Great National Championships

This has been one of the most anticipated Nationals for two basic reasons. The fact that it is the Olympic trials created its own interest and excitement. Secondly, this was the first time that Renny Quow and Richard Thompson were seriously challenged and dethroned. The clash between Thompson and Bledman brought back the spark in track. In the 400 metres Deon Lendore the young Abilenian and Lalonde Gordon realised that Quow was vulnerable. They defeated him. Clearly, track and field, because of the competitive nature of the sports, won the day. The athletes must be congratulated for bringing some energy, both physical and emotional back to track and field.

One must admit that there is indeed a Trini culture. However, some things could be overkill and taken too far.

 

 

As a track and field advocate, one sincerely hopes that the rhythm section and the DJ do not become an integral part of the landscape of track and field in T&T. When fans want to feel the rhythm they go to Borough Day in Arima and Point. When they want to prance and carry on they go to a place where the DJ will be burning up the place. 

A track meet is not a fete match and there ought to be no semblance of one. Having the drums booming and the DJ blasting while the long jumpers are competing is totally inappropriate and unnecessary. Someone mentioned that the noise was so loud that some people had to give up their preferred seat to move as far away from the band instead of their usual position close to the finish line. Having the DJ playing while the 1,500 metre race is in progress is unacceptable.

 

 

This is not a fete in here; this is madness.  Play, play mister DJ. Is it that track and field cannot stand on its own merit that we need all the appendages? It is my understanding that serious competitors need to focus, concentrate, visualise, verbalise, analyse, listen to their inner self and engage in meditative, mental and psychological processes. It is a fact that some of these processes could be interrupted and obstructed by music and sounds of a particular nature, volume, tone and beats per minute. Oh well, It must not be a Trini thing. How is it possible that at National Championships and Olympic trials false starts could be permitted? The starter and the assistant starter have critical roles to play. One of the roles is to ensure that no athlete is at a disadvantage in any way at the start of the race. On no less than three occasions the starter allowed the race to proceed when it was quite obvious that one athlete false started. The events included: the men’s “A” 200 metres race, the 100 metres women’s “B” race and the women’s “B” 200 metres. The starter and his assistant both did a great and grave injustice to athletes in those races. Why won’t these races recalled? What occurred at the start of the 800 metres race with James that created a delay?

 

 

 

Something must be done to increase the number of spectators at our track meets. The NAAA might be extremely satisfied with the turn out for the nationals. Did you notice that this year the entrance fee was $50 and not $40 as in previous years? Come on man; organise a big championship and charge people $100 or $150. Are we afraid that the stands would be empty? If that’s the case, then you would know the status of track and field in T&T. An increase of $10 was not warranted. 20% of the onlookers went in free. Last year there were only two athletes in the women’s 1,500 metres race. This year the same thing occurred. The very same two athletes competed. What are the strategic plans to develop the 800 and 1,500 metres women? What are the plans to develop the triple jump, high jump and long jump for women and men? The NAAA should partner with the Ministry of Education to provide buses to schools to have our children talented or not attend the games at least one day as an education exercise or field trip? 

 

 

 

Would the NAAA want to meet the Ministry of National Security to bring out all the members of the Police Youth Groups across the country? How about having a conversation with the Ministry of Community Development in bringing out the youth groups around the country to the meet? Is there a place for the Ministry of Sport in assisting in mobilising all those sporting groups to attend the National Championships? It is worth a try—building our nation through sports. Our youth and the general population need to be part of these events for a variety of reasons. Our citizens need to experience these sporting events in greater numbers. Do you think if the NAAA brings Machel and Destra to the championships next year they could full the stadium? How about if the government bring down Shaq and Lebrun? Congratulations to all those athletes who competed in the true spirit of track and field and were selected to the team for the Olympic Games in London—wishing “Team TTO” every success. Remember these words: “Though I compete against you, you are not my enemy, you are my adversary. Your strength gives me courage, your will ennobles me, your spirit defines me.  Though I aim to defeat you, if I should succeed I shall not humiliate you, instead, I shall honour you, because, with out you I am a lesser man.”

TTOC must abort conspiracy of silence

Larry Romany, left, the TTOC president and Brian Lewis the organization’s secretary general.

There are about ten television stations available to the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) to air their views  in T&T.

