East German scheme “not for free world”

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33579, 6 July 1974, Page 42

East German scheme “not for free world”

The East German coaching system, responsible for the rapid rise of that nation’s swimmers to world class, would never work here, according to Mr V. T. Parkhouse, who was coach of the New Zealand team at the Coca-Cola carnival at Leeds in April.

In his report or. the tour, which also included the West German indoor championships at Siegen, Mr Parkhouse says the East German system is highly efficient but would not be acceptable in “the free world.”

“Coaches in western countries enjoy their work because cf their free enterprise approach," hr: added. “I could not accept a i*cuation where caching poky is directed a natio <al -. This Cisttoys the initiative of the ambitious coach.”

Mr T_rkhouse says that he was one of the few coaches able to speak to the East Germans and discuss training methods. When he was coach of the Olympic team at Munich, he had been told the East Germans did not speak English. At Leeds, M r Parkhouse took an interpreter with him and had two “fruitful” talks with Mr Rolf Glaeser, coach of Rosemarie Kother, the world record-holder for the 100 m and 200 m butterfly. Mr Glaeser explained that the East German system was completely nationalised, with a chief coach planning the coaching and competitive programme for the year. Information was sent continually to head coaches of

clubs, who are paid by the state, and the training had a certain amount of flexibility according to local circumstances.

East German clubs are for competitive swimming only; {he teaching of swimming is the responsibility of schools. Children are tested and measured physiologically at schools to predict their future growth pattern. From this information a child is guided to the sport in which he or she is likely to excel. If a child with potential lives in an area with poor facilities, it is taken from its family to an area with good facilities. Parents are not likely to object, says Mr Parkhouse, “realising it would probably be unwise to do so.” He questioned the Germans “on the massive physical proportions of their female swimmers,” but was told there were “large girls in teams from all countries and East Germany also happened to have some.” Mr Parkhouse was told the swimmers did not weight training but had flexibility exercises. The Commonwealth Games did not make New Zealand an international swimming force, Mr Parkhouse says in his report, and care had to be taken in the future if the sport was not to become complacent, "and just hope we will achieve the same success in the future.”

Positive steps had to be taken to ensure a continuous stream of potential worldclass swimmers, and they did not come from a poor training and coaching environment.