national championship event, I have to admit, now that Nebraska Wesleyan will be host- ing the NCAA III indoor championship in 2014, I am paying even closer attention to the myriad of details that go into hosting such an event. My athletic director and I were tak- ing notes and analyzing logistics at the NCAA III Indoor championship at North Central Techniques (ISSN 1939-3849) is published quar- College. If we can do half as good a job as my friends at North Central, our meet will be terly in February, May, August, and November by a success. My thanks go to all the institutions that have been willing to host a national the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches competition. While those of us who coach for a number of years will attend many cham- Association. Copyright 2013. All rights reserved. No pionships, the very small number of championship events that a student-athlete may part of this publication may be reproduced in any experience certainly make it a very special memory. manner, in whole or in part, without the permission I wish the very best for you and your program during this outdoor season. Let’s do our of the publisher. techniques is not responsible best to provide great experiences for our student-athletes. I look forward to continuing to for unsolicited manuscripts, photos and artwork work with you to make the greatest sport in the world even better. even if accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. The opinions expressed in techniques are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the magazines’ managers or owners. Periodical Postage Paid at New Orleans La and Additional Entry Offices. POSTMASTER: Send address DR. TED BULLING changes to: USTFCCCA, PO Box 55969, Metairie, PRESIDENT, USTFCCCA LA 70055-5969. If you would like to advertise your DIRECTOR OF TRACK & FIELD AND CROSS COUNTRY, NEBRASKA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY business in techniques, please contact Mike Corn [email protected] at (504) 599-8900 or [email protected]. 2 techniques MAY 2013 NCAA REPORT Division l Track & Field and Cross Country RON MANN BARRY HARWICK PRESIDENT, NCAA DIVISION I PRESIDENT, NCAA DIVISION I TRACK AND FIELD COACHES CROSS COUNTRY COACHES ongratulations to all who competed so well during the s I write this, I can tell you that my desk and office are NCAA Indoor Championships, and particularly to the more cluttered than usual. My team just got back from CUniversity of Oregon and University of Arkansas for their Aour 10-day spring trip this week and we are hosting a respective team championships. home meet on Saturday. The blur that was the indoor season Your executive committee has accomplished much since has already moved on to the outdoor campaign, so I’m spending my last report. We have recommended to the Division I Track most of my time getting the Dartmouth team ready for coming and Field Sports Committee a new schedule for future Indoor meets. I do try to schedule a little time each week for planning Championships, along with recommended updates to our now for next fall. I hope that each of you can also tackle some of the active document, the Indoor Championship Manual. In addition, projects I have listed below… during our Indoor National Championships in Fayetteville, Sam • Scheduling our meets is an area where the sport of cross- Seemes conducted an open forum discussion for throws coaches country can improve. We finally have our nine regional sites for and horizontal jumps coaches. The purpose of the Fayetteville the fall of 2013 but that process was not as smooth as it could dialog was to bring forward ideas to enhance and further stream- have been. If you have an interest in a future regional meet, line these events at our National Championships. This platform start laying the groundwork with your sport administrator now. will be replicated and expanded during our time in Eugene. It is not enough for a coach to get up at a regional meeting and Your conference representatives have been working on your say, “We have a great course!” Someone is going to have to be behalf on monthly conference calls to discuss business brought responsible for bid forms, permits and other paper work. Make forward from convention, as well as address issues you (the mem- sure your athletic department is on board. bership) have brought forward during the course of the regular • If you are planning on hosting a cross country meet this fall, and championship seasons. In addition, a subcommittee drafted get in some of the preliminary work now. Publicize the date of your a response to the NCAA Level III violation questionnaire, which meet well in advance. Consider using contracts to commit visiting the executive committee supported and forwarded to the NCAA. schools to your meet. I understand that this is not a tradition in The Championship Advisory Committee, chaired by Beth Alford- our sport but I feel strongly that is an idea whose time has come. Sullivan, has had ongoing discussion both at the site of the National • If there is a major event that you would like to attend with Championships, as well as regularly scheduled conference calls your team, contact the host institution well in advance.