🎾 Doc 437 1409¶
Giới Thiệu¶
Doc 437 1409 — tài liệu 24 trang từ thư viện sách tennis.
Chủ đề chính: Coach
Tóm tắt nội dung (trích từ tài liệu gốc): MIND GAMES VIEW FROM THE TOP 60-SECOND SUMMARY HOT OFF THE PRESS DIRECTORY S U M M E R 2 0 0 8 � V o l ume 2 0 � N um b er 3 Message from the THE ORDER OF IKKOS MANAGING DIRECTOR INTERGRATION OF PARALMPIC ATHLETES 2007 COACHES OF THE YEAR into "Able-Bodied" High School Club and Collegiate Programs 2008 BEIJING GAMES -- OVERVIEW PRE-EVENT MEALS FUN FACTS ABOUT CHINA TRAVEL NUTRITION CONTENTS SUMMER 2008 � VOLUME 20 � NUMBER 3 FEATURES 17 3 PRE-EVENT MEALS Message from the 19 MANAGING DIRECTOR TRAVEL NUTRITION 4 D E PA R T M E N T S 2007 Coaches of the year 10 6
Lưu ý: Nội dung dưới đây được trích xuất tự động từ PDF gốc tiếng Anh, giữ nguyên ngôn ngữ để bảo toàn độ chính xác kỹ thuật.
Nội Dung Gốc (Tiếng Anh)¶
MIND GAMES
VIEW FROM THE TOP
60-SECOND SUMMARY
HOT OFF THE PRESS
DIRECTORY
S U M M E R 2 0 0 8 � V o l ume 2 0 � N um b er 3
Message from the THE ORDER OF IKKOS
MANAGING DIRECTOR
INTERGRATION OF PARALMPIC ATHLETES
2007 COACHES OF THE YEAR into "Able-Bodied" High School Club and
Collegiate Programs
2008 BEIJING GAMES -- OVERVIEW
PRE-EVENT MEALS
FUN FACTS ABOUT CHINA
TRAVEL NUTRITION
CONTENTS
SUMMER 2008 � VOLUME 20 � NUMBER 3
FEATURES 17
3 PRE-EVENT MEALS
Message from the 19
MANAGING DIRECTOR
TRAVEL NUTRITION
4
D E PA R T M E N T S
2007 Coaches of the year
10
6 VIEW FROM THE TOP
2008 BEIJING GAMES -- OVERVIEW Ron O'Brien
8 20
MIND GAMES
FUN FACTS ABOUT CHINA
What to do before hitting the road: Three key
9 tasks while preparing for the "Big One"
THE ORDER OF IKKOS 22
60-second summary
12
Article Review of Effects of Tapering on
INTEGRATION OF PARALYMPIC Performance: A Meta-Analysis
ATHLETES INTO "ABLED-BODIED"
HIGH SCHOOL CLUB AND COLLEGIATE 24
HOT OFF THE PRESS
PROGAMS
24
DIRECTORY
United States Olympic Committee P U BLI S H E R
United States Olympic Committee
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Coaching Department
Peter V. Ueberroth, Chairman John Hendricks 1 Olympic Plaza
Bob Bowlsby Jair Lynch Colorado Springs, CO. 80909-5760
Bob Ctvrtlik Mary McCagg Telephone: 719.866.3236 or 866.4852
Errol Davis, Jr. Michael Plant
Anita DeFrantz Stephanie Streeter Olympic symbols, marks and terminology protected for the exclusive use
James Easton of the USOC, 36 USC 22506 (formerly 36 USC 380).
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER This publication is copyrighted by the U.S. Olympic Committee, and
James E. Scherr contents may not be reproduced without permission.
EDITORS ON THE COVER
USOC Coaching Department/ Catherine Sellers Left Top Photo: Sean O'Neill- "Doc" Counsilman Science Award Winner
(Table Tennis) Right Top Photo: Sherman Nelson- Volunteer Coach of the Year
OLYMPIC COACH is a publication of the United States Olympic (Taekwondo) Center Photo: Guy Baker- National Coach of the Year (Water
Committee Coaching Division. Readers are encouraged to submit items of Polo) Bottom Left Photo: Adam Bleakney- Paralympic Coach of the Year
interest for possible inclusion. Submitted materials will be acknowledged but (Wheelchair Track and Field) Bottom Right Photo: Paul Yetter- Developmental
cannot be returned, and inclusion cannot be guaranteed. Materials should Coach of the Year (Swimming)
be sent to Catherine Sellers at the address listed
under Publisher.
O L Y M P I C C O A C H VOLUME 20 NUMBER 3
Message from the
PERFORMANCE
SERVICES MANAGING
DIRECTOR
by
DOUG INGRAM
August 8, 2008 at 8:08pm, the XXIX Olympic Games will begin. Lifetimes of
preparation are now being counted in days and even hours. Preparation time is
now converging with competition time. Having been around the Games for a number of
years, I can feel the change in energy as the intensity increases for our athletes and teams.
Last minute issues are being addressed now, so that coaches are free to handle any "truly
last" minute issues. Equipment and uniforms that were shipped in April and May are
arriving in China. The last members of the USA Delegation will be named after Trials
over the next six weeks. USA teams will begin moving into the Olympic Village on July
27th. The time is now--it's every day, not just every four years.
This will be memorable Games. NBC is planning to broadcast over 3,500 hours, more
than all previous NBC broadcast Games combined. You will be able to follow the Games on TV and the Internet. You
can send messages to your favorite athletes via www.amazingawaits.com and watch a great video about the Games and the
commitment made by America's best.
In this issue, we wanted to give you a flavor of what to expect, to get a sense of what the athletes and coaches will
experience and the plans that have been made to help achieve their goals.
America's finest... USOC Coaches of the Year are highlighted with photos from their award's presentation. These coaches
are special as they epitomize the best in their category for accomplishments from 2007. A truly outstanding group of
coaches.
We are also announcing the design winner and showing the medallion design for the Order of Ikkos. The Order of Ikkos
is for coaches of Olympic/Paralympic medalists. This beautiful medallion was designed by Jamie Franki, who designed
the "new" Jefferson nickel. A special ceremony at a stunning venue in Beijing has been developed to honor our coaches
for all their hard work and dedication to helping athletes achieve their dreams.
The View from the Top features Ron O'Brien, one of the finest Diving coaches ever, with seven Head Olympic Coaching
assignments to his credit. His insights will be of interest to any coach.
This is another great issue of Olympic Coach. Enjoy and remember as our nation comes together to support America's
team (our Olympians), it is very special to witness years of preparation culminate in a single moment of glory.
GO USA!
O L Y M P I C C O A C H VOLUME 20 NUMBER 3
Anyone who has ever coached knows the commitment of coaching. Coaches want their athletes to be successful,
to appreciate and learn about the Game. The great moments in coaching come when an athlete regardless of
their age accomplishes a task or a goal for the first time. That moment of child-like pleasure and excitement for the
athlete and the coach is "Zen" like. It is that moment that most coaches cherish.
E ach year, the USOC and the National Governing Bodies also set up online training logs/journals for all the USA Paralympic
(NGBs) have the privilege of honoring America's top Table Tennis team members as well as U.S. Olympic hopefuls.
Coaches. Each NGB nominates a coach for one of five categories: This allows O'Neill, who will be serving as the 2008 Paralympic
National, Paralympic, Developmental, Volunteer and the Head Coach in table tennis to do remote coaching with his team,
"Doc" Counsilman Science Award. Those coaches receive a who are scattered all over the U.S.
special recognition plaque from the USOC representing their
accomplishments and achievements for the previous year. Every 2007 Volunteer Coach of the Year
coach who is nominated is included in the selection pool for The 2007 Volunteer Coach of the Year was nominated by USA
national recognition of their accomplishments and to be named Taekwondo and hails from Washington, D.C., where he works
as the Coach of the Year in their category. The original pool for the D.C. Parks and Recreation Department--Sherman
is reduced from 47 nominees to five finalists. The five finalists Nelson. Sherman donates his time traveling with national teams
receive cherry wood boxes with a commemorative tile indicating to help athletes maximize their opportunity to represent the U.S.
their status as a finalist. The balloting then takes place to select in international competition. His taekwondo program hosts
one person to represent the USA in each of the five categories. This a holiday event for the mentally challenged with his national
year, the National winners of the five categories for the Coaches of competitors serving as the host for the event. Sherman has his
the Year were recognized at the USOC Media Summit in Chicago. older teens conduct peer-to-peer mentoring with the pre-teens.
In 1994, he began teaching taekwondo to expose youth in the
The USOC is pleased to announce the 2007 inner city to the sport that had allowed him to travel all around
Coaches of the Year. They represent the world. Originally he had two sites with 16 kids at one and 12
America's finest coaches throughout our kids at the other. One year later, he had six kids make the Junior
athlete pipeline. Olympics. He has had over 300 athletes with over 25 national
champions, 60 national medalists and 12 national team members.
