Will they understand? Will they consider?
Do the TTOC / NAAA have the mental capacity to understand?
The 5 Phases of the 100m Sprint when applied to TTO track & field development.
The 5 Phases of the 100m Sprint when applied to TTO track & field development.
Success in Track & Field will depend exclusively on the developmental plan and implementation of that plan by, and with the collaboration of efforts among the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Sports. The sports arenas have been provided almost exclusively by the Sports Company, without the input from the TTOC and its affiliates. The chief protagonists of these facilities are the NAAA, TTFA, and the non-associate sports carnival “fete“ festivities. This is the wrong approach to development of Track & Field in TTO.
The wealth of information provided at ever frequent workshops and conference appearances by invitees to lectures sponsored by the TTOC, has not shown any signs of developmental growth in the process. It’s the same people who attend each time at the pleasure of Brian Lewis - the President of the TTOC.
The recipients of these deliverances are the same people who attend for the sole purpose of building an attendance resume. Then what? After 17 years of inactivity, the saga continues. No change!
The athletic fraternity requires no introduction: You can read “do a deal” articles about their good will, and foreign exploits. No meaningful reports submitted to create dialogue addressing situational occurrences of team/officials behavioral maladies and applied remedies.
Take a moment to examine their coaching concepts and philosophy. It is pretty sketchy, as if it has been photocopied over and over, for the past 15 years. Track & Field in T&T is experiencing a major athletic decline as well as the firepower in the arsenal and structural format.
The NAAA’s overall picture of an assumed 5 phases of the 100m sprint to develop Track & Field in Trinidad & Tobago remains clear. The NAAA have no idea about what is needed to develop an athletic program. This is the NAAA’s idealist concept and projected contribution to the development of athletics in the nation. They charted this alleged 5 phase Strategic Developmental Plan in the race to secure firepower for the future of Track &Field in the homeland.
- Reaction Time: Joint agreement with Secondary School Association.
- Block Clearance: To train officials for future Secondary School Track Meets.
- Speed of Efficient Acceleration: Two hours of Theory preceding NAAA Development Meets.
- Maintenance of Maximum Velocity: Practical applications officiating duties said Meets.
- Lessened Degree of Deceleration: Promise to Meet with Secondary School Administrators and that of the Ministry of Sports.
Looking at this disclosed plan of the NAAA with the Secondary School Association; it’s no wonder why club coaches elect to hold on to their charges instead of allowing them to fully enjoy the honor of participation in school sports.
The Speed and Acceleration phase. This doesn’t show the whole picture as one component can brutally affect the next section. The educated move would be Primary school to Secondary School .This would facilitate the proper block clearance sets up for proper speed of efficient acceleration or transition to the obvious level of development.
When the NAAA places great emphasis or focus on the speed and acceleration phase of their program, the country will pay the price and substantively increase their deceleration phase as we are now experiencing. Where is our farm system?
Here are some suggestions utilizing the 100m Sprint described in the 5 Phases method for Track & Field development in TTO.
Reaction Time
Reaction time is measured by the time taken from the firing of the gun to the first muscular reaction performed by the athlete. The primary school should be the genesis of this programmed experience.
A depraved reaction time or improper facilitation at the primary school level will produce a very different 100 meter race pattern with the transition roaring through the next phase impassively!
Block Clearance
Two things come to mind:
1) Provide the badly needed biomechanics installation at this level in the preparation for international competition in order to generate the greatest power to overcome apathy.
2) The greater the number of Secondary Schools participating in frequently conducted Track & Field Meets, examples being dual/triangular Meets. The force applied in driving this phase from the starting blocks; the greater the preliminary velocity produced to motivate athletes contributing to the pride of their school.
The block clearance phase prepares the athlete for the next phase: To create and preserve the honor of their school; Setting up keen rivalries with an emerging eye on the prize; National honors, international experiences, scholarships, to represent their county abroad.
Speed of Efficient Acceleration
In this phase the athlete accelerates to maximum velocity in as short a time as possible. They start to take their game seriously. They bring their best game to the table each outing. There is a light at the end of their tunnel: Trips, Glory, Fame, Scholarships to tertiary institutions. This is the emergence of their specializations for the arena.
In this phase the athlete accelerates to maximum velocity in as short a time as possible. They start to take their game seriously. They bring their best game to the table each outing. There is a light at the end of their tunnel: Trips, Glory, Fame, Scholarships to tertiary institutions. This is the emergence of their specializations for the arena.
The word “optimal” comes to mind, where an effective acceleration phase can produce the highest maximum velocity. They are ready to make the transitions from Secondary to Tertiary and eventually international experiences.
Maintenance of Maximum Velocity
Optimizing is a popular word here. An optimal combination of stride rate; stride length, and ground contact time, will produce the highest top end speed.
Optimizing is a popular word here. An optimal combination of stride rate; stride length, and ground contact time, will produce the highest top end speed.
This can only be achieved over an eight year period by the all-inclusive collaboration of all institutions.
Lessened Degree of Deceleration
Running fast, jumping, and throwing consistently well, meeting all universally acclaimed ranking standards .This would demonstrate the athletes’ preparedness to enter the elite kingdom. They will attract the likes of Puma, Nike, Adidas etc.
Running fast, jumping, and throwing consistently well, meeting all universally acclaimed ranking standards .This would demonstrate the athletes’ preparedness to enter the elite kingdom. They will attract the likes of Puma, Nike, Adidas etc.
Dr.Cliff Bertrand