The channels include 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 14 ,15 (on cable). There are three daily newspapers that are widely read. There are about thirty radio stations. Channel 14 is WI Sports, a station dedicated to local sports. It is available to TTOC President Larry Romany, more so because Brian Lewis Honorary Secretary of the TTOC is a host on this station. What then is the conspiracy of silence? It was a pleasant surprise to see a two-page special in the T&T Guardian—on May 25, 2012, pages A49 and 50—engaging the Olympics, its history, motto, creed, rings and oath. This was interesting especially in an Olympic year. One can view a programme on ESPN called Great Moments of the Olympic Games. It features legendary Olympians. The likes of Herb Mckenley, Jesse Owens, Carl Lewis, Arthur Wint, and other great performers.

 

 

What has the TTOC done this year to promote our participation in the Olympics .How can this generation Google and text our glorious past at the Olympic Games? It is now time for the TTOC to exercise damage control! Come on! Give us something about: Kelly-Ann Baptiste, Wendell Mottley, Edwin Roberts, Hasely Crawford, Ato Boldon, Richard Thompson, George Bovell III and others. Wet our appetite! Stimulate our enthusiasm! Just give us something! Better yet, evoke the spirit of “Olympism.” Why can’t we see a banner? A billboard? The Olympic Rings? Why can’t we hear from the Olympic Committee? Brian Lewis Honorary secretary and Larry Romany President of the TTOC should help us understand the reason for their nonchalant attitude. Our athletes have succeeded where everyone else has failed them. They have brought home gold, silver and bronze from the Olympic mines across the globe. There are many miners but few collect minerals. Yet we fail to celebrate, to motivate, to inform the public about “Team TTO’s” mission. They fail to support our gallant men and women as they prepare for another mission abroad.

 

 

The TTOC is ashamed to do their part. However, they lay in wait to reap the benefits of “TEAM TTO’s” achievements; they enjoy the trip providers’ sustained ability to provide opportunity for them to travel. The TTOC’s incompetence is filled with the venom of arrogance. On the other hand, The Jamaicans are leaders, masters of their craft, directors of their destiny with loyalty to country, promoters of their art form in every aspect of national pride and freedom of speech. Justice Patrick Robinson speaks of his country saying: “The government sensitive to the lessons of the past and a wider society from Beijing Olympics organised Celebrations Island wide over a period of four days.” The TTOC has failed this country. There are members of this organisation who know of the ills, they speak on it off the records yet they decide to go along with the flow. They are mute. They have lost the art of communication . What is communication or to communicate? It can be defined as a process through which an idea, information, feelings or emotion is passed on, shared, exchanged or transferred from one point to the other. Without communication there can never be a proper way. That which is hidden or covered.

 

 

Secrets of the TTOC

 

• Status of the Trinidad and Tobago identifier for international sports: The new identifier will be TTO. This identifier was established some years ago by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and will be approved after the 2012 London Olympics. The process to have the country code change will be resolved shortly. The ISO 3166 has had TTO # 780 as the three letter alpha for T&T for years and no one is sure why or when TRI became the country code for international sports.Tobago’s Inclusiveness is questionable!

 

 

• Coaching T&T youths: There is a youth programme focused on developing our youths in sports. It is funded annually by several private sector organisations. What qualifies the athletes, and who are the companies involved are unknown.  “The local Olympic body respects the privacy of athletes.”  Call the TTOC. # 625-1285

 

 

• Quality of coaching: Continuous sports management courses are held at the TTOC main office in Port-of-Spain at $300 a pop. Yet, sporting bodies have internal challenges: political infighting, poor professionalism, poor communication practices, low attendance and production rates.

 

 

• IAAF “B” Standard Scholarship project available: It enables athletes who have the potential but lack the appropriate athletic environment to develop. The IAAF will provide the necessary support not available in T&T. Achieve the “B” standard. The IAAF will give scholarship preference to the under-23 age category.

 

 

• “Team TTO” 2012 uniforms will be unveiled in London prior to to the opening ceremonies.

 

 

• The TTOC is not going to have a press officer to interview the Olympic team while in London: They will rely on the local journalists. Although The media plays an important role in the lifeline for the nation, The TTOC’s strategic plan; “ is not something we would make known to the public because we don’t like the media involved in athletes personal affairs.” TRI or TTO 2013? Questionable!