"Doc" Counsilman Science Award For 2007, two athletes won bronze medals at the U.S. Nationals
The "Doc" Counsilman Science Award is named after the and two won gold at the Junior Pan-American Championships
legendary swimming coach who used science and technology to with another athlete achieving bronze. Finalists: Marilyn Deister
revolutionize swimming. This award is presented to a coach who (Synchronized Swimming), Matthew Dubois (Sailing), Jock
utilizes scientific technique or equipment as an integral part of his/ Oubichon (Table Tennis) and Bill Walker (Diving).
her coaching methods or has created innovative ways to use sport
science. The 2007 winner is Sean O'Neill from USA Table Tennis. 2007 Developmental Coach of the Year
Sean has used the latest online technologies to keep his athletes Paul Yetter (USA Swimming) is the 2007 Developmental Coach
playing their best. Through the use of video and uploading over of the Year and he typifies the description of that coach. The
650 video matches online, national team players and coaches can Developmental Coach is one who works with a youth club, high
view their performances from any web connection. O'Neill has school or junior-level coach, or a coach who is directly responsible
HHHHH
O L Y M P I C C O A C H VOLUME 20 NUMBER 3
U S O C
for coaching athletes to the junior and/or elite level. Yetter is on Sherman Nelson HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Sean O'Neil
the coaching staff of the North Baltimore Aquatic Club. He is Adam Bleakney HHHHHHHHHHH Paul Yetter
the personal coach of Katie Hoff, who won three gold medals
and set two world records at the 2007 World Championships. Guy Baker
Thirteen Yetter-coached athletes have made Swimming's Olympic
Trials cuts, which includes three of his Junior athletes. Since 2002
Paul has helped eight different North Baltimore athletes achieve
over 60 #1 National Age Group rankings. Paul served as the
head women's coach for the 2007 Pan-American Games where
the team took home the gold medal in 14 of 16 events. Finalists:
Jimmy Kim (Taekwondo), Jon Cooper (Ice Hockey), Bob Gunter
(Diving), and Joanne McCallie (Women's Basketball).
Paralympic Coach of the Year
The Paralympic Coach of the Year was the coach for three U.S.
athletes who broke World records in 2007 in Wheelchair events.
Adam Bleakney coaches the Paralympian of the Year Jessica Galli
(WR- 400 meters), Amanda McGrory ( WR- 5000 meters), and
Josh George (WR-800 meters). Currently he is the personal coach
of five out of the 11 members of the U.S. Paralympic Elite team.
Another Bleakney coached athlete, Anjali Forber-Pratt burst
onto the scene this year winning two golds and a bronze at the
ParaPan American Games. Adam is still actively competing and is
a hopeful for Beijing. He is in a unique situation as the coach of
a collegiate track and field program at the University of Illinois-
Champaign in the Adapted Athletic department. Finalists: Ron
Lykins (Women's Wheelchair Basketball) and Steve Wilson (Men's
Wheelchair Basketball).
National Coach of the Year
35-0-1! What an incredible record for the Guy Baker-led
Women's Water Polo team. Add to the unblemished record, a
World Championships, World League Super Final and the Pan-
American Games title and you can see why Guy Baker was named
the National Coach of the Year. This is a team that re-grouped
after a disappointing fourth place finish in 2006. Guy is not only
responsible for the Elite team, but he directs and oversees three
other National teams (20 & under, 18 & under, 16 & under). He
is developing a pipeline for "sustained competitive excellence".
Guy has also created two domestic events for Water Polo. The
Holiday Cup is an international tournament and is the only
traditional tournament outside of Europe where the Europeans
will compete. The second event is the Speedo Top 40 Festival,
which is a three day competition with the Top 40 Women water
polo players competing. Finalists: Bob Bowman (Swimming),
Mike Candrea (Softball), David Johnson (Shooting), and Tom
Terhaar (Rowing).
Five coaches, five great stories and five people with a vision for
the future.
O L Y M P I C C O A C H VOLUME 20 NUMBER 3
2008 Beijing Games Overview
One word can be used to describe the 2008 Olympic Games--spectacular!
These Olympic Games will be unmatched in amazing venues and in a
country that is rich with historic culture. U.S. athletes are preparing for a
competition on the home soil of a serious competitor.
T wenty-eight sports will compete for 303 medals during the
Olympics with 19 Paralympic sports competing 12 days
later. Thirty-one competition venues will be located in Beijing.
Sailing will be in Qingdao; equestrian will be in Hong Kong and
soccer will have preliminary games in Qinhuangdao and Tianjin.
Olympic Venues
The Design of the Games Artist drawings of "The Cube" on the left with the "Bird's Nest"
on the right.
Many of the Olympic events will be contested in an area called
the Olympic Green. The masterpiece of the Olympic Green is Other competitions in the Olympic Green area will include
the Olympic Park Centre Stadium commonly referred to as the archery, artistic gymnastics, cycling, fencing, handball, pentathlon
"Bird's Nest." This will be the site of the Opening and Closing and trampoline.
Ceremonies as well as the track & field competition and soccer The competitions in the University Area are judo, table tennis,
finals. Within 400 meters of the stadium is another unique design taekwondo, weightlifting, wrestling and volleyball.
� The Cube. The Cube (which looks like a giant water cube--see
lower left) will house the swimming, diving, water polo and Artist drawing of the table tennis venue.
synchronized swimming competitions.
Each venue will expose Americans to the unique flair of the
Chinese culture.
O L Y M P I C C O A C H VOLUME 20 NUMBER 3
U S O C
The Western Community Area will host baseball, basketball, will have a book with photographs of all the Olympic venues,
shooting, softball and track cycling. so if you and the driver are struggling to communicate,ask for
the book.
Canoeing, kayak, rowing and open-water swimming will be held
in the North Scenic Area with a beautiful new site at Shunyi Food- Chinese food in the United States is "Americanized," so
Olympic Rowing/Canoeing Park. expect Chinese food in Beijing to be different and more authentic.
Great meals can be found all over the city at very reasonable
prices. However, English translations on menus can be difficult to
understand, even with photographs, so a Chinese language book
with common food words can be helpful.
Artist drawing of the Shunyi Olympic Rowing/Canoeing Park The Chinese are extremely efficient and not wasteful of any
portion of animals they prepare as food. For example, fish bones
Triathlon will compete in the Ming Tomb Area. Boxing will are cooked and used with a great dipping sauce, duck tongues
be located in the city center of Beijing at the Worker's Indoor are sliced and roasted, and scales maybe flash fried and used as
Stadium. Beach volleyball will be at Chaoyang Park, just east of decorations.
the Third Ring Road.
Heat and Humidity- Heat and Humidity have the potential to be
If you are traveling to Beijing for the Olympic Games, here are a a major player in athlete performances. Our athletes will have to
few things that will make your trip more seamless: be prepared and acclimatized for heat and humidity, much like
preparations for Atlanta and Athens.
Travel - There are two primary travel systems - subway and taxi..
The average temperature will be between 82-86 degrees with a
relative humidity averaging 69 (out of 100). This places Beijing on
the Heat Index Chart in the Caution to Extreme Caution section.
Hydration strategies will be needed.
July and August typically have the most rainfall of the year -
almost four to five inches more than any other month.
Be aware that cars do not always yield to pedestrians, even at Currency- Renminbi, literally "people's
traffic lights. currency" and abbreviated to RMB, is the
currency of the People's Republic of China.
Subways can get you wherever you want to go faster than cabs.ay The unit for Renminbi is Yuan, Jiao, Fen:
going into the Olympic Green will be completed for the Games. 1 Yuan = 10 Jiao = 100 Fen. The current
conversion is 1 USD to 6.98 RMB.
Taxis are an inexpensive mode of transportation, but you need to
use those with red tags in the rear windows, as these are regulated. COMPETITION READINESS
It is much like New York City in that regard. Most taxis will not
take U.S. dollars, so have some RMB on hand. The regulated cabs Our athletes are prepared and ready to compete. A number of our
teams will be in Asian locations in July getting adjusted to the
climate and time zone.
As teams and athletes are named, the USOC will be booking
flights for Beijing. A typical flight from the United States to
Beijing is more than 12 hours. The athletes will cross the date line,
so they will leave on one day and arrive on the next day. Upon
landing, athletes will gather their luggage, go through the Olympic
credentialing process and then to the Olympic Village.
O L Y M P I C C O A C H VOLUME 20 NUMBER 3
U S O C
Due to the time difference, some sports have altered their close as possible to one of our Olympic Training Centers with
traditional time schedule. For example, the finals of swimming gymnasiums, a 50-meter swimming pool, two tracks, strength
events will be conducted in the morning, instead of the afternoon, and conditioning area, sports medicine clinic and a recovery area,
so U.S. swimmers are altering the times and types of training they which will be available to the athletes and coaching staff prior to
undergo so that they are prepared for the new start time. and during the Olympic Games.
