AboutRichard Howland Expertise I am a master USATF Track and Field official and can answer questions about officiating high school (NFHS), college (NCAA), National (USATF) and international in field events. I am not a coach except for other officials. My specialties are the Field events except pole vault.
Experience I delight in meeting athletes from all backgrounds and ages. I have even officiated field events for a one hundred year old long jumper as well as many "Master" and "Senior" athletes. Special olympics is a great event for officials to volunteer and see the essence of good sport on the faces of the athletes.
After thirty three years as a trial lawyer in Massachusetts with a focus on sports law, among others, I retired and devote much of my time to officiating. I referee soccer, time football, officiate swimming and diving, and officiate and start all events in track and field. My special focus in field events.
In high school and college I played soccer, squash and lacrosse, but track was not available in any depth then. Since I was a lawyer I began officiating and training to officiate sports which I could fit into my schedule. I honestly do not remember when I first started track and field officiating, but estimate that I have been very active for at least fifteen years.
I regularly officiate all events and levels.
Question This is my first year coaching track and I need some help with my discus and shot put throwers. Can you tell me some forms that I can show them and a sample weekly or biweekly workout schedule?
Answer Dear Roderick:
I do not feel comfortable trying to tell a coach details about programs that may or may not be suitable for that program and those student athletes. I don't know what level you are starting at, and so have selected some references and where they can be found as my principal answer. I personally prefer several sources (which follow) and direct mentoring by a nearby experienced coach or college or adult athlete who knows the same events.
I regard the job of coach as an important but very personal commitment which needs to be the athletes performing for that sport and coach. What follows are a number of references which may help you with the structure and the strategy of field events, but the personal evaluation of the team and members is reserved to you. Good Luck, Dick Howland
Throws Book Reviews
By Bruce "Buzz" Van Horne
M-F Athletic (Rhode Island sports supply store).
One question that we are often asked at clinics and shows is, "What good books do you have on the throws?" In the next few paragraphs I will cover the books that can best answer that question.
I feel there are four books that coaches can look to for some guidance.
The first is recommended for the coach with a firm background in the events and who is looking for a nugget or two to add to his/her knowledge base. "The Throws" (Jesse Jarver, editor), now in its fifth edition, has a collection of articles that take you from the basics to the extremely technical. The articles are timely and will leave you with some food for thought. The Throws Book (Jesse Jarver, Editor)
Also in this category: "Complete Book of Throws" by Jay Silvester. The newest book on the market has information on how to best train and get ready to compete. It’s a nice addition to any library.
Complete Book of Throws Book by Jay Silvester
Next let’s look at the books that might be the answer for the coach who is not as familiar with the events.
We begin with "The Throws Manual" (George Dunn and Kevin McGill), now in its third edition. This is the granddaddy of throws books. It has a more hands on approach filled with workouts, points on technique and illustrations. The new edition has more on the javelin and hammer than the previous ones. It’s a great book for any level coach. The Throws Manual by George Dunn and Kevin Mcgill
Another great book for the novice or most accomplished coach is "Teaching Progressions Book" by Tony Naclerio. This book is chock full of workouts, techniques, and pictures. Tony has every event broken down to its most basic part and has drills and pictures to help get his points across. Tony has also added a video for each of the events that goes along with the book. Teaching Progressions Book by Tony Naclerio
So there you have it, a quick overview of the most popular books on the throws on the market.
Remember, National Throws Coaches Association members get a 10% discount on all purchases from M-F At
USA Track & Field Coaching ManualAthletic Congress's Development Committees, USA Track & Field
2000
US Price: $24.95
328 pages
9780880116046
About the Authors | Table of Contents | Words of Praise
The USA Track & Field Coaching Manual is the official coaching guide of the sport's national governing body. The manual covers every major event and includes comprehensive, ready-to-apply information from 33 leading American coaches and experts. This book is the most complete and useful track and field coaching resource available today.
Coaches of club, secondary school, and college men's and women's track and field teams will find a wealth of information among the 20 chapters. Included among the valuable materials are:
* proven predictive testing procedures,
* detailed event-specific technique instruction,
* carefully crafted training programs, and
* preparation and performance tactics for success in competition.
Contributing authors to the USA Track & Field Coaching Manual are among the best coaches and experts in the sport of track and field. Many have worked with national, world, and Olympic champions. Each is an event-specific expert who has demonstrated the effective use of coaching art and science to train and inspire their athletes to achieve maximum performance.
The USA Track & Field Coaching Manual is an essential part of any serious track and field coach's library. Whether you use it as a practice tool or prize reference, your athletes and team will benefit from your application of the book's content all the way to the victory stand.
About the Authors
USA Track & Field (USATF) is the national governing body for track and field, long-distance running, racewalking and cross country. It is the United States' member of the International Amateur Athletic Federation, the world governing body for Athletics, as well as a Group A member of the U.S. Olympic Committee.
