AMERICAN COACH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22867, 23 October 1937, Page 10

AMERICAN COACH

SERVICES IN DOMINION , TRAINING OF ATHLETES OLYMPIC GAMES RUNNER [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Friday As a, result of the efforts of ill. B. Sutherland, of Wellington, and officials of tlie New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association, and the Wellington Centre, athletes in the Dominion will have the services of a first-class American coach this season

The coach is Mr. Fitch, who represented the United States at the 1921 Olvmpic Gaines at Paris. In the semifinal of the 100 metres he created a world's record of 47 4-ss, but this was bettered by one-fifth of a second in the final by E. H Liddell, of Great Britain. Mr. Fitch will arrive at Auckland on November