The USOC has completed a contract for a training location As a supplement to the excellent food in the Athlete Village,
for U.S. athletes while in Beijing at High Performance Center. the USOC will provide athletes with U.S.-style food at High
The location will provide housing for practice partners for the Performance Center (HPC). The village will be the primary meal location,
combat sports (sparring partners for boxing, judo, taekwondo but U.S. athletes training and living at HPC, or those who wish to
and wrestling), replacement athletes (in case of an injury and/or visit, will have a meal service available at this location.
illness), personal coaches, NGB professional staff, press officers
and others. The USOC is working to put our athletes in the best possible
position to fulfill the dreams of a lifetime. We know that you will
A concern for athletes during the Olympic Games is the ability catch the excitement and the drama that only an Olympic Games
to workout when they need to and for teams to have privacy can produce. Amazing Awaits!
when practicing plays or routines. The USOC facility will be as
Fun Facts about China
� The number 8 is associated with prosperity. USA and China China USA
� Chinese dragons have five toes, while Japanese 38N, 97W
Latitude/Longitude 35N, 105E 9,629,091
dragons have three. The Chinese legend states that all 295,734,134
Imperial dragons originated in China, and the further Area (sq. Km) 9,596,960 19,924
away from China a dragon went the fewer toes it had. 19.32%
Dragons only exist in China and Japan because if they Population 1,306,313,812 77.71
traveled further, they would have no toes to continue. 97%
Coastline (km) 14,500
� Tiananmen Square's flag is lowered every evening at
Arable Land 15.4%
sunset. The soldiers are drilled to march at 108 paces
per minute, 75 cm per pace. It's so precisely timed, Life Expectancy 72.27
the flag disappears underneath Tiananmen Gate at
exactly the same second that the sun disappears. This Literacy 90.9%
is repeated at sunrise.
� China has more speakers of English as a second
language than the United States has native English
speakers.
� Pandas are called "Giant Bear Cats" because their
pupils are slits like a cat, unlike the rounded eyes of a
bear.
� M ore than 1,200 varieties of tea are grown with 17.4
billion liters consumed.
� T he Chinese have the oldest known calendar. It is
lunar-based.
O L Y M P I C C O A C H VOLUME 20 NUMBER 3
The Order of Ikkos
By Rebecca Sturdy, USOC Media Intern
A fter a nationwide search, the and the face of the Jefferson 1800
United States Olympic Committee Nickel in 2006. Greatly influenced
(USOC) has selected artwork submitted by the artists of the Golden Age
by Professor Jamie Franki (Charlotte, of American illustration, Franki
N.C.) as the design that will grace the strives to create narrative artwork
front of the newly created Order of Ikkos that is rich in detail, expression and
medallion. accessibility to a wide range
of people.
The medallion, which will be presented
to the personal coaches of future "The design of the Order of Ikkos
U.S. Olympic/Paralympic medalists, Medallion is both classical and
represents the athlete's appreciation contemporary, a reflection upon
for the integral services the coach has our past Olympic heritage and
provided. Individual sport athletes will our determined efforts toward the
have the opportunity to name their future," said Franki. "The elements
personal coach. The Olympic Coach for of the design were chosen and
team sports will be the recipient. USOC placed to create an interlocked
Coaching is in the process of collecting balance as well as a circular eye
all the personal coach information from movement � a tribute to the joined
the National Governing Bodies (NGBs). circles in the famed Olympic Rings."
If a coach coaches multiple Olympic
medalists, he/she will be eligible to receive one medallion from Expressing a desire to have a symbolic relevance that was
each athlete. The USOC did not want to deny an athlete the universally applicable to all sports, Franki used the torch as a
opportunity to honor the coach whose work prepared them for the symbol for the guidance a coach offers the athlete. His design
podium. Following the athlete's medal award ceremony, the athlete commemorates the passing of thanks and recognition from
will then present the coach on record with the medallion at the athlete to coach. Franki utilized iconic symbols such as a flame
USA House and the coach will be inducted into the Order modeled after the Statue of Liberty's torch, 50 stars for each of
of Ikkos. the 50 American states, and the U.S. Olympic Team logo to give
the medallion a distinctly American flare. In contrast to these
The Order of Ikkos gets its namesake from Ikkos of Tarentum, the elements, he chose a type design with an archaic Greek style to pay
first recorded Olympic coach in ancient Greece. Ikkos won the homage to Ikkos and to link the Order to the roots of the ancient
pentathlon at the 84th Olympiad in 444 B.C. and later became Olympic Movement.
known for his coaching ability as he led two fellow Tarentine
athletes to gold in the same event. "The Order of Ikkos Medallion will remain the same for every
Game. The medallion ribbon will denote the Games from which
"The effort and dedication an Olympic coach must have in the coach received the medallion. We are extremely excited about
preparing elite athletes to compete on the world's biggest stage the medallion that Jamie Franki has designed," said the USOC
often goes unnoticed," said Steve Roush, USOC Chief of Sports Manager of Coaching Programs, Cathy Sellers. "It is a vibrant
Performance. "The Order of Ikkos medal officially recognizes design that will serve the U.S. Olympic Committee well into the
the knowledge, hard work and personal commitment of those future. We feel that the opportunity for the athlete to honor his or
coaches whose athletes achieve the greatest success at the Olympic her coach with this medallion will be a special moment."
and Paralympic Games. Given on behalf of the athlete and the
USOC, the medal serves as a token of appreciation for a job The U.S. Olympic Committee sponsored a nationwide contest
well done." requesting the unique designs of artists from all walks of life
and design styles, beginning in 2007. After an initial review of
Franki is a tenured Associate Professor at the University of North 24 entries, Franki's original artwork was selected out of three
Carolina at Charlotte, where he coordinates the Illustration remaining finalist designs as the competition winner. His design
Program in the Department of Art and Art History. A former for the Order of Ikkos Medallion will have its debut at the 2008
Master Designer in the United States Mint's Artistic Infusion Olympic Games in Beijing. For his efforts, Franki was awarded a
Program, Franki designed the 2005 American Bison Nickel reverse prize of $2,008.
O L Y M P I C C O A C H VOLUME 20 NUMBER 3
THE VIEW FROM THE TOP
The View From the Top: career studying research findings from all areas related to athletic
RON O'BRIEN performance. Since there was little research done in the sport of
Diving, I adapted information from other sports, Sport Psychology
One of Diving's finest coaches, Ron O'Brien has an and various other areas of skill mastery.
Olympic Coaching career that is hard to imagine. You developed Greg Louganis and many other prominent divers
from a very young age through their career. What were some of
He has served as the Head Olympic Coach for seven the key stages of developing him as an Olympic champion?
Helping him deal with personal issues in his teen years and
straight Olympic Games and an eighth as an Assistant keeping him focused on reaching his potential while going
through some tough times. After he won two gold medals at the
Coach. For 23 consecutive years, an O'Brien coached 1984 Olympic Games, I had to get him to refocus on becoming
the most prolific diver in history. We discussed what previous
athlete captured a National Championship. As a great divers had accomplished, that he could exceed all the records
for number of national and international titles and become the
collegiate athlete, he competed in gymnastics and greatest diver in the history of the sport.
diving for The Ohio State University and he served as What are some of the changes that are occurring globally in
Diving and how are they affecting the US ranks?
their diving coach for 15 years. The diving well at OSU Over the past 20 years, other countries (China and Russia
especially) increased the amount of time in training and with
has been named as a tribute to the success of government support changed diving from a part-time to full-time
situation. In the US, because of our commitment to education,
Ron O'Brien our training time and emphasis on sport stayed relatively the same.
. We have now learned to better balance school requirements with
How did you get started in coaching? training, so that our training time has increased for many of our
At the age of 13, I joined the YMCA Leaders Club at the local "Y" divers to 35+ hours per week.
and began teaching gym and swim classes. I enjoyed it very much
and decided before entering college that I wanted to be a teacher The difficulty of the dives has continued to increase, for both men
and coach. and women. A diver wishing to compete for a gold medal needs
to spend a great deal of time improving their physical profile to be
You have coached some of the country's best divers, what has able to execute these difficult dives. Many of our divers now place
been one of your favorite Olympic moments? a lot more emphasis on their exercise program.
Seeing Greg Louganis on the award stand with the national
anthem playing, after he just completed his second Olympics One of the famous sporting moments was when Greg hit his head
winning double gold medals. on the diving board. As his coach, what went through your head
at that time and how did you get him re-focused on the next dive?
What helped you become one of the most successful Diving My first reaction was for his safety, as I didn't know the severity of
coaches in the World? the injury. Once the doctors determined that it was a laceration
While getting a Ph.D in Physical Education (Ohio State and there wasn't anything more serious, I asked Greg if he wanted
University-1967), with an emphasis on Exercise Physiology,
Kinesiology, Anatomy etc., I realized the importance of science
in the training and preparation of athletes. I spent my whole
1 0 O L Y M P I C C O A C H VOLUME 20 NUMBER 3
U S O C
to continue. His answer, "we worked too hard to get here I don't told him to make sure his distance from the
want to quit now". He expressed concern that given the low score springboard was exaggerated. He did the dive
received on the dive he might not qualify for the finals. I told him well and safely. The rest is history!
