GOOD JUNIORS

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 36, 12 February 1938, Page 23

GOOD JUNIORS

A former champion remarked the other day that he did not think that Wellington has had a more promising bunch of juniors for years than at the present time. Indeed he was inclined to go. further and say that he doubted if there ever at one time has been a better coterie of juniors.

There is no doubt that Wellington is well off in this respect and a certain amount of confidence in the future is to be derived from the fact, provided, however, that normal development and progress is maintained. This, of course, is something of a gamble, but now that the centre has a fully-qualified coach ■to watch over and guide its athletes there should not be any "burnt-out" athletes —the fate of some of the rising young stars of other years because they were wrongly advised or not advised with the result that they overdid things.

Three of the younger brigade who are outstanding and whose names come quickly to mind are J. Sutherland, N. Welsh, and F. Taylor.. Reference to the sprinting form of Sutherland and Welsh has been made earlier. Welsh also, turned out in the junior 440 yds, but was well beaten by the fresher Taylor. It was at the secondary schools' meeting at the Basin Reserve towards the end of last year that Taylor first caught the eye as a middledistance runner. He has.much natural ability and appears to possess good judgment as well, which is a valuable asset. Welsh has shown a tendency to take on too much, or is it that he has run in extra events at times to give his club representation? That is one drawback of team contests. Welsh is too promising a lad to be run off his feet. He, and this applies to all juniors, should look after himself, and not mix events.

There are other good juniors besides these three and to those looking .to the future- o£ the sport it is pleasing to see them out and doing so well. Compared with the success that used to come the centre's vvay at the national championship meeting, Wellington has had a somewhat lean time of it of recent years, but the juniors of the present time may do much to-remedy this state of affairs ere long. At least, they are showing encouraging form. May the sport draw still deeper upon the ranks of secondary school athletes when the time comes for them to leave school.