Gymnastic coach ‘remote’ and dedicated

Press, 29 July 1978, Page 12

Gymnastic coach ‘remote’ and dedicated

Bj

KEVIN TUTTY

Alf Holt has built an enviable reputation as a gymnastics coach in the last 25 years, and his ability has been rewarded by his selection as coach of the women’s team at the Edmonton Games. He has coached two national champions, Jill Buchanan and Kirsty Durward, and a winner of every other grade at national level except the men’s open grade. As he is coach of Greg Robertson, the 17-year-old Christchurch youth who is a member of the men’s team at the Games, Holt should not have to wait long before he can claim the distinction of having coached a winner of every national grade. His coaching ability is obviously highly regarded throughout New Zealand. This year he has coached at some time, every woman in the elite grade except one. All have come to Christchurch for Holt’s

guidance at their own expense. Miss Durward, formerly from Rotorua and now at university in California, left her family to spend two years training with Holt before she left for the United States. She is the top ranked member of the Games team of four. Fourteen of Holt’s proteges have represented New Zealand overseas and he has “lost count” of the number of gymnasts who have contested national championships under his coaching.

His coaching is restricted basically to women and girls, not by choice, but because of the very small number of men and boys who reach an advanced stage in the sport. He attributes his success as a coach to keeping his personal life separate to those of the gymnasts. “I spend 15 to 16 hours a week with them in the gym. But once they leave that is it. I don’t see them

until the next session. If you become too involved personally with competitors I believe it affects your coaching.” This perhaps paints a picture that Mr Holt’s relationship is aloof and distant. But that is far from the truth. Their intentness on his instructions show their deep respect for his knowledge. Holt started his coaching career in Dunedin 25 years ago, after two years as a self-coached gymnast. “There were no national championships in those days. All competition was localised. It was a major excursion to go to the North Island.” The paucity of coaches was what interested Holt in that branch of the sport. “I drifted into it initially, but I moved to Wellington and became more serious about coaching at the Wellington Boys’ Institute. For the last 20 years I have been completely wrapped up in coaching.” Since 1967, he has coached in Christchurch. For five years he was at the Hereford Street Y.M.C.A. and since then has taught at Xavier Col-

lege where he is allowed the use of the college gymnasium to coach the 20 gymnasts who are the Alpha club. Alpha, Holt believes, is probably the smallest club in the country. All its members are competitive and have to achieve certain standards and have the potential to progress before they are admitted to the club. The membership restric-

tion is necessary. It is all Mr Holt can cope with, even with some aid from the senior club members instructing the younger gymnasts. Since 1970. gymnastics has altered dramatically. Equipment and routines are far superior to those of a decade ago. “If gymnasts now were asked to do a routine I did in 1953 they would laugh,” Holt said.

On the prospects of the women’s team at Edmonton Holt does not consider an individual medal likely. Miss Durward has recorded some remarkable scores on the vault and floor in university competitions in the United States, but the top two Canadian girls are ranked 18 and 19 in the world.

An English girl has done well in top international competition recently and the other two Canadians will also be experienced internationals. Canada is the most improved country in the world in women’s gymnastics, said Holt. A team medal is possible in Holt’s view. The Canadians are sure to win the gold but the home countries being split will help the

New Zealand girls. England should win the silver and New Zealand must be rated for the bronze, and at the outside, the silver. Its main opposition for the bronze will come from Australia, but New Zealand has beaten Australian teams in the past and Holt is confident it can be done again. The Australians have the added advantage of three external tours in the last year while three of the New Zealand girls have not competed outside New Zealand.

Eight countries are entered in the women’s gymnastics. Each team has four competitors and the

best three scores on each apparatus determine the

Holt’s only hope is that the judging will be fair at Edmonton and not cause the problem it does at world championship and Olympic level, where it has been suggested the western nations break away from the Communist blocdominated International Gymnastic Federation. “It will be interesting to see how far national pride is taken at Edmonton, but my personal feeling is neutral judges from the United States and Europe should have been appointed.”

His only fear is that the New Zealand instinct for fair play in such situations could count against the gymnasts. There are two New Zealand women and one man appointed to judge at Edmonton. “While our judges might give the marks deserved, other judges could mark gymnasts from their countries up 0.1 or 0.2 of a point. Over four exercises and in a team total that could well make the difference of two or three places.”

Hopefully, Holt’s minute fears will not be founded; one would expect the Commonwealth Games to be above such tactics.