Track and Field: Issues of Concern
Shaun A. Williams - Monday, February 6th, 2012 at 8:01 AM
Shaun Williams is a former BVI athlete and now a coach, strength trainer and track official in Canada.
Track and Field has been in my blood for many years and living in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) has made my love for the sport grow even more.
Looking at the success that athletes from other small islands around the region have enjoyed, it begs the question: “Why can’t the BVI have more top athletes in both male and female events?” The following discussion is an attempt to raise some of the many concerns shared by both participants and supporters of the sport. As a member of both the Manitoba Track and Field Officials Association and Manitoba Coaching Association, I have gained valuable insight and knowledge in many areas of the sport that I am willing to share.
To begin, the role and duties of a coach need to be clarified, even before employing his or her services. According to Arnheim’s Principles of Athletic Training, their duties are to develop and supervise workouts for each athlete and to teach the skills of the sport, not to baby sit or befriend athletes. In the same publication, the duties of parents and athletes are also listed. It states that parents should show patience, support and understanding. This actually includes avoiding activities such as betting on athletes, as if they are horses on a track. The IAAF Rule Book (Rule 9) states no person should part take or attempt in any betting, gambling or similar transactions connected to the sport.
To address all the issues recently seen and discussed would require a much larger document, so I will highlight a few of the main rules. For athletes to reach high standards, they have to start at the bottom and work their way up, learning the rules of the sport as they go up the ladder of success. Rule 142.4, which talks about the failure to participate, is one of my many concerns. Athletes register in more than one event but then decide not to take part in one of them. Be reminded; the rule states if you do not run the first event, you are not allowed to run any other event that follows in the meet.
The next topic is the use of starting blocks. Last weekend, some athletes were told not to use blocks in races which required blocks. These are areas that need to be addressed by the British Virgin Islands Athletic Association (BVIAA) and enforced during all competition, because Rule 161.1 clear states the compulsory use of starting blocks for specific events. If the ages of the participants were the factors that led the decision not to use blocks, that too is addressed in the IAAF rule book under Rule 129.1.
The final area of concern for athletes are the attitude and discipline displayed on and off the track. These need to be addressed IMMEDIATELY, and not be pushed under the rug. For instance, athletes must be encouraged to compete under certain principles of sport and competition, and nurture a love for the sport, as opposed to competing just because there is a great possibility of winning a medal. All efforts should be made to ensure that, in years to come, athletes do not carry that behavior forward because it was not addressed in the early stages.
At this point, I would like to quickly re-emphasize the importance of the roles and presence of the track officials and timing judges. The BVIAA has access to the photo finish system but do not make use of the benefits at all their meets for various reasons. Again, I will refer to the IAAF rule book, specifically Rule 165.9 -12. Organizers and officials who decide to use hand timing at meets should ensure they know this rule by heart. Rule 129.13 speaks to Photo Finish Systems, their relevance and use, and the necessity to have hand time as just a backup system.
Discussions such as this one is not meant to demean or expose anyone. As a country, we need to do things the right way and officials need to consistently implement the rules they were trained by some months ago. This will assist in passing knowledge and correct procedures along to our athletes to ensure they are among the best.
Coaches have to continue educating themselves in key areas and parents have to accept and play their roles. The BVIAA and BVIOC need to do their part in enforcing the rules of the sport. The World Wide Web, courses, the love of Track and Field and interaction with genuinely caring stakeholders in the sport will improve ones understanding and level of education on the track.
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12 Comments
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Shaun u is a jack.. u na live here
Shaun, I’m not trained however I think its been a policy that the first developmental meet right at the opening of the school year is flexible, ie no blocks, late registration allowed, then the rules tighten up for the rest. I’ve seen college athletes in early multiple heat stages run without blocks, yes not desirable and totally agree with your training comments but in this case the exception isnt the rule.
I will take this time to address all the comments that was shared on my article. I am not the type of person to talk down everyone because I think we are all on the same level so in no way was I putting anyone business on the world wide web. Most of the readers that commented seem to have not understand the true meaning of the article or should I say the direction in which I was heading. As one may see I made sure I provided evidence to support all my claims so people can go read and have a better understanding of the sport and rules. The article was written not only from an athlete point of view but one of a level two coach, strength and conditioning coach, a Level 1 starter and someone who is doing a BSc in Athletic Therapy. So not only can I tell you training and practicing with blocks are need at every level but I can give you the benefits from different points and support my claims. Yes it is true that the development meet is small and not international but from a exercise physiology view one will understand if you train the muscles without blocks when you try to use blocks the chances of injuries are greater.
On another point, if you train a sprinter using long runs then when you try to run fast your muscles will react slow and cause damage. This again is why I said the internet can help educated people on the sport. The comments on sister islands etc I can’t really say much on but if someone on the island make the move to train things will get better but talking and waiting for someone to actually do it will not help. I am open to answer any questions if anyone want to ask me anything.