Through their nationwide membership of more than 2,500 clubs, schools, colleges, universities, and other organizations interested in track and field, long-distance running, and racewalking, USATF promotes programs of training and competition for men and women and boys and girls of all ages; protects the interests and eligibility of its some 125,000 member-athletes; and establishes and maintains the sports' rules of competition. The USATF is comprised of 56 member Associations.
USA Track & Field's mission is to continue its leadership role as the world's preeminent national governing body in Athletics-from the grassroots to the elite level. It will provide opportunities for athletes of all ages to pursue excellence in long-distance running, racewalking, and track and field in the USA. USA Track & Field is located in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The contributing authors of USA Track & Field Coaching Manual are among the best coaches and experts in the sport of track and field. This unique collection of elite track and field experts share the training methods and coaching philosophies they have used to train national, world, and Olympic champions. The list of contributors includes the following:
* Joseph Rogers (organizing a successful program), Head Track and Cross Country Coach at Ball State University and former chair of the USATF Coaches Education Committee, contributes his expertise in the organization of a successful program and serves as editor of the manual. He has been coaching since 1965 and at Ball State in NCAA Division I since 1984. He has coached 22 NAIA All-Americans and three NCAA-I All-Americans.
* Phil Henson (predictive testing of athletes), investigator of track and field talent identification, has been coaching track and field for 25 years at the junior high, high school, and university level. He also was former commissioner of the U.S. Olympic Festival from 1983 to 1995 and Competition Manager of the 1996 Olympic Games.
* Paul Turner (predictive testing of athletes), Assistant Track and Field Coach at Harvard University, has 17 years of Division I coaching experience. He brings to the manual experience in the practical application of talent identification and human performance.
* Curtis Frye (100 and 200 meters), coach of Allen Johnson (1996 gold medalist) and 30 NCAA championships, was named the 1999 World Championship Coach. He currently is the Head Track and Field and Cross Country Coach at the University of South Carolina.
* Clyde Hart (400 meters), head track and field coach at Baylor University, is a world-renowned 400-meter coach who has trained many world and Olympic champions, including world-record holder Michael Johnson.
* Ralph Lindeman (100- and 110-meter hurdles), Head Track and Field Coach at the U.S. Air Force Academy, has been on the NCAA Track & Field Rules Committee since 1996 and Chairman of the USA Track & Field's Men's Development/Hurdle Subcommittee since 1992. He was the Head Coach of the USA Men's team at the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg and on the coaching staff of the USA Men's team at the 1992 World Junior Championships in Seoul, Korea.
* John Millar (100- and 110-meter hurdles), Assistant Track Coach/Speed Coach at the University of Notre Dame, has a list of accomplishments that include Head Coach of U.S. National Team at the 1999 World Indoor Championships, Women's Hurdles Coordinator for USA Track & Field, Assistant Coach of the U.S. Pan American Junior Team in 1993, and Coach of the 1984 gold Medalist in 100m hurdles, Benita Fitzgerald.
* Gary Winckler (400-meter hurdles) is currently the Head Women's Track & Field and Cross Country coach at the University of Illinois. He has been named Big Ten Coach of the Year five times (1988, 1989, 1992, 1993, and 1995). Along with his many accomplishments, he has coached three NCAA-I 400-meter hurdle champions, four 400-meter hurdle Olympians, and seven 400-meter hurdles All-Americans.
* Mike Poehlein (800 meters-mile) has been the Head Track and Field and Cross Country Coach for Purdue University for twenty-five years. He was Head Coach for the U.S. team in the Junior Pan American Games in 1997 and was named Big Ten Cross Country Coach of the Year in 1995. From 1989 to 1997, he also traveled to Europe with the Men's Middle Distance Olympic Development for summer competition.
* Lance Harter (3,000-10,000 meters) is currently Head Women's Track & Field Coach at the University of Arkansas. Harter was selected to coach the U.S. women's team at the 1999 World Outdoor Championships. He also was Team USA women's coach at the 1987 World Championships in Warsaw, Poland leading the squad to a team title, as well as coaching the 1984 U.S. team at the World Indoor Track and Field Championships in Paris, France.
* Harry Groves (3,000-10,000 meters) is currently Head Men's Track and Field and Cross Country Coach at Penn State University. He was Head Coach of the USA Team at the 1989 World Cup, as well as Head Coach at the World Championships in 1995, Gothenberg, Sweden. He also was Assistant Olympic Coach in 1992. He has coached 11 American-record holders, 19 national champions, and 13 Olympians.
* Rob Johnson (relays), Head Track and Field Coach at Wabash College, will be one of five assistant coaches for the USA Track and Field Team at the 2000 Olympic Games. Some of his accomplishments include longtime work with the Olympic Development Committee and two U.S. Junior National Teams, one of which broke two world records, as well as head track coach for the North Team at the 1983 Olympic Sports Festival in Colorado Springs and assistant coach at the National Sports Festival in New York.