I would go out and check his position, which I did, and reported
that he was still in 3rd place and would make the finals if he How did the Big 10 rivalry between Diving
continued. The doctors temporarily stitched his wound and said coaches influence you and the sport?
he was clear to do his last two dives. At that point he and I took During the time I was a coach in the Big Ten, it
a walk down a dark corridor to an adjacent swimming pool not was far and away the best diving conference in
being used. He jumped into the cold water to jolt himself back the country. The Big Ten Championship was
to reality. We joked about the situation and I told him hockey a war and a prelude of the upcoming NCAA
players get 50 stitches in their face and then go out and finish the Championship. The work ethic of the other
game, surely he could do two more dives. I knew from our long coaches pushed me every day to make sure my
history together that Greg has a great sense of humor and that is divers would be prepared for the championship
the best medicine for him when under stress. His next dive was season. As a result of the competition between
the same type of dive (reverse) he did when striking the board, so the coaches, the US was also the leader in new
I strongly urged him to move the dive out away from the board dives done, changes in the direction of the
more than usual. He did the best dive of all the competitors in sport and dominant in world level competition.
the preliminary contest, but it was still too close to the board. His
last dive was also a reverse type of dive, so I more than strongly Who was your mentor and what was the
greatest piece of advice that you received?
I was lucky to have three mentors at different
stages of my life. Their influence was not
in any specific advice they gave me, but the
example they provided. The first major
influence was the Physical Director and his
assistant at the local YMCA (Don Geyer and
Jim Traylor). They loved teaching and coaching
and instilled me with a passion for it. They
got me involved in teaching and helped me
improve at it. It was because of them I became
a teacher/coach. When I went to Ohio State,
Mike Peppe was the head swimming and diving
coach. He became my role model and I watched how he did
things while competing as an undergraduate and graduate student.
This observation taught me three very important things, 1) when
you get several good/great athletes together in a competitive
training environment, the daily competition in practice produces
great results, 2) you cannot create motivation in people, you find
those that are motivated and tell them what they have to do and
they will do it, and 3) never gloat when winning or make excuses
when losing.
What has kept you coaching at such a high level for so long?
A love of the sport and how intensely individual it is. The
challenge of solving the problems involved in such a complex
performance sport. The concept of pursuing personal perfection,
both in me and the athletes under my direction was a driving
force. I coined a philosophy about perfection as the years went on
and perfection was unattainable but still the goal, "Seek perfection,
learn to accept less and be kind to your self along the way."
1 1 O L Y M P I C C O A C H VOLUME 20 NUMBER 3
Integration of Paralympic athletes into "Able-Bodied"
High School Club and Collegiate Programs
Edited by Julie O'Neill and Lauren Richardson
P aralympic athletes, from the local level through the elite Coach of the Year honors in 2005 and the OAC Women's Coach
international ranks of Paralympic sport, participate in team of the Year award in 2006.The women's team placed third at the
or individual sport programs for the same reasons as "able-bodied" OAC Championships in Ewald's first two seasons. Ewald is a Level
athletes: they want to have fun, they enjoy the sport, they want 4 ASCA certified swimming coach and has 13 years of coaching
to be with friends and make new friends, they want to `get in experience working with novice to National Champions.
shape' and stay healthy, they want to improve their skills and
performances, they want to be elite competitors at the national Coach Randi Smith- is currently the Head Coach of the Paralympic
and international levels, and they enjoy competition. National Archery team. She began coaching archery in the
mid-1980's, founding the Utah Hot Shots Jr. Olympic team, a
This article focuses on the experiences of coaches Andrew program that provided the opportunity for kids with disabilities to
Barranco, Kelly Carter, Peggy Ewald, Randi Smith and Kurt participate on equal basis with able-bodied athletes. Smith was the
Smitz; each of whom has been successful in including Paralympic Paralympic Archery Team Leader for the 2004 Athens Paralympic
athletes on their "able-bodied" teams. In order to get an idea of Games, the Head Coach for the 2005 and 2007 IPC Archery
how these coaches integrated Paralympic-eligible athletes into World Championships, and was honored in 2005 as the USOC's
their programs, USOC Paralympic Division Associate Director, Paralympic Coach of the Year.
Julie O'Neill, sat down with these five coaches for a brief Q and
A session. It is the hope that the experiences and insights of these
five coaches will provide other coaches - at every level of sport -
introductory information and ideas on how to effectively integrate
Paralympic athletes into their own programs.
Panel Coach Profiles
Coach Andrew Barranco- is currently the Regional Aquatic
Director & Head Coach for Merritt Athletic Clubs. Since starting
Merritt Athletic Swimming, (MAS) in 2004, the program has
expanded to two locations in the Baltimore area. Barranco has
been an Assistant Coach on several U.S. Paralympics Swimming
team trips and most recently was an assistant coach for Paralympic
Swimming at the 2007 Parapan American Games in Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil. Barranco is the coach of three-time Paralympic
gold medalist and 2007 Sullivan Award winner, Jessica Long.
Coach Kelly Carter- is currently the Men's Head Cross Country
and Track and Field Coach at Tennessee State University. He has
steered the growth of both program's for the past eight years. In
2007, he served as an assistant coach for the Parapan American
Games Track & Field Team. He has coached 25 conference
champions, 19 regional qualifiers, 3 Olympic trials qualifiers and 1
Paralympic gold & bronze medalist.
Coach Peggy Ewald- is currently in her third season as head coach
of the Ohio Northern University's (ONU) men's and women's
swimming and diving programs. She also serves as assistant facility
manager and as a lecturer at ONU.
Ewald is the first full-time swimming and diving coach in ONU
history. In her first two seasons at the helm of the program, she led
the men's team to the OAC Championship, earning OAC Men's
1 2 O L Y M P I C C O A C H VOLUME 20 NUMBER 3
U S O C
Coach Kurt Smitz- is Carter: I was concerned about the injury probability but was
currently an Assistant Coach reassured by the Head Coach that the risk wasn't any higher than
at the National Sports Center any other athlete, so that made me more comfortable about it.
for the Disabled in Winter
Park, Colo. It is his second Ewald: I was intrigued by the challenge. It allowed me to grow
year coaching Paralympic by questioning what I thought I knew about swimming technique
athletes. Prior to joining the and propulsive forces etc, and then what I could adapt to their
National Sports Center he specific abilities.
served as the Head Coach
and Director of the Denver Smith: I was initially surprised at the creativity of the archers, and
Ski Team from (1992- the many ways they found to adapt their equipment and their style
2006), winning four NCAA to make it possible for them to be successful.
championships.
Smitz: My initial response was one of enabling, but was quickly
How and when modified to thinking what was possible and having the athlete
were Paralympic take as much ownership in the situation as allowed. This approach
athletes initially opened my vision and took away limits to conventional thinking.
introduced to
your program? Were there any challenges that you had to
overcome to be successful in integrating
Barranco: I was an assistant coach of another team before starting Paralympic athletes into your program/
my current program. I was told that we would be having a 10 team?
year old girl coming to try out and that she did not have any legs.
From the first practice it was clear that she would fit right in with Barranco: Not really any great challenges integrating the athletes
the team. into the program. The levels of the program are set up by ability
and not age. This makes it easier to match swimmers up based
Carter: In 2002, I was called by the Head Paralympic coach and on skills. Also we have a pre-team clinic program which is a great
asked if I could coach an athlete that was coming to Tennessee way to progress the swimmers before they are ready to join the
State University. The Head Coach had seen an athlete, Ryan Fann, team. There are some drills or kicking sets that some Paralympic
who had been featured on ESPN while playing in the Shriner's all athletes may have trouble with but finding an alternative drill is a
star football game. simple solution. Most challenges can be solved with some creative
thinking on the part of the coach and athlete.
Ewald: I offered to help a local student, who had been injured in
a car accident and had turned to the pool as part of rehabilitation, Carter: No, he was able to do everything that was required from
with technical stroke development. every student-athlete. He was not treated any different than any
other member of the team.
Smith: Our program was unique; it started out with potential
Paralympic athletes, and we added non-Paralympic eligible Ewald: My first athlete really challenged me to review my
athletes. On an international scale archery has long been a sport anatomy. I actually had to break down the muscle & nerve paths
where athletes with and without disabilities can compete together. to figure out what I had to work with. She was a quadriplegic so
I really needed to understand what muscles we could work and
Smitz: My first experience with a Paralympic athlete began with which we would not be able to use. I got in the water a lot in
Dianna Golden, an above the knee amputee. I was to be her the beginning to go through the motions and really it opened my
private coach for two summer training camps in Hinter tux, eyes to what we could do. I focused on what we had to work with
Austria. rather than what we did not have. So it was a lot of trial and error
in the beginning.
