More on the Good to Great Book

There are two corollaries from the article “Good to Great” Book – Analogies to Track and Field.

This is based on Jim Collins’ business book Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t

Here are 2 other topics I want to point out:

1) While the practices of engineering continually evolve and change, the laws of physics remain relatively fixed.

I can’t say it any better than that! The limitations of physics in Track and Field are gravity and air resistance. Plus, there are two vectors in sprints: horizontal and vertical speeds. In addition, you can add the centripetal forces in a 200 or indoor 200m. Those are the forces you are working with (or working against).

In terms of action and reaction, hard mondo tracks are a benefit to sprinters, but a disaster for distance runners.

We all know WHAT to fix and improve, or the limitations of track and field, but the key is HOW to improve it?

The same rule applies with technique. Maybe your current technique isn’t working for you?

Think for Disk Fosbury or Debbie Brill, or even Ben Johnson with his 2 legged jump start. Or maybe Adarian’s Cheetah start?

Let me ask this question to all the Throws coaches out there:

When is a good time to transition a youth or junior shot putter from the glide to spin?

Remember, the Shot circle is 7′ in diameter vs. the Discus circle being 8′ 2.5″, so the spin is a bit tighter in the shot. You can’t assume your big Discus/Shot combo thrower can easily do the transition.

It’s time to start innovating some new ideas.

And please keep it legal.

2) A Good company knows how to motivate their employees. A Great company knows how NOT to de-motivate their employees.

Why is this? Because when you choose the right people, they are already self motivated.

As a coach, your role is not to screw up your athletes (Thank you Latif for that comment)

They are coming into the season healthy and uninjured… you have to make them better as an athlete. Don’t run them to the ground and let the law of attrition from injuries select your best athletes. This isn’t Darwin and the survival of the fittest.

These kids come in September wanting to run. No athlete wants to fail. If anything, they are AFRAID of failing in front of you. And that’s the honest truth.