* Karen Dennis (relays), Head Coach for the 2000 Olympics USA Track and Field team, currently coaches at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. She has coached many outstanding athletes, including Judi Brown-King, 1984 Olympic silver medalist in the 400-meter hurdles; 12-time Big Ten champion sprinter Cheryl Gilliam; three-time All-American and 13-time Big Ten champion Odessa Smalls; and cross country All-American, 10,000-meter All-American, and Big Ten champion Mary Shea.
* Kyle Tellez (long jump), Assistant Coach at the University of Houston, has coached NCAA All-Americans John Davis, Nathan Labus, and Edwina Ammonds.
* Kathy James (long jump), formerly the Assistant Track and Field Coach at the University of Texas, was the USA Track and Field Women's Development Coordinator for Long Jump and Triple Jump from 1990 to 1995. She also was involved with the Olympic Sports and Festival Teams for the South in 1990 and 1991. In 1991, she traveled with the U.S. Junior National Team.
* Dean Hayes (triple jump), Head Track and Field Coach at Middle Tennessee State University, has coached several All-Americans and three Olympians. These Olympians include Tommy Haynes and Rayfiel Dupree in the triple jump and Brian Oldfield in shot put. His coaching accomplishments also include head coach of the U.S. team that competed in the World University Games in 1985, coach for the U.S. team at the 1988 Olympic Games, head coach of the 1990 Goodwill Games, head coach of the U.S. team that competed in the World Cup in 1994, and head coach of the 1997 World Championship team.
* Sue Humphrey (high jump), USATF Women's Development Chairman, has been named the Nike Elite Coach of the Year. She was an Olympic Coach in 1992 and 1996. Some of her additional accomplishments include USA National Team Coach since 1974, Head Pan Am Games Coach 1987, Head World Cup Coach in 1985 and Head Olympic Manager in 1992.
* Doug Nordquist (high jump) is a former USA Outdoor High Jump (7'8") Champion. He was fifth place on the 1984 Olympic Team, the 1986 Goodwill Champion, and a two-time National Champion. He currently belongs to the USATF High Jump Development team.
* Jim Bemiller (pole vault), Pole Vault Coach at the University of Tennessee, has coached five NCAA title winners and seventeen NCAA All-Americans.
* William Godina (shot put), author of the USATF Instructor Training Course, also was the coach of the 1990 Junior National Discus Champion. He belongs to the USATF Coaching Education Program and coaches throws for Cheyenne Central High School in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
* Ronald Backes (shot put) is currently Assistant Track Coach (throws) at Ohio State University. He was a shot put competitor in the 1992 Summer Olympics as well as U.S. Indoor Shot Put Champion in 1991 and U.S. Outdoor Shot Put Champion in 1987, 1988, 1991, and 1992.
* Don Babbitt (discus) throws and Multi-Events Coach at the University of Georgia has coached 45 NCAA qualifiers, 45 All-Americans, and 15 NCAA Champions. One of his outstanding performers includes Janet Hill, who still holds the NCAA Division II discus throw record; she is a three-time qualifier for the U.S. Olympic Trials and was ranked sixth in the United States in 1993.
* C. Harmon Brown (javelin) has coached numerous All-Americans and three Olympians in throwing events. He currently is the throws coach for Millbrae Lions Track Club, California State University, Hayward, and San Francisco State University. He has coached at the club, high school, collegiate, and national and international levels since 1953.
* Bill Webb (javelin), Head Coach at the University of Tennessee, has coached 10 NCAA Champions, 49 Division I All-Americans, 51 Division II All-Americans, 35 SEC Champions and a total of 24 Olympic Trials competitors. Included in these outstanding athletes is Tom Petranoff, former world-record holder in the javelin, and Bob Roggy, a past American record holder.
* Bob Sing (javelin) is currently practicing as an Emergency, Family, and Sports physician. He authored the book Dynamics of the Javelin Throw, 1984. He was a Division III NCAA Champion in 1974 and a finalist in the 1980 U.S. Olympic Trials.
* Ken Bantum (hammer), former NCAA and USA Track and Field Shot Put champion and Olympian, formerly shared his talent at Saint John's University as the Throws Coach. He has coached athletes to 10 National Championships, and indoors and out American recordholding athletes have competed in the Pan American Games, World Games, and Olympic Games in Hammer Throw.
* Jeff Salvage (racewalking) holds the position of U.S. Junior National Racewalk Coordinator. He also is the coach of national class racewalkers. He is a former international racewalking competitor himself and has been the director of racewalks at the Penn Relays.
* Bohdan Bolwicaski (racewalking) was the former coach in residence at the Arco Training Center and a former Olympic racewalker himself.