 

 

• The IOC partners, with rights in our jurisdiction: Coca Cola, Ethos, Dow, Omega, Samsung mobile phones, Panasonic, Acer, McDonald’s, Visa, General Electric, Procter and Gamble.

 

 

• The TTOC partners are: Guardian Holdings, Lisa Communications, bpTT, Scotiabank, Caribbean Air, Adidas and Bmobile.

 

Abort the conspiracy of silence!

‘We do not like the media involved’

Larry Romany—President of the TTOC at a recent intermnational sports conference.

With 100 days before the 2012 Olympic Games the IOC launched a social media proposal. Through it fans could access and engage preferred athletes and heroes in conversation. Romany’s response: “TTOC has no money to use media.”  Is this because TV6 has subcontracted from Sports Max to cover the games? What arrangement has the TTOC made to get local journalists certified for the London 2012? You do not need the permission of the IAAF/IOC to give out this information. It is not the practice of T&T media to charge for news coverage, conferences or releases. This is not a money issue. It is a deeply rooted, psychological, sociological and colonial mentality. The media’s attempt to get information from the TTOC is extremely frustrating. The layers of social stratification are thick.

 

 

Contacting TTOC President Larry Romany

 

Telephone #625-1285.

In order to contact Romany you have to:

(1) E-mail him first

(2) State your business

(3) Identify yourself and organisation

(4) Then await a reply from him.

 

 

He does not usually take calls.

An unhealthy element of secrecy dominates this organisation of thinkers. What are the members of the committee doing? Or is the information given to them as a secret. One would think that executive and ordinary members owe their respective Organisations information. When are the Olympic Committee meetings held? By extension, the public should also be made aware. Silence is not the method to be adopted by the TTOC. It’s scary these days, with reports about kidnappings. One should proceed with caution. Despite this, the spirit of “Olympism” should prevail. If the media present a problem then the TTOC should print its own newsletter, project there views, operations and understandings of sports under the Olympic private policy code disclosures. There is no obligation to do this. It is simply not the public’s business. However, it is mandated by the IOC. The TTOC should liaise with the British embassy in T&T and seek help. T&T first competed in London under British rule in 1948. T&T returns 64 years later as an independent nation to compete in the London 2012 Olympic Games. An historic occasion.

 

 

The TTOC should praise and thank the news media for keeping the public informed, for promoting the Olympic ideals without costs to the organisation. The media are doing the job of the organisation. The thinking here is “if the media choose to cover the Olympics, it is their problem.” The TTOC officials have already been selected for the games. It is common practice. Despite this practice, the public would like to be informed of ticket arrangements, days and times of the events, travel documents, lodgings, local transportation, safety information. The international body mandates that the TTOC educate about the Olympic preparation in T&T. Romany: “TTOC has no money to use media.”  However, the Olympic Solidarity’s aim is to organise assistance for National Olympic Committees with needs. To help NOCs the Olympic Solidarity offers an efficient consulting service to assist them in gaining access to financial, technical and administrative assistance.

The Olympic Solidarity Commission has increased the financial assistance to the NOCs. The TTOC is a recipient of these funds.

 

 

“We don’t like the media involved. “What is the NOC’s role.”

The NOC’s mission outlined in the Olympic Charter (Rule 31, art. 2.1):

• Develop and protect the Olympic Movement in their respective countries;

• Propagate the fundamental principles of Olympism;

• Diffusion through educational programs in schools.

 

 

The precise definition of Olympism is not found in international dictionaries. It is not contained in the Olympic Charter. Coubertin himself refrained from giving a definition. The term was coined and appeared from 1909 as a set of values. These values are not clearly defined. They are the basic values of ancient Greek philosophers. They believed that young people should exercise in order to have a healthy body. Cultivate ethical and spiritual values to attain perfection. It is, therefore, obvious that today the philosophy of Olympism pursues pedagogical and educational objectives and does not influence only those who participate in the Olympic Games, but also millions of people who watch them on  television. There are over half dozen TV stations operating in T&T. The TTOC should use these media forms to solve many of their problems. Their avoidance of the media suggests, something to hide, mistrust, a code of silence, cultivating a culture of ignorance, to assume total control.

