Advice for a new sprint coach

Sprinting Discussion High School Sprints/Field Events
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    DJJan

    Member since 12/02/2022.

    184 posts. Last post 6 days ago.
    5 months ago 02/17/2024 4:15pm EST

    We lost our sprint coach before the beginning of the indoor season and the responsibility fell on me. I’m a brand new coach but managed to get the kids through the season with some success and no injuries. I have a ton of info but I need to put it together. I don’t think the school has had a dedicated sprint coach in several years. I have some goals for the team but I’d like to have some more structure to my schedule. Advice? Online sources? I’m going to what is supposed to be a pretty nice workshop in a few weeks but that is the weekend before the season begins.

  • registered

    coach

    Member since 07/01/2002.

    13,378 posts. Last post 6 hours ago.
    5 months ago 02/17/2024 6:12pm EST
    re: DJJan

    I'd check out USTFCCCA's convention symposium or Tony Hollets Feed The Cats system.

  • registered

    DJJan

    Member since 12/02/2022.

    184 posts. Last post 6 days ago.
    5 months ago 02/17/2024 7:39pm EST
    re: coach

    Thank you. I have read some of Tony Holler. I am pretty sure I got his name from searching this site. I have some stuff from Charlie Francis and lots of YouTube videos. I’m used to distance runners so I don’t know what would be an easy day for a sprinter? Do they benefit from a lot of drills? I have hurdlers and jumpers so I want to incorporate some plyometrics. I need the schedule to make sense.

  • registered

    coach

    Member since 07/01/2002.

    13,378 posts. Last post 6 hours ago.
    5 months ago 02/17/2024 9:56pm EST
    re: DJJan

    DJJan wrote:

    Thank you. I have read some of Tony Holler. I am pretty sure I got his name from searching this site. I have some stuff from Charlie Francis and lots of YouTube videos. I’m used to distance runners so I don’t know what would be an easy day for a sprinter? Do they benefit from a lot of drills? I have hurdlers and jumpers so I want to incorporate some plyometrics. I need the schedule to make sense.

    There are many protocols ie...Tony Holler vs a Clyde Hart variation. An "easy day" would be different depending on which protocol/method you use. It might be extensive tempo runs, it might be circuit training, it might be drills or it might be a day off.

    I'd use Holler's at this point.

  • Basics.

    Anonymous Poster

    5 months ago 02/18/2024 2:11am EST
    re: DJJan

    You can read holler and hart but recognize they are polar opposites and likely “extreme” given where they fall in the spectrum. ustfcccsa curriculum written by boo schexnayder is the best resource in my opinion.

    most high schoolers will get better just because they went to sleep and woke up healthy with a flood of hormones.

    so be healthy!

    be moderate.
    be general.
    master the basics.
    for sprinters and jumpers understand

    acceleration, transition, maximum velocity and speed maintenance. Understand posture, foot contacts and swinging segment usage.

    do those things and you will be way ahead of the game.

    lastly, let them compete. that is the best training stimulus.

    keep it as fun as possible (holler got that part correct)

    if you get the stud you can investigate deeper. Or not. Nothing wrong with sending a kid to college with a big upside.

  • registered

    DJJan

    Member since 12/02/2022.

    184 posts. Last post 6 days ago.
    5 months ago 02/18/2024 6:36am EST
    re: Basics.

    These are all great, thank you so much everyone. I love this and I love all of the kids and they deserve some decent coaching.

  • registered

    get it faster

    Member since 01/24/2021.

    204 posts. Last post 5 months ago.
    5 months ago 02/18/2024 7:18am EST
    re: DJJan

    - Prioritize competition in practice

    - Get times on things so guys can monitor their progress

    - No sprinting in trainers

    - Teach handoffs early

  • registered

    DJJan

    Member since 12/02/2022.

    184 posts. Last post 6 days ago.
    5 months ago 02/18/2024 8:34am EST
    re: get it faster

    What about easier running for sprinters? Tony Holler is not a fan at all but Charlie Francis has a type of tempo run as an active recovery. Run at about 65%. I have one athlete who ran cross country and is a decent sprinter (he does hurdles and pole vault) but his form is very bouncy when he runs easy. Does that create bad form for racing?

  • Newer sprint coach

    Anonymous Poster

    5 months ago 02/18/2024 8:40am EST
    re: DJJan

    DJJan wrote:

    What about easier running for sprinters? Tony Holler is not a fan at all but Charlie Francis has a type of tempo run as an active recovery. Run at about 65%. I have one athlete who ran cross country and is a decent sprinter (he does hurdles and pole vault) but his form is very bouncy when he runs easy. Does that create bad form for racing?

    In my opinion, no point to ever doing easy running for (high school) sprinters. I’ve taken out the warm up lap even and just go right into dynamics. Slogging around with terrible form just didn’t seem like a good way to spend practice time.

  • registered

    SummerSlogger

    Member since 06/23/2020.

    773 posts. Last post 5 days ago.
    5 months ago 02/18/2024 11:16am EST
    re: coach

    coach wrote:

    I'd check out USTFCCCA's convention symposium or Tony Hollets Feed The Cats system.

    This^

    As a distance guy the main thing you MUST do is to stop thinking like a distance runner.

  • registered

    GaryB

    Member since 07/02/2002.

    916 posts. Last post 1 month ago.
    5 months ago 02/18/2024 12:12pm EST
    re: DJJan

    Let me be another vote for Tony H’s program. It’s simple, the kids thrive, and it’s worked for my program. I was slow to accept the concept when my sprint coach wanted to bring this into our program. But I realized I was thinking like the distance coach I am. I’ve always tried to be the head coach who allows my assistant coaches the ability to coach without me butting in. The results with our track team have been fantastic. It’s worked so well we’ve even implemented it with our middle school program. With very good results.

  • soptheslop

    Anonymous Poster

    2 months ago 06/04/2024 8:33am EDT
    re: DJJan

    Boo Schexnayder. You're welcome

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