* Gwen Robertson (racewalking) is currently Head Girls and Boys Track Coach at Issaquah High School in Washington. She is the National Team Coordinator and a former National Team racewalking member.
* Ian Whatley (racewalking) is the USA Track & Field Sports and Sciences Subcommittee Chair. He has competed in three U.S. Olympic trials and has competed internationally in racewalking. He currently is an advanced concepts and research and design consultant in the sporting goods industry.
* Gary Westerfield (racewalking) is currently on the IAAF racewalk Judges Panel. At this time, he is one of only three certified judges in the U.S. and one of only 60 around the world. He is the coach of national-class racewalkers and coaches Boy's Track and Field at Smithtown High school in New York. Formerly, he was the TAC National Team Coordinator for racewalking.
* Cliff Rovelto (Heptathlon), Head Track and Field Coach at Kansas State University, has coached two Olympians, three NCAA Champions, and 59 NCAA All-Americans. These include Nicole Green, NCAA outdoor 400-meter champion; Percell Gaskins, 1993 NCAA indoor high jump champion; Connie Teaberry, six-time All-American high jumper; and Clifton Etheridge, six-time Big Eight horizontal jump title winner.
* Harry Marra (decathlon) is currently the coach of the USA National Decathlon Team. Since its founding in 1990, the National Team now holds every possible World Record in decathlon competition. Marra has been named as coach for the Olympic Festival (1981 and 1982) and three times coach for the USA Decathlon Team that competed against the Germans, Russians, and Canadians. He has recently been named as Assistant Coach for the 1999 Pan American Games. Brian Brophy, Marra's current top decathlete, made the USA World Championship Team, Gothenborg, Sweden, 1995, was third at the 1998 USA National Championships, and represented the U.S. at the 1998 Goodwill Games.
Table of Contents
* Part I: Coaching Essentials
o Chapter 1. Organizing a Successful Program
+ Joseph L. Rogers
o Chapter 2. Predictive Testing of Athletes
+ Phil Henson and Paul Turner
* Part II: Running Events
o Chapter 3. 100 and 200 Meters
+ Curtis Frye
o Chapter 4. 400 Meters
+ Clyde Hart
o Chapter 5. 100- and 110-Meter Hurdles
+ Ralph Lindeman and John Millar
o Chapter 6. 400-Meter Hurdles
+ Gary Winckler
o Chapter 7. 800 Meters to Mile
+ Mike Poehlein
o Chapter 8. 3,000 to 10,000 Meters
+ Lance Harter and Harry Groves
o Chapter 9. Relays
+ Rob Johnson and Karen Dennis
* Part III: Jumping Events
o Chapter 10. Long Jump
+ Kyle Tellez and Kathy James
o Chapter 11. Triple Jump
+ Dean Hayes
o Chapter 12. High Jump
+ Sue Humphrey and Doug Nordquist
o Chapter 13. Pole Vault
+ Jim Beemiller
* Part IV: Throwing Events
o Chapter 14. Shot Put
+ William Godina and Ronald Backes
o Chapter 15. Discus
+ Don Babbitt
o Chapter 16. Javelin
+ C. Harmon Brown, Bill Webb, and Bob Sing
o Chapter 17. Hammer
+ Ken Bantum
* Part V: Racewalking and Multiple Events
o Chapter 18. Racewalking
+ Jeff Salvage, Bohdan Bolwicaski, Gwen Robertson, Ian Whatley, and Gary Westerfield
o Chapter 19. Heptathlon
+ Cliff Rovelto
o Chapter 20. Decathlon
+ Harry Marra
Words of Praise
"There is a tremendous amount of good information in the USA Track & Field Coaching Manual, with alternative techniques explained very well. The book gives coaches valuable tools from basic teaching methods to advanced workout patterns. It's a valuable tool for coaches or athletes in any stage of development."
Sam Bell
President of United States Track Coaches Association
Indiana University Head Coach, 1969-1998
"This manual represents material presented by some of the top coaches in the world. The sharing of their expertise and applications for other coaches is invaluable!"
Deanne Vochatzer
Head Coach, Women's Track and Field
University of California-Davis
Women's Head Coach, 1996 Olympic Games
"What I liked most about the USA Track & Field Coaching Manual is that it covers all aspects of coaching track and field and stresses the athlete's best interest. This book is appropriate for all coaches from those starting out to higher levels."
Irv Hunt
Head Coach, Men's Track and Field
University of California-Berkeley
Men's Head Coach, 1996 Olympic Games
"The USA Track & Field Coaching Manual is a resource library for coaches at all levels. The shared knowledge imparts fresh ideas into any coaching repertoire."
Karen Dennis
Head Coach, Women's Track and Field
University of Nevada-Las Vegas
Women's Head Coach, 2000 Olympic Games
