2 contentsVolume 3, Number 3 February 2010 A Letter from the President 4 Convention photos REPORTS 6 Division I Track & Field 7 Division I Cross Country 8 Division II Track & Field 9 Division II Cross Country 10 Division III Track & Field 11 Division III Cross Country 12 High School 13 IAAF Report 22 FEATURES 14 Knowledge & Wisdom in Coaching Even bad experiences can lead to positive results if you have the right attitude. by Will Freeman 22 Think Drink Pre- and post-event hydration strategies for distance runners. by Robert Chapman, Ph.D 28 Coaching Collegiate Hammer Throwers from Scratch by Harold Connolly 32 Altitude Everyone Can Use Training at high altitudes – or a simulation of one. by Scott Simmons 36 Move the Pole and Catch the Ride by Spencer Chang, M.D. 40 Making Moves Race strategies and tactics for endurance events. by 28 Scott Christensen 40 32 HIGH SCHOOL 46 A Place to Call Their Own Pole Vaulting goals. by Mark Maas AWARDS 49 Cross Country National and Regional Athletes and Coaches of the Year 56 The Bowerman 2009 Winners FEBRUARY 2010 techniques 1 A letter from the president R. LEROY WALKER WAS RECOGNIZED WITH D THE George Dales Award at our meeting in PUBLISHER Sam Seemes December 2009. He has served as president of USATF, AAU EXECUTIVE EDITOR Mike Corn and the USOC. He was a U.S. Olympic Coach in 1976 and helped bring the 1996 Olympic Games to Atlanta. He also ASSOCIATE EDITOR Shannon Wright coached internationally. ASSOCIATE EDITOR Sylvia Kamp We also celebrated the inaugural presentation of The CREATIVE DIRECTOR Bob Sprenger Bowerman, which will bring media attention to our sport and help expand the track & field fan base. Mr. Bowerman MEDIA MANAGER Tom Lewis was an innovative coach. He not only developed great ath- MEMBERSHIP SERVICES Mandi Magill letes and teams, but he also helped Eugene, Oregon become “Tracktown, PHOTOGRAPHER Kirby Lee U.S.A.” His leadership created a fan base at the University of Oregon while producing PAC-10 and NCAA Championship teams. He also helped a create a shoe company that some of you may have heard of ... Our CEO, Sam Seemes, gave a presentation on the state of track & field pro- grams compared to other NCAA sports. While we have the second-highest EDITORIAL BOARD Vern Gambetta, participation of all sports, we are in the lowest quarter for generating revenue at our championship events. Revenue generated at our championships covers Larry Judge, Boo Schexnayder, less than 5 percent of the costs. It’s imperative that we view our sport from the Ralph Vernacchia point of marketing and accounting. Our athletic directors do this with every sport for which they are responsible. We would be wise to do what we can to address some of the numbers before these directors and university adminis- trations make decisions for us. A good first step in gathering fan and community support is to establish a USTFCCCA brand! LeRoy Walker, George Dales and Bill Bowerman are all great examples of coaches who have created brands for themselves and their institutions – on National Office campuses, it is clear who they are and what they stood for. Winning is impor- 1100 Poydras Street, Suite 1750 tant, but a brand can be greatly enhanced by what a coach does for the com- New Orleans, LA 70163 munity. Get involved in charities, grass-roots groups, camps, clinics, para- lympics, and hospitals – let people know what you’re all about. Phone: 504-599-8900 I encourage coaches to develop alumni associations for their track & field Fax: 504-599-8909 programs. Your school provided opportunities to receive a valuable educa- tion, exposure and recognition for these alumni. Some recognize how much they have received, but as guardians of the sport, it is in our interest to teach student-athletes the importance of giving back. Remind them that their uni- versity and sport needs them. Invite alumni to meets, banquets, and clinics. Establish awards named after alumni. Create ways to keep them involved. I am thankful to be working with a CEO and Divisional Officers that provide sound insight, leadership and a great work ethic. I am excited for the addition techniques (ISSN 1939-3849) is published of the programs of the NAIA, the addition of outstanding student-athlete quarterly in February, May, August, and awards and the program awards. The USTFCCCA membership currently rep- November by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross resents nearly 95 percent of all NCAA Track & Field / Cross Country programs. Country Coaches Association with assistance As we grow, we are very proud to announce a proposed $1.2 million budget from Renaissance Publishing, LLC.. Copyright for 2010. Our membership and sponsors stand by us. But the work is not 2010 All rights reserved. No part of this publi- done: Our goal is to achieve 100-percent program participation. Our chal- cation may be reproduced in any manner, in lenges are real. Few of us will receive budget or salary increases in 2010. We whole or in part, without the