 

 

The TTOC may invite the importance of intellectual property to the Olympic movement into the conversation:

“Under the Olympic Charter, most elements of the Olympic IPR (including the Olympic symbol, flag, motto and anthem) belong exclusively to the IOC. While the NOCs and OCOGs have limited rights with respect to emblems that they develop and use for a particular Games, after those Games are finished the rights for those emblems must be assigned to the IOC.”

You do not need the permission of the IAAF/IOC to give out Olympic information.

Rise of the hunting pack

T&T’s Renny Quow, second right, receives the baton from Deon Lendore during the men’s 4x800m relay final event at the Central American and Caribbean Athletics Championship in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, last July. AP Photo

The road to the London Olympics passes through New York at Icahn Stadium, on Saturday. Each athlete’s pathway is dissimilar. However the resources to make the journey more developmental are there. This includes this important pit stop in New York where the Adidas Grand Prix showcases the journey with world-class athletes as they make their way through the biggest and brightest city in the world, heading towards the Olympic Games. No matter what happens from now until the end, the world  will bear witness. This  second decade will see the fastest or even the greatest quarter-milers ever since the likes of  Michael Johnson appeared on the planet. T&T has a new generation of green quarter-milers which include Lendore, Hewitt, Forte, Lalonde, Solomon, Mitchell, Richards, Cedenio, Quow. These rivals hopefully will be assembled to do battle at the T&T championships at the end of this month. Six will rise and make the hunting pack. They will all seek to be the Alpha quartermiler of this generation’s litter to challenge and dethrone the reigning king and claim the crown as new champion. The Alpha will lead his pack of young cubs against the best in the world.

 

 

To win a medal they must run under three minutes. Currently the team is ranked 13th on the list. The limit is 16 teams. The former Olympian and 400 metres record holder, Ian Morris wrote about this earlier in April. The game is on. They are young, untried, inexperience, nervous, the adrenaline is flowing. Their blood must travel through ice cold veins to achieve their purpose. Their assignment is to put the country on the map charted by their predecessors. A noble bunch of boys grew up to be men in Tokyo 1964.They  put together silver and gold to the reality of a World record in the 4 x 400 relay in Jamaica 1966. There is no pressure on this young pack. They should just go out there and run to their potential. This is their freshman year. Their destiny should be fulfilled in 2013.  It will be historic. And the world is on notice of the coming impact of this nation on track & field. The man from the East, Deon Lendore,  will lead the charge. He is from the club Abilene. Abilene: (land of meadows)—a city situated on the eastern slope of Antilibanus, in a district fertilized by the river Barada (Abana). The city was 18 miles from Damascus, and stood in a remarkable gorge called Suk Wady Barada. Arima is 18 miles from East of Port-of-Spain. It is in the lowland valley of the Northern Range. It is fertilised by the  “ice  factory river”—running north to south to the mighty Caroni.

 

 

What a season it will be for Lendore if it turns out that my optimism is converted into results. While the nation waits, sprint sensations Kelly-Ann Baptiste, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Carmelita Jeter, and Yohan Blake will run in the Grand Prix in New York, one of the premier track-and-field events in the world. It is the sixth stop on the international Samsung Diamond League circuit, and the third stop on the Visa Championship Series.  Randall’s Island in New York City—that’s where the action will be. The London Olympic Stadium will be officially opened this weekend in the presence of IAAF President Lamine Diack and 40,000 spectators, one of whom will be plucked from the crowd on Saturday evening to perform the formal opening rites.

The ceremony – including 'top secret’ celebrity entertainme—will be held in the midst of the London Games’ athletics test event which takes place from Friday to Monday  marking the first competitive action on the track where Bolt, Blake, and others. will strut their stuff just 12 weeks—or 2012 hours—later. Those with some prospect of making the T&T team include: Ahye, Alexander, Selvon, Lucas, Hackett, Wilson, Jehue, Burns, Brown and Callendar,  Thompson, Sorillo and Murrain. For them, this test event is a chance to sample the particular geography, feel and atmosphere of an arena where they hope to live their Olympic dreams in the near future, an opportunity no 'international’ athlete will have before teams arrive in July for the Games themselves. That lies in the future, however. The London Olympic Stadium’s first small entry into athletics history will be written this weekend; the main chapter will follow shortly.