What was your initial response to working
with Paralympic athletes? Logistically, I just needed to ask for what was needed (for example
on the High school team we just needed to make sure we were
Barranco: I was excited; it was something a little different for our given a handicapped accessible bus). It really opened my eyes to
team and me. Swimming is a great sport that lends its self to all the ADA laws/regulations and how far behind most facilities are
types of abilities. Before meeting Jessica Long I never questioned to compliance. So at times we had to carry a wheelchair with the
whether she would be able to keep up or fully participate. It was athlete down steps, etc. I also became very aware of all the facility
more like that's great that she wants to swim. aspects; any little rough edge could tear skin off the athlete when
you are pulling them out of the water.
1 3 O L Y M P I C C O A C H VOLUME 20 NUMBER 3
U S O C
Smith: We did have some challenges at first, with other people Smitz: The more you can bring crossover between able-bodied and
wanting to help too much. Once they figured out the athletes disabled athletes, the bigger the gains to be had. You will know
could do it on their own, people were very supportive and when things don't apply or are just not going to happen.
welcomed us at all events. Accessibility was (and sometimes
continues to be) a very big issue. Most of the archers on the What were some of the greatest
Paralympic team do travel and compete in a lot of tournaments on advantages of integrating Paralympic
their own. For them, the challenge can be getting someone to help athletes into your program/team?
when necessary � whether it's with putting equipment together,
pulling arrows, or scoring. They've all figured out that being polite Barranco: I think everybody benefits - coaches and athletes. It is
almost always gets them the help they need. an inspiring thing to see someone who has a disability work so
When a brand new archer comes into the program, the hard to achieve their goals. It is a good motivator for the able-
bodied athletes; they know they have no excuse for not
biggest challenge can be getting them set up with We all take working hard. For some Paralympic athletes I think
equipment that will work and figuring out how to they are out to prove how good they truly are
make it work. Because of this, we often ask them things for granted, but against able-bodied athletes. Having Paralympic
to come in for a private lesson at first. We'll when you look down the lane and able-bodied athletes train together pushes
ask lots of questions; try different things and both of them to work their hardest.
figure out how to start. Once they are set up, and see them keeping pace, never
they can attend practice sessions along with whining, or giving up on a set, it's Carter: Because of everything that Ryan has
everyone else. amazing the inspiration and moti- been through in his life, his story was an
inspiration to his teammates, but also their
Smitz: As I had only worked with able body vation that carries throughout total acceptance of him fueled his motivation to
racers to that point, I needed to "empty my cup"
as you would say, to allow for a natural learning the team. not let anything stop him. It was really a win�win
for my program
curve. However, this does not preclude that coaching
Paralympic athletes should only hold to a Paralympic model. Ewald: I think the best thing about integration is the
perseverance aspect, and positive attitude that Paralympic athletes
What type(s) of solutions did you demonstrate every day. We all take things for granted, but
implement to successfully integrate when you look down the lane and see them keeping pace, never
Paralympic athletes? whining, or giving up on a set, it's amazing the inspiration and
motivation that carries throughout the team.
Barranco: We have held clinics as well as assessment tryouts so we Smith: I think it allows everyone to see that everyone can be
get to know the new swimmers before the first day of practice. successful at some level. Not everyone goes into archery to be an
Olympian or Paralympian, but it can be fun at whatever level a
Carter: I didn't ignore his disability, but I made sure that it was person chooses. I think it has also helped people in our local club
never a focal point in anything that we did. I totally immersed realize that it takes as much work to be a successful Paralympian as
him into our program. I even got him certified to compete under an Olympian.
NCAA rules. No special treatment was given, and in the same
respect none was required. Were there any adaptations to your
Ewald: It was never a problem--integration was not an issue. coaching style and/or philosophy that
Again, I feel it is a mindset of the coaching staff. Ask for what you you had to make to effectively coach
need and go from there. Paralympic athletes (from a technical
perspective)?
Smith: At our local events, it seemed to just happen. At national Barranco: One of the things I learned early on and work to instill
and local events, one of the requests I made was to have the in all Paralympic athletes is their stroke technique. I want them
organizing committees at the tournaments we attend, actually put to have solid strokes and not waste energy or create more work for
our athletes with the other athletes, rather than separating us into themselves with bad habits. For an athlete such as Jessica Long
our own group. I also try to stay in touch with the committees and with no legs we focus on utilizing her upper body strength. It is
let them know ahead of time if we will have any special issues or important to understand the athlete and their disability; knowing
needs. I've also worked with our National Judges, so they know how to maximize their strengths and not focus the disability.
about Paralympic archers. Our shooting rules are the same as
everyone else's, so integrating the archers is actually very easy.
1 4 O L Y M P I C C O A C H VOLUME 20 NUMBER 3
U S O C
Ewald: My coaching philosophy was a quality over quantity important and this has an effect on a lot of decisions and a lot of
foundation. I was already a "non-traditional" coach. I was using activities. I had to change some of my own behaviors and do some
science as a part of my style. I'm a teacher and come from the definite "soul-searching." I did this by working with, talking with,
academic side, so my personal coaching style/philosophy fit and observing some of the top Olympic archery coaches of "able-
well. The first time I worked with a visually impaired athlete, bodied" athletes.
they helped me far more than I helped them. It's was truly
amazing how you "look" at things when you must process your Smitz: My current position as a full-time coach for Paralympic
environment without "seeing" it. There is so much to learn as a athletes with the National Sports Center for the Disabled has
coach, it just reinforced that everything I thought I knew about allowed me to integrate some of these thoughts with the skiers I
swimming could be challenged. So it really makes you think work with. We will partner up with able-bodied skiers and share
about what really is absolute in the sport no matter what the common courses. Our "standing" athletes can get visual images
athlete's or coach's philosophy is. I have come to realize there of good posture, technique and tactics applied by the able-bodied
really are few absolutes in swimming, but those that are must be skiers, and are encouraged to implement some of the things they
the focus of all your efforts. see! Our mono-skiers are also told to copy certain elements of
standing technique, whether it be when the ski is pressured in on
Smith: My background is in Therapeutic Recreation and Adapted a turn or keeping the upper body square to the hill with proper
Physical Education. Adapting and tinkering were pretty natural! outrigger position - it all applies.
However, when I did begin working more exclusively with
archery, there was a lot of learning about basic archery technique. Did you need to learn any new skills to
I attended coaching classes, did a lot of reading, and asked a lot of effectively coach Paralympic athletes?
questions � I still do! The biggest difference came when I actually And if yes, where did you acquire the skills
started working with the Paralympic teams. Although sometimes or information needed?
subtle � and sometimes not � winning becomes much more
Carter: You don't have to necessarily learn new skills but it is
always a good idea to gain knowledge & keep on top of the sport
that you are involved in. USA Track & Field offers the Coaching
Education Program where you can get certified as a Level 1, 2 or 3
coach. These classes have been very beneficial in my development
as an educator, leader, teacher and coach.
Ewald: I'm continuing to learn new skills every time I work with
an athlete. It's a never ending process. I'm a firm believer in
quality over quantity. With a Paralympic athlete, I feel this must
be the focus. More attention must be given to technical efficiency
and specificity of training. Use the science; it's very applicable
to every athlete, but even more important with a Paralympic
athlete. I feel I must work from the frame of mind that reduction
in resistive forces are paramount and focus on what they can do/
what they have to work with and make it faster. Communicate,
demonstrate and don't be afraid to be creative. Not every thing
you try will work, but keep trying. Adapt as you would for any
other athlete. Never coach from the perspective that one way fits
all.
Smith: I found the same skills were needed with all athletes;
though communication became even more important with the
Paralympic athletes. Communication is not only more important
with the athlete; often many more people are much more involved:
parents, families, therapists of all types, transportation providers.
Flexibility became more important for some things; sticking
rigidly to plans became more important for others.
1 5 O L Y M P I C C O A C H VOLUME 20 NUMBER 3
U S O C
Smitz: Obviously, there has to be adaption to the disabled element different (able-bodied or not) the rest of your team will follow
of skiing, such as learning about the mono-ski - the different types, your lead. Strong team culture will breed team togetherness.
its shock settings, and response. In the able-bodied world we like
to defer from getting too involved with the equipment and focus Ewald: Be open minded, never think you know it all, focus on
more on the pilot. But with Paralympic skiing, specifically the sit- stroke technique, be creative and talk to other coaches. Be a
skiers, the equipment is a big part of achieving success. I as a coach student of the sport, this will allow you to grow personally. I think
have gone to websites to learn how load bearing situations affect I learn more from my athletes sometimes then they learn from me.
disabled skier performance. It's always a two-way street.
Can you share some creative ideas for Smith: Get to know the individual. Ask lots of questions. Spend
integrating Paralympic athletes into your time talking. Emphasize the abilities � not the disability!
program/team?