permission of the compete with other sports for participants, support and entertainment dol- publisher. techniques is not responsible for lars which drive most of the decisions. For these circumstances, I turn to a unsolicited manuscripts, photos and artwork line from the Optimist’s Creed: “Promise Yourself...To be too large for worry, even if accompanied by a self-addressed too noble for anger, too strong for fear and too happy to permit the presence stamped envelope. The opinions expressed in of trouble.” I hope we become more valuable to our institutions, communities techniques are those of the authors and do not and the country. Every coach has the opportunity. Create your brand. necessarily reflect the view of the magazines’ managers or owners. Periodical Postage Pending at New Orleans La and Additional Entry Offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: USTFCCCA, PO Box 55969, Metairie, LA 70055- CURTIS FRYE 5969. If you would like to advertise your busi- PRESIDENT, USTFCCCA HEAD COACH, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA ness in techniques, please contact Mike Corn at (504) 599-8900 or [email protected]. 2 techniques FEBRUARY 2010 (From left to right) Greg Hull, Ralph Linderman, Mark Strawderman & Scott Steffan taking part in the golf tournament. Edinboro University’s Doug Watts, left, was presented with the Jimmy Carnes Gary Winckler presenting Award by USTFCCCA CEO one of the nearly 40 sym- Sam Seemes. posium sessions held dur- ing the convention. The Bowerman finalists (from left to right) Jenny Barringer, Porscha Lucas, Galen Rupp, German Fernandez and Ashton Eaton (Destinee Hooker not pictured). Coaches Social was presented by Brooks Running. 4 techniques FEBRUARY 2010 KIRBY LEE/IMAGE OF SPORT PHOTOGRAPHS EXCEPT TOP RIGHT: MIKE CORN PHOTOGRAPH USTFCCCA President Curtis Frye at the opening session. Dr. Leroy Walker, right, being presented the George Dales Award by USTFCCCA President Curtis Frye. Hall of Fame inductees (front row from left to right) Pitch Johnson Jr accepting for his father Pitch Johnson, Chuck Rohe, Oscar Moore Jr., Duane Vandenbusche, Gary Winckler and Artie Gulden accepting for his father Art Gulden. Abilene Christian’s Roosevelt Lofton, right, receives his National Championship ring from Balfour’s Harold Leverett. Lunch was presented by Balfour. The Mondo Barbecue brought an evening of food, fun and socializing. KIRBY LEE/IMAGE OF SPORT PHOTOGRAPHS EXCEPT BOTTOM RIGHT: CLAUS ANDERSEN/MONDO PHOTOGRAPH FEBRUARY 2010 techniques 5 NCAA REPORT Division l Track & Field Additionally, we learned firsthand how useful the TFRRRS program will be for our sport and were provided a very informative presentation on our 2010 Outdoor champi- onships’ process and schedule. The pres- entation provided our body opportunity for insight and feedback to help the Track & Field Sport Committee finalize this year’s championship process. The largest issue facing us is, once again, a potential call for change in the Outdoor BETH ALFORD-SULLIVAN PRESIDENT, NCAA DIVISION I TRACK AND FIELD COACHES Track & Field championship. There has been so much attention paid to this cham- pionship over the last 15 years, I am unable to recap the details except to say that once again the NCAA Championships Cabinet has asked for our feedback on the outdoor championship qualifying process and com- petition. I believe this current call for input Focus and Productivity from the NCAA stems from the need to reevaluate, in today’s climate, many sports’ championships to determine the impact of S WE HAVE MOVED ON FROM THE HOLIDAY a championship at all levels: institutional, student-ath- A season and into the new year, I hope each of you lete and economic. Whether one feels that changes to had a chance to relax and reenergize during the break. the championship is a good thing or bad, the opportuni- The 2009 USTFCCCA Convention was once again an ty for input is one that we could not pass up. As a result, outstanding experience as the national office staff, led the Division I Track and Field Executive Committee cre- by Sam Seemes, outdid themselves and provided a ated a process by which the entire coaching body was convention that celebrated many accomplishments able to provide input and feedback, and at press time within our sport. The Hall of Fame dinner and induc- we have received a great deal of valuable input from the tion; The Bowerman presentation; informative clinics membership. The importance of speaking with one and the annual business meetings were just a few of the voice cannot be overstated and that is the message that highlights of the four-day affair. This annual event gives us an opportunity to not only bring together our coaches to celebrate our success, but also to work The importance of speaking with one voice cannot together toward more productive be overstated and that is the message that we will futures for our sports of track & convey to the NCAA, that the coaches of Division 1 field and cross country.