Is Richard ready to race in London?

Richard Thompson celebrates second place in the men’s 100m Final and the silver medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 16, 2008 in Beijing, China. AP PHOTO

Is Richard ready to race in London? Where is Richard Thompson headed? Are his eyes focused? Is his voice echoing the inward hunger as it was at the Beijing Olympics where he won two silver medals? Does he possess the same desire as then? To win the NCAA Division One championships puts you in an enviable state of mind that is positively unbelievable. This is because you have just beaten the best America has to offer. It is what he did prior to his outstanding performances in Beijing. Thompson is now four years older. Is age becoming a factor? Is his mind and body connecting at the same intensive level with reactive efficiency that it did four years earlier? Thompson constantly returns to his college alma mater training grounds to rejuvenate his spirit and his karma. Would this solidify his quest for gold in London?

 

 

John Smith now coaches him in California. Smith also coaches Walter Dix, America’s hope for gold. Is this a replay of the Ato Boldon/Maurice Greene scenario?  Different times, different turf, different dynamics and competitors. Different focus. Three Jamaicans, like the witches in Macbeth, appear upon the heat with a Frenchman. Past, Present and Future of track.  Ever since he doubled as the 100 and 200-metres NCAA champion in 2008, Thompson has not committed to that work load intensity. He's never been hungry enough to challenge for the title of world’s best sprinter since a tall young man named Usain Bolt emerged to stunt his growth. Last season was marred by the Hasely Crawford Stadium fiasco. Blatant administrative blunders and false timing, caused him to shut down 2011 in July after he posted a personal best of 9.86 for the 100 metres event on this track. He went on to compete in Korea. Was he really there? This was answered by his performance.

 

 

In June, he is headed for a showdown against Keston Bledman who hungers for him. He ran 10.14 in Jamaica and 10.24 in Doha and has put on weight. What does that mean? It means that he has to learn how to run with that weight /bulk and to control and effectively use the weight to his advantage.  This new physique would suggest he must forgo any attempt at the 200 metres. How is this going to affect his sprinting ability?

The preparation for something new may have included:

[1] Speed endurance training mixing aerobic and anaerobic training

[2] Weight training: flexibility power and resistance training

[3] Mental and psychological preparation

[4] Avoidance of negative people and environmental stimuli

[5] Sprinting, starting. Reaction and acceleration drills. Video tape reviews.

 

 

It may be a combination of all five categories. The world is going to crown the Olympic champion in less than three months and he is lifting weights and training. This is a strange learning experience under John Smith. Nevertheless, Thompson has reason to be optimistic. Smith has been there before. He knows his game and has a résumé to be envied? Can he train Thompson for the big one? He coached champions before. He himself was a champion. Thompson must be well ahead of schedule if he is training seriously. His times this year are neither impressive nor reflective of his ability. He must be working on a peaking plan. The only thing that should matter to him this year is the Olympic Games. Is his preparations solid enough to beat the likes of Usain Bolt, Yohane Blake, and Tyson Gay. These three runners have all run under 10 seconds for the 100 metres, under 20 seconds for the 200 metres and under 46 seconds for the 400 metres. They are all world champions at a sub-lunar existence.

 

 

The other parts of the puzzle are Asafa Powell, Walter Dix, Le Maitre, and Gatlin. It may not be a bad idea if Thompson can associate himself with major prep races on the road to London which passes through the continents: America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. Times spent in T&T before the Olympics Games should be minimal. If not, it will present an unhealthy “oil down—pelau” of problems.  Thompson is certainly capable of medalling in London, but he needs to assess his present position in relation to where he wants to be.  He must do that now, as he does not have the luxury of time.

Relay parts need to be changed

Olympic 4x100 silver medalists, left to right, Keston Bledman, Emmanuel Callender, Marc Burns, Richard Thompson

Nobody tripped and fell in front of T&T. Nobody dropped the baton. Nobody ran out of the exchanged zone. Nobody lost a shoe. For the 4 x 100 metres men’s relay team, it meant a good trip. The temperature was fluctuating between 60-62 degrees. It was brisk with a spinal chill. With 49,000  bodies functioning at 96.6 degrees body temperature, there was heat in the stands. T&T team with Keston Bledman, Marc Burns, Emmanuel Callendar, and Richard Thompson clocked 39.3 seconds for the circuit. This was good enough for fourth.  After working in this order for the past eight years, Bledman who cannot run turns, was on the back of Burns. Burns was outrunning Callendar. Callendar was at fencing practice with a grabbing hand motion target supplied by Thompson. To the normal eye this is 20-20 vision. This team is not running on all available cylinders. It is an  eight-year-old vehicle. It will take you from point A to point B in too long a time. Parts need to be changed for reliable performance. 