Barranco: One thing that I have tried is a Friday night Smitz: You need to encourage reaching farther than you
assessment clinic for new swimmers looking to get can grab. Early discussion of the disability and what
into the sport. I think it is important to have physical capacities a person has lends a blueprint,
a plan and expectations before adding a new Be a student of the but one that will be changed as time goes on.
swimmer into a group. Integrating is not a sport, this will allow you to Any final thoughts or words
one day thing. It is important to get feedback grow personally. I think I learn of wisdom you'd like to share
to make sure the Paralympic athlete's needs more from my athletes sometimes in regards to working with
are met. In doing so, it is also important not Paralympic athletes?
to interrupt the training of the entire group. then they learn from me. It's
Communicating expectations to the group always a two-way street. Barranco: Working with Paralympic athletes
ahead of time often helps. is a great opportunity for a coach to expand
Carter: My advice is to," JUST DO IT." Make their knowledge. It offers opportunities for team
them a part of your team and treat them accordingly. building and a new perspective for able-bodied
There is no difference between them unless YOU create it. athletes. It is a good opportunity to have as a coach.
Ewald: I don't think I used anything creative to integrate, it's Carter: If you love teaching the sport and watching athletes
a mind set, just be open to the opportunity. In education you grow, there is no better vocation! I absolutely love what I do and
learn to make adaptations for all students. It's not any different the people that I work with. Always remember that "athletes are
than what we should do for all students/athletes. Find a way to athletes" and if you treat them in that respect they will respond
make it work, be a problem solver, find the edge for all your team accordingly.
members
Ewald: Find the competitive edge for them as you would any
Smith: The Paralympic archers are integrated into our group just athlete. I keep my expectations the same for all team members.
as any archer would be. We move at their speed, keep it fun, and I want athletes that demonstrate discipline, perseverance, mental
build on success. Our main program still emphasizes participation toughness, desire, and respect because I feel these personality traits
and recreation. Competition is there for those who want it, but it's give them a competitive edge. I believe without that competitive
not necessary. edge or spirit, success in any walk of life is hard to achieve.
What piece of advice would you give to a Smith: Learn to laugh � with others and at yourself! Life (and
new coach who is just becoming involved coaching) is a lot more fun that way!
with integration of Paralympic athletes
into their "able-bodied" program? Smitz: The element of working with the disabled that I was
least prepared for is the emotional makeup that some athletes
Barranco: Be patient. It is a great team dynamic to mix carry. I can try to understand, but cannot walk in someone else's
Paralympic and able-bodied athletes together on a team. Have a shoes. As such, there are ups and downs a coach will experience
plan ready and be prepared to make some variations during the when working closely with their athletes. If anything, you will
practice. gain perspective! You will also find it to be both challenging and
rewarding.
Carter: Acknowledge the disability, but don't linger on it. Treat For more information on ways to incorporate Paralympic athletes
an athlete like an athlete. If you treat any member of your team into your existing sports programs please contact the USOC's
Paralympic Division or visit www.usparalympics.org.
1 6 O L Y M P I C C O A C H VOLUME 20 NUMBER 3
Pre-Event Meals
By Helen DeMarco, M.S., R.D. meal is high in fat, protein, or fiber, extra time must be allowed for
Updated by Nancy Clark, R.D., FACSM digestion. Also, as the amount of food consumed increases, so will
the time needed for digestion. A large meal containing appreciable
I t is well established that exercise performance can be affected amounts of protein or fat, such as a large cheese omelet, may need
by diet and, in order to maintain optimal training, the body to be eaten five to six hours before competition. Carbohydrates
must be properly fueled with appropriate nutrients. The pre-event high in fiber and gas-forming (bran products, legumes, and
meal is an integral part of the complete training plan. Of course, a certain vegetables, such as onion, cabbage and cauliflower) are not
single pre-event meal will not compensate for a poor training diet. recommended as they may cause intestinal discomfort. A liquid
For this reason, the active person should routinely follow basic source of carbohydrate can be taken prior to the event when
nutrition guidelines. It is essential that the diet contain enough schedules do not allow time for meals or for those who have a
calories to cover the active person's daily energy expenditure. It is sensitive stomach or experience pre-competition anxiety. Liquid
also advised that the diet be composed of a wide variety of foods to meals can include sports drinks, juices, low-fat smoothies and
ensure adequate intake of vitamins and minerals. The training diet shakes.
should be high in carbohydrates without compromising necessary
protein and fat. Carbonated drinks are questionable as they may cause stomach
discomfort. Caffeinated drinks should be considered on an
The pre-event meal should have a definite focus on carbohydrate individual basis. For some individuals, caffeine may be ergogenic,
intake. Prioritizing carbohydrates is supported by evidence most notably by making the effort seem easier. Caffeine may also
that exercise performance is typically enhanced following a spare muscle glycogen and thereby delay fatigue during endurance
high-carbohydrate meal as compared to a low-carbohydrate
meal. Carbohydrate in the liver and muscles (glycogen) can be
metabolized to provide energy for the working muscle more
rapidly than fat, allowing a person to sustain a higher intensity
level of exercise. Therefore, its depletion would inevitably result
in a need to reduce exercise intensity or discontinue exercise.
Because the body's glycogen storage is limited, the diet should
provide enough carbohydrate to maximize glycogen stores,
particularly for those participating in high-intensity or endurance
events. The basic goals of the pre-event meal are as follows: (1)
prevent weakness and fatigue, whether due to low blood sugar
levels or inadequate muscle glycogen stores, during the event;
(2) ward off feelings of hunger yet minimize gastrointestinal
distress from eating; and (3) guarantee optimal hydration. In
addition, individual preferences must be considered. If a person
truly believes that a specific food will improve performance, then
the psychological effect of consuming that food may result in
enhanced performance.
The meal should consist primarily of carbohydrates and fluids, as
they can be easily digested. If the meal is small (400-500 calories),
it can be consumed approximately two to three hours prior to an
event, allowing enough time for digestion and absorption. If the
1 7 O L Y M P I C C O A C H VOLUME 20 NUMBER 2
U S O C
events. However, for others it may cause nausea and anxiousness. or English muffin; pancakes or waffles; non-fat or low-fat fruit
Once thought to be dehydrating, we now know that athletes who yogurt; or a liquid pre-event meal
are accustomed to consuming caffeinated beverages can do so and
experience enhanced performance, even in hot weather. Afternoon events:
The pre-event meal is particularly important before a morning Eat a high-carbohydrate meal both the night before and for
event, since as much as 12 hours or more may have passed since breakfast. Follow with a light lunch: turkey sandwiches with
dinner and liver glycogen levels could be sub-optimal. The pre- small portions of turkey; brothy soups; a bagel with a little
event meal could replenish glycogen stores and decrease chance peanut butter; fruits; juice; low-fat crackers; or high-carbohydrate
of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and therefore, delay fatigue. nutritional bars, pretzels or rice cakes.
Since early morning pre-event meals may need to be limited in
size, it would be important to consume a substantial carbohydrate Evening events:
dinner the night before and/or a bedtime snack, such as a bowl of Eat a high-carbohydrate breakfast and lunch, followed by a light
cereal. Again, plenty of liquids should also be consumed to ensure meal or snack: pasta with marinara sauce; rice with vegetables;
maximum hydration status. Consider the following pre-event food light-cheese pizza with vegetable toppings; noodle or rice soups
choices. with crackers; baked potato; or frozen yogurt.
Morning events: No one food or group of foods works for everybody; the person
The night before, eat a high-carbohydrate meal (such as pasta should experiment to find which foods, and the amount of food,
with tomato sauce). Early morning, eat a light breakfast or snack, works best. Food choices may vary based on the type of exercise,
such as cereal and non-fat milk; fresh fruit or juice; toast, bagel as well as the intensity and duration of the exercise. However, it
is important to experiment with new foods during training rather
than around competition.
1 8 O L Y M P I C C O A C H VOLUME 20 NUMBER 3
"BPlan B" Travel nutrition...more than just a
by Adam Korzun, USOC
Sports Dietician
Aproper eating program is just as important to an elite If you are still not sure if it is worth it, take a look at
athlete's success as their training program. At the some examples of food that can be made in your
Olympic Training Centers, we strive to make sure hotel room in less than ten minutes! It gives you
athletes have the best performance-based foods a bit of control over your meals when you are
at their disposal. However, when athletes travel in an unfamiliar part of the world, and sure
the world for training and competition finding beats a dinner of six energy bars!
those familiar performance-based foods can often
be a challenge. Putting a low quality fuel into Cranberry Couscous
the body can lead to decreased performance, Cook garlic herb couscous in hot pot
compromised health and other complications according to package directions and add 1
pouch of Tyson chicken breast and 1/3 cup
. Elite level athletes know what foods best fuel his/ of dried cranberries. (Serves two in about five
minutes)
her training and performance, but it is impossible to Provides: 710kcal, 7g fat (<1g saturated), 122g carbohydrate, 43g
protein per serving
guarantee those foods will be available everywhere you
travel. Therefore, it is always a good idea to pack a "Plan B"
in your checked luggage to help you fuel for success.