Thanks for the food for thought Mr Williams. It’s so sad that you however have attracted those bloggers who have nothing to add but only sit on the sideline and receive second and third hand info and really add and know nothing about the sport. Before blogging negative ask what positive you can do to help. It’s times lime these you have the Know-it-alls blogging. I have to shake my head at the blogger who said his/ her child will only do track in the States – a tip for you, there are issues all over the world in different shapes and forms. To the blogger who commented re specializing – what are you calling specializing – I bet you are one of those who just believe that the training athletes should go out on the track and run up and down in all kinds of events like wild goats. I’m sure you have not a clue why the coaches make these decisions. I’m not a coach but I can think of a some good reasons but no point cuz most of you don’t and never will have a clue and your personal agendas won’t allow you to think logically and look at the other side of these issues.
I commend Mr. Williams for educating himself.
But shhhhh Plz do not stay in Canada and shout our business on the worldwide web.
I agree with many things that you say…parents should know their role, they get into things more than the coaches themselves. The athletes by and large get along well. Coaches, lets not talk about them. I have inside scoop and could you imagine coaches telling athletes to leave one group and go to another. There is one senior, the don, the destroyer who has been doing this and he needs to stop. I can garantee that some athletes will quit because of him. he does not even know anything about coaching. Ask him what qualification he has behind his name to be dishing out advice.
I believe a coach has the right to tell his athletes during a development meet to use starting blocks or not he knows where they are in their training. The crouch start is compulsory at this level, not the starting blocks. It is a must at international competitions. So in one lille dev meet it does not mean that the athlete must use the blocks but thanks for the observation, but dont make it an issue. keep looking I am sure the coach will have the athletes use the block in time.
Another thing learned coach, how come u did not say anything about the SOL awards. All the awardees merited recognition and from the times they ran last year they deserve to be lauded. But can a persosal best be equal to a bronze medal at the Caribbean Olympics – the Carifta Games. The little girl did great but the fact that the other girl won a medal at Carifta…the award should be hers alone. Who made the selection, No common sense no sense of good and bad were used to select the athletes. no where in the world could a personal best or a youth record be equal to a medal and the medal winner had a personal best to boot at that level. I hope you are all haunted by the injustice that you all did the young athlete.
Another ting how come the coach of the medal winner did not get coach of the year. This is utter favouritism. The coach deserves mention for the hard work that he did but last year only one athlete won a medal under the BVIAA. All the others were at college level. So her coach deserves the coach of the year. I woulda never accept it if it were me. Neva forget God doan like ugly.
We continue to talk about the BVIAA and the BVIOC. These organizations do NOTHING on the Sister Islands but they are using BVI in the front of their name. How do the know there is not the next Usain Bolt on one of the sister islands. We need to develop all of our athletes and not some. I am aware that funding may be an issue as well as a lack of inadequate facilities on the sister islands these associations and committees need not give lip service to the letters BVI they need to do the right thing. Det into the schools, see where there is potential talent and nurture the talent
Some of these so call coaches need to know how to talk to kids by time that one coach kids reach high school they will hate track. All he does is shout and swear after those innocent kids. My child for sure would not train with him. He needs to do better
And I can rest assure when your kids go to the states they won’t be good at track……so because it has some coaches acting stupid accordion to you….you won’t allow your child to use his or her talents you just like them coaches ad I would hate to have you as my moths er!
well that is your opinion, but i tend to agree with the comment that was made earlier. Do you many of the athletes doing anything when they go from here. There are certain people in the BVIAAA who are biased too. We all know what track club is favored over the others so whether or not the children are performing, it is if you are in a particular club that you will get chosen to go places. It is all so sickening and disgusting! Every year it is the same stupidness. And the point that the other person made, yes, they do not know how to teach the children to lose. Some of these clubs raise some cocky, arrogant youngsters which is a shame too. I wonder if they know that humility is the best way…..
There are many athletes who leave the bvi and do well! Keita cline tahiesha Kevin Karene Britney chantel Omar Kyle Eric and lots more! And not only does those athletes perform well but academically bvi athletes rank and graduate well where as slot of other Caribbean athletes either go pro or just drop out of school
i agree , to much track clubs and they to curry favor over there on that A O Shirley Grounds….. food for thought…. those development meets you guys need to put the top kids in one heat so they can push each other….an before u all go any further with these track clubs teach these kids about losing it will help them in the future
………oh and one more thing stop specializing these kids so young….. i’m out.
thank you very much which appears unbiased and objective and from someone who knows about coaching track and field – something that is DESPERATELY NEEDED in the BVI. I can give my humble opinion right now – the BVI will not get much further with their athletes – they will continuously be behind. the reason is the coaches are not professionals – too many times talking behind each others backs and most of all stealing other athletes from other clubs. Our minds are very small. One like me has decided not to send my children on that track – when they are much older and they have gone onto the states, then they will do track if they so choose. Mr Williams, you cannot imagine the childishness that goes on, on that track. Too much to mention in this blog.
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