 

 

The 4 x 100 relay used to showcase this country’s sprinters as well as the standard of excellence. The spirit of cooperation that defined T&T at Beijing Olympics has come to symbolize the decline, dysfunction, distrust and disappointment of the wrong dynamics at work. There is a culture of mistrust and chaos in the national organization’s relay programme. You have a man coming in at 25 mph and one leaving at 20 mph. No, No, No! Check time, distance, velocity. Mix this with individual ability and behaviour, plus rapid acceleration and leg speed turnover. Burns is a one race man, Bledman a straight away runner, Sorillo into the turn first. Thompson is good coming off the turn. The others cannot take or deliver the baton. Think back to Beijing, Korea, Penn Relays 2011-2012. The relays this year presented T&T with visually pronounced issues. To the casual observer it was business as usual. However this is the Olympic year and things must be observed differently. These issues must be brought to the attention of the administration.

 

 

1. Executive and unwarranted liming at the starting point of the pole vault runway. (1 pm–approx 4.30pm)

2. Why was the masseur encouraging the pole vault lime in open field?

3. Messaging an athlete in 62 degree weather in open field in the lime.

4. The baton exchanges between Calendar and Thompson need to be addressed.

5. The relay team has to be changed to a more productive effort

6. There is a need for more assertive chemistry

7. Why did Ayanna Alexander compete unattached?

 

 

Madeline Hunter’s lesson plan framework reflects general rules for developing skills used in solving problems. In this process, the teacher develops problems, carefully accesses skills needed to solve problems. Create conditions and /or parameters that act as guidelines for productive solutions. These same conditions and parameters also serve as evaluation criteria. Who will be on the 4x400 and the 4x100 metres teams? We have to start fixing the problem at the primary and secondary school levels. This cannot be fixed elsewhere!
Primary/Secondary school Level:

T&T future Olympic Elite Athletes

Aim: Athletes will understand a multiplicity of T&F relay racing skills.

Related goal: Athletes will be able to identify the different skills in track and field relay racing preparation.

 

 

Many athletes fail to realize that any scripted dialogue must be accompanied by activities. Prior to the main activity, students will be watching video clips of major international games. The teacher must make sure the lesson includes an activity that gets the students ready for the body of the lesson. That is the intent of the “anticipatory set, to get the students to anticipate the lesson.” 

 

 

Anticipatory Set:

a) The teacher will start the session by watching video on the proper way to prepare for major games in foreign arenas.

b) There will be an instructional video and clips from this past year’s Penn Relays and 2011 World Championship 

 

 

Objectives: 

a)Students will identify three important components of relay racing.

b) Students will respect each other's baton racing and handling abilities.

c) Students will practise baton exchanges at least 20 - 30 free exchanges during the session time.

 

 

Modeled Practice:

a) The teacher will explain the proper components and mechanics of baton exchanges.

b)The teacher will also demonstrate the proper components and mechanics of baton exchanges in T&F.

 

 

Guided Practice 

a) The teacher will then have the athlete's practice baton exchanges freely at the six stations around the field.

b) The teacher will be walking round the field helping the athletes with their mechanics and make sure they are exchanging the baton with the correct form.

c) The teacher will correct the athletes if and when she /he find mistakes in the way they are exchanging the baton.

 

 

Independent Practice

a) The students will practice exchanges freely on their own at the stations around the field.

b) Students must remember to exchange the baton with the proper mechanics.

c) The teacher will be walking around the field reminding the students of the proper mechanics involved in baton racing.

 

 

Closure:

a) The teacher will gather the students together and review the important components and mechanics that are involved in baton exchanges.

b) The teacher will begin by asking the students to name the components and if they can't remember them or say something that isn't correct, the teacher will tell them the correct components and mechanics.