Now, the "Plan B" that the USOC is using extends beyond just Santa Fe Chicken
energy bars and gels! Energy bars and gels are a tremendous help Cook southwest flavored ready rice in hot pot according to
when you need some quick recovery fuel, and/or a pre-comp package directions, and add one pouch of Tyson chicken breast.
snack; but if you need to eat 4000 calories a day, that is about 17 (Serves two in less than two minutes)
bars! Provides: 365 kcal, 7g fat (<1g saturated), 45g carbohydrate, 32g protein
per serving
A solid "Plan B" includes an entire travel nutrition kit, which
includes the necessary cooking supplies, power converters and Super Oatmeal
shelf stable carbohydrates and proteins that an athlete can use to Combine one scoop of
prepare meals from anywhere in the world. protein powder with oatmeal
package and cook in hot
An example travel nutrition kit includes the following: pot according to package
directions. Add one
� Hot pot travel cooker � Measuring cups and spoon tablespoon of peanut butter.
(Breakfast for one in about a
� Travel power converter � Shelf stable foods minute)
Provides: 400kcal, 10g fat (2.5
So, once you have the necessary cooking equipment and power saturated), 56g carbohydrate,
converter, each athlete can pack the foods that can fuel for 21g protein
performance. The goal is to be able to create a quick, nutritious
meal. Some of the foods that I suggest packing are: Now for the best part, thanks
to Tyson Foods, the travel
Carbohydrates: � Granola/dry cereal nutrition kits( including hot
� Instant rice � Canned fruits pot, power converter and
� Instant mashed potatoes � Snack crackers Tyson shelf stable chicken
� Pasta sides � Instant oatmeal/grits breast) are available for
� Couscous mix national team athletes! This
� Instant Breakfast allows are athletes to become
traveling chefs and fuel for
Protein: (all shelf stable) success across the globe!
� Tyson chicken pouch � Soy or whey protein powder
� Tuna pouch � Natural peanut butter
� Salmon pouch � Non-fat dry milk
� Tofu � Soy milk powder
Seasonings:
� spice blends
1 9 O L Y M P I C C O A C H VOLUME 20 NUMBER 3
What to do before hitting often when pushed for details, they say, "well, we are waiting to
the road: find out this," or "we have two options for that," or "we can't know
that until we get to Beijing." What we have here is not an inability
Three key tasks while preparing to consider the key variables, but a failure to commit to a plan
for the "Big One" of action!
By Sean McCann- Sport Psychologist
USOC Performance Services- Strength and Power Sportfolio
Henry Ford As General Patton's quote suggests, waiting for the perfect plan
Before everything else, getting ready is the secret to success. keeps people in a holding pattern, and can create a kind of
paralysis that leads to defeat. At some point, you need to commit
Confucius to a plan based on the information you have. That time is now,
Success depends upon previous preparation, and without when you are just weeks away from your biggest competition. For
the perfectionists out there, this requires you to accept the hard
such preparation there is sure to be failure. truth that no plan is perfect. If you can accept that, then you can
move to action.
W ith the Beijing Olympics arriving in less than 100 days, the
USOC is in the middle of the Olympic Trials season for If it is too hard to commit to a plan without knowing everything
our summer sports. In these last few nerve-wracking months for for sure, you need to ask yourself, what is riskier, staying frozen
athletes and coaches, our USOC Sport Psychologists are regularly or moving forward with incomplete information. The closer you
asked "what else should I be doing to get ready?" Although get to competition, the greater the risks of inaction. In addition,
we wish this question had been asked 2 years ago, the reality is you need to understand that for your athletes, not committing to
that there are some things that are worth doing in these last few a plan leads to increased stress, decreased focus, and loss of energy.
months. Since this question is repeated so frequently, this column Making a plan is important. Commiting to the plan and moving
is a stripped-down list of only three items to be sure to do just into action is critical. Of course you may need to adjust some
prior to any big event. details. Isn't that what coaching is all about?
Three Key Tasks As Competition Time TASK TWO: BUILDING CONFIDENCE
Approaches:
Coaches and athletes universally endorse confidence as a critical
TASK ONE: DEVELOP AND COMMIT TO A PLAN factor in big-event performances. Yet, when asked what they
are doing to build their confidence, most athletes respond with
"I would rather have a good plan today than a perfect plan silence. The reality is that most people think of confidence
two weeks from now" General George S. Patton as something that happens, something you have, rather than
something you develop. In the last weeks before a major
In the last few weeks before an Olympics, the time to develop competition, however, one of the most important tasks of an
a plan is now. These days, most top athletes and coaches have athlete is to build and maintain confidence. There are a number
already considered the issues that are components of a high of strategies for achieving this.
performance plan. Most would also say they "have a plan". But
2 0 O L Y M P I C C O A C H VOLUME 20 NUMBER 3
U S O C
Strategies to build confidence in the last few weeks before a major 1. Begin to "Free up memory" by compartmentalizing. This
event: requires making sure that all the other elements of life outside
of sport are dealt with, but not actively present in the mind.
1. F irst recognize that confidence is a job, not a gift. Most athletes School, work, relationships- Decide on action plan,
simply don't think of confidence building as something they then let go.
can work productively towards. Once you accept this, the rest Begin letting go of irritations with coach, teammates.
becomes easier.
2. Manage worries effectively. This is most easily accomplished
2. Know your strengths. In the last few weeks before a major by referring to the performance plan mentioned above. A
event, doubts, worries and self-criticism tends to increase in commitment to this plan helps remind an athlete that
frequency. Therefore, this is an ideal time to remind yourself everything is taken care of, and completing a few simple tasks
how good you are. This is not the time to be delusional, but a will ensure success.
time to make note of reality-based strengths that might get lost
in the anxiety and doubt of the last few weeks. Two techniques 3. Shift mind from outcome to process. Outcome goals (winning
for this are: an Olympic Gold Medal) have their place for all athletes, but
First, make an explicit list of your best attributes. Simply the closer an athlete gets to a big event, the more outcome
have athletes take 30 minutes to brainstorm about all of thoughts can create stress, anxiety, and distractions. There
the things they are good at. This can be in sport, in school, are exceptions to this rule, but generally, in "airplane mode"
in life. The only rule for this exercise is that athletes use focusing on how to win is more important than focusing on the
the "better than average" test to add it to the list. If they outcome of winning. Process goals, or task goals, are very useful
are a better than average student, or some aspect of their in the last few days before a big event.
technique is better than their average competitor, it goes on
the list. No attribute is too small to add to the list, but all 4. B e "Mindful"- Practice Staying In The Present. Athletes who
strengths must be based in reality. perform well in big events are generally excellent at keeping
their thoughts in the here and now. Have your athletes feel
Second, work on the ability to call up imagery of your the energy and positive mood that comes from connecting to
best performances. Provide and structure time in and "RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW". Athletes can literally use the
out of practice for athletes to remember their very best cue of buckling their seat belt on a plane to start a five-minute
performances, in as much detail as possible. Simply by exercise of being in the moment.
"seeing" how good they can be, an athlete is reminded that
their ability is real. 5. S IMPLIFY, SIMPLIFY, SIMPLIFY. Less is more in the last few
days before competing. Things, relationships, appointments,
3. Make building confidence a daily discipline. stuff, worries, and everything else in the athlete's life become
potential drags on an athlete. Simplifying means mentally
Techniques include: making the call that it is too late to add anything else, and it is
1) Start a daily accomplishment log. This is a very quick but in fact the time to start eliminating everything from your life
that doesn't help performance. In this multi-tasking world,
powerful daily activity. Have one line for each day, and require it is useful to remember that excellence is only achieved with
that athletes list one positive accomplishment for each day, focus on "Singletasking". The Olympic medal goes to the best
leading up until the big event. No exceptions, no matter how single-tasker, not the one keeping the most plates spinning in
tough practice was. the air. While multi-tasking may feel like the right thing to
2) S tructuring training to produce success. Build a practice do in today's complicated world, it is a recipe for mediocrity.
structure that allows daily successes. This doesn't mean Simplicity and focus is a necessity for athletes. How about
everything is easy, but every day should have at least one coaches?
moment of success that is highlighted, even if it is only two
minutes of a two hour practice. Johnny Carson
3) Insist on daily goals, agreed to by athlete and coach, that are
controllable "task goals". Talent alone won't make you a success. Neither will being in
7. TASK THREE: AIRPLANE SKILLS: the right place at the right time, unless you are ready. The
Once an athlete actually starts travelling to the big event, he or she most important question is: `Are you ready?'
must begin to shift into a pure high-performance mode which is
qualitatively different, from normal operating mode. It helps to
remind athletes of five important steps:
2 1 O L Y M P I C C O A C H VOLUME 20 NUMBER 3
Article Review How
Effects of Tapering on
If we want to reduce training loads, there are three main factors
Performance: that can be used: volume, intensity and frequency. Volume is the
A Meta-Analysis amount of training done each day, intensity is the percentage of
maximum effort and frequency is the number of workouts that
Laurent Bosquet, Jonathan Montpetit, the athlete is doing. Of course, you can manipulate all three areas
Denis Arvisais and I�igo Mujika independently or simultaneously.
