ATHLETIC COACH FROM AMERICA

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22534, 17 October 1938, Page 17

ATHLETIC COACH FROM AMERICA

A. L. FITCH ARRIVES IN CITY / ~~ SCHOOL BEGINS THIS AFTERNOON One of America’s leading athletes, A. L. Fitch, who was a member of the American. Olympic team in 1936, has arrived in Christchurch to begin coaching under contract to the Canterbury centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association. Fitch ipet city club officials yesterday and discussed plans for his work, which will begin at Rugby Park this afternoon. The presence of Fitch is the big event for this year’s track season. The Canterbury centre in co-operation with the Wellington centre, has established a large fund to meet the cost of bringing the coach to New Zealand, and it is likely that he will not only do much to improve the standard of track and field athletics in the province but he will stimulate interest in the sport, particularly among the younger runners.

Fitch brings to New Zealand the latest American methods. His services will be available to all members and intending members of city clubs. The centre hopes that athletes will be present at Rugby Park this afternoon and on subsequent afternoons this week to receive his advice and work if possible to his training schedules. The training school will begin at 4.45 p.m. to-day and at the same time each day. Summer School Under the arrangement with the Wellington centre Fitch will remain here until November 2, when he will return to Wellington. He will come

back to Christchurch in December and attend the summer school to be held in the holiday period at Timaru. In addition to the field coaching at Rugby Park he will probably show films and speak at the Pioneer Amateur Sports Club. He will coach secondary school athletes and will be present at the inter-school sports at Lancaster Park on November, 2. Having coached last season in Wellington Fitch has a good knowledge of New Zealand conditions. He said last evening that he was looking forward keenly to working with the Canterbury centre, as Canterbury was probably the leading province in the athletic field. He said he wanted to cooperate as closely as possible with the city coaches. Fitch comes from the University of Southern California. As a sprinter he represented America at the Olympic Games in Berlin in 1936.