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, Volume39, No 8, However, Bosquet, et al found that "Maximal performance gains
pp.1358-1365, 2007. are obtained with a total reduction in training volume of 41-
60% of pre-taper value. Training volume can be altered through
T his group of researchers selected 27 studies out of 182 the decrease of the duration of each training session and/or the
to conduct a meta-analysis on tapering. The criteria for decrease of training frequency. It seems that the first strategy
selection was that they had to involve competitive athletes; the should be preferred because decreasing training frequency does not
study had to provide details of how the taper was conducted; result in a significant improvement of performance."
and then be based on a competition or other highly regarded
performance criteria. The best way to do a taper is to reduce training volume, but not
decrease frequency. If you feel you have to reduce frequency (cut
A meta-analysis is a statistical technique that can combine the back on two-a-day practices), they recommend "maintaining
results of several studies into a single result. It allows the researcher training frequency at 80% or more of pre-taper values."
to have a larger database and to identify key findings across
different studies. That leaves us with the final factor-intensity. "It seems clear
that the training load should not be reduced at the expense of
The idea of the taper is to reduce training in order to achieve a training intensity, probably because it is a key parameter in the
better performance at a key competition or series of competitions. maintenance of training-induced adaptation during the taper."
The concept is one of reducing fatigue to allow the athlete to
compete in a somewhat "recovered" state, but not reducing The conclusion is to reduce training load, you would reduce
training so much that it has an effect on performance. It is easy to volume, maintain at least 80% of frequency and maintain
see from the above statement, that how you do the taper and for intensity.
how long are key components.
How Long
"Duration of 8 to 14 days seems to represent the borderline
between the positive influence of fatigue disappearance and the
negative influence of detraining on performance. Performance
improvements can also be expected after one, three or four week
tapers." The optimal taper should then be between 8-14 days,
however more data is needed to see if longer tapers may be as
effective.
Other Factors
"Diet also may affect the benefits that can be expected from a
well-designed taper". The athlete is doing less volume in training,
so some adjustment to diet may be in order as they go through
the taper period. However, "muscle glycogen concentration has
2 2 O L Y M P I C C O A C H VOLUME 20 NUMBER 3
U S O C
been shown to increase during the taper." "Consequently, a rich in reduction towards the end of the taper and would be more
carbohydrate diet seems to be an important component of a significant than the slow decay. Step is characterized by a sudden
successful taper." This can be advantageous for the athlete as long drop in volume that remains constant throughout the taper.
as they monitor their caloric intake during this period of time.
The meta-analysis looked at gender (no differences). In this study, the linear taper and the two exponentials (slow and
fast) were combined and referred to as a progressive taper. The
Overreaching/Overtraining prior to taper "results in higher progressive taper improved performance over the step taper. It
performance gains, but also that taper duration and percentage appears that the exponential fast decay is the best of the four styles.
decrease in training load should be adapted to dissipate this extra
accumulated fatigue". Conclusion
Styles of Tapers When medals are determined by 1/1000th of seconds or just
the smallest of edges' in team sports, a proper taper can be a
Four different types of tapers have been studied: linear taper, determinant in a podium placement.
exponential (slow decay), exponential (fast decay) and a step taper.
Linear is a daily reduction in volume over the two week period Through the meta-analysis process, the researchers have
and in a graph would appear as a straight downward sloping line. determined that "a two week taper during which training volume
Exponential (Slow) would be a more gradual reduction and would is exponentially reduced by 41-60% without altering training
appear as a slightly curved line ending about where the linear taper intensity or frequency appears to be the most efficient strategy to
would end. The exponential (Fast) would have a greater degree maximize performance gains."
2 3 O L Y M P I C C O A C H VOLUME 20 NUMBER 3
H ot off the P ress USOC DIRECTORY for
Ready for Beijing? NBC/MSNBC has done a wonderful service for THE COACHING
coaches and sports fans alike with their Beijing 2008 site. This is a col- RESOURCES STAFF
lection of videos of performances and current news items. Make sure you
tag this as a favorite site. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 719/866-4701
http://www.nbcolympics.com/ 719/866-4141
Scherr, Jim
The United States Olympic Committee site has information on the his- FAX
tory of the Games as well as the progress of Team USA as athletes earn
the opportunity to compete in both the Olympics and Paralympics. CHIEF OF SPORT PERFORMANCE 719/866-4627
Great place to get your Beijing Games wear as well. Embedded in the 719/866.4166
site is the Amazing Awaits video and connection center--send an athlete Roush, Steve
a good luck message- and learn more about the Games. FAX
http://usolympicteam.com/
PERFORMANCE SERVICES 719/866-4851
The Official Website of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games website has Ingram, Doug- Managing Director for 719/866-4775
a multitude of articles and videos about the Games with multimedia, Performance Services 719/866-3236
interviews, and history. Tourist itineraries are also included on the site. 719/866-4971
http://en.beijing2008.cn/ Williams, Lance - Director, 719/866-4820
Performance Services 719/866-4854
The International Olympic Committee website has an electronic jour- 719/866-4978
naling option for children. Every Wednesday and Saturday, the IOC Sellers, Cathy � Manager, Coaching 719/866-4850
introduces another Olympic sport. Each issue promotes another aspect
of Chinese culture as well. Ashley, Alan- Team Leader for Acrobatic
http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/beijing/ and Combat Sports
Athletic Enhancement via Aquatic Exercise Barnett, Wes- Team Leader for Strength and
Power Sports
Special Symposium for Non-Aquatic Coaches and
Heinrich, April- Team Leader for Team and
Trainers Technical Sports
This unique symposium is for coaches and trainers who do not work in Kearney, Jay T.- Team Leader for
the aquatics field and are looking for new ways to enhance their athletes' Endurance Sports
performance. You are invited to attend a special coach's forum to learn
how your athletes can become better at their sport by incorporating an FAX
aquatic component to their training regiment. Join National Olympic
Team Coaches and an international group of speakers and attendees on INTERNATIONAL GAMES 719/866-4059
Wednesday, October 15,2008, for a full day at the U.S. Olympic Train- 719/632-4164
ing Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to learn how aquatic exercise Gamez, Leslie - Managing Director
enhances athletic performance. Hosted by the Aquatic Exercise Associa- FAX
tion and USA Swimming, and sponsored by the National Swimming
Pool Foundation�, this is a pre-conference event in conjunction with the INFORMATION RESOURCE CENTER (Library)
5th Annual World Aquatic HealthTM Conference. Registration includes
complimentary shuttle from/to the Crowne Plaza Hotel and lunch. To Slater, Cindy - Manager 719/866-4622
learn more and to register for this special symposium, visit http://www.
FAX 719/632-5352
nspf.org/WAHC_2008.html or call 719-540-9119.
OLYMPIC TRAINING CENTERS 719/866-4501
WOMEN in COACHING
The tentative dates for the USOC/NCAA Women in Coaching Sym- Mike English - Managing Director of Athletes,
posium are October 9-11 at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Facilities and Service-
Springs. This annual program focuses on Leadership and Coaching
skills. This program is free, but you must register to attend. Space is Glenn Roseboom - Director of 719/866-4739
limited. To register, email Cathy.Sellers @usoc.org.
Colorado Springs OTC
FAX 719/866-4645
Lake Placid 518/523-2600
Favro, Jack - Director 518/523-1570
FAX 619/482-6101
619/482-6200
San Diego
Tracy Lamb- Director
FAX
OLYMPIC COACH E-MAGAZINE To receive your complimentary subscription, go to the web site at
http://coaching.usolympicteam.com/coaching/ksub.nsf, and sign up. The subscrip-
The U.S. Olympic Committee Coaching and Sport Sciences Division reminds tion information that you provide will not be shared or sold to any other organiza-
you that our quarterly magazine, OLYMPIC COACH, is now available elec- tion or corporation. Please share this opportunity with other individuals in the
tronically as the OLYMPIC COACH E-MAGAZINE. coaching community. The PDF version of past editions of
the Olympic Coach magazine are available at:
This quarterly publication designed for coaches at all levels can now come to http://coaching.usolympicteam.com/coaching/kpub.nsf
you via e-mail. The quarterly e-mail provides a summary of each article in the
magazine with a link that takes you directly to the full-length article. The best SEARCH CAPABILITY
news is that OLYMPIC COACH E-MAGAZINE is available to all coaches and Olympic Coach E-Magazine can be searched by keyword.
other interested individuals free of charge. To use this feature go to:
http://coaching.usolympicteam.com/coaching/kpub.nsf/webdateview
2 4 O L Y M P I C C O A C H VOLUME 20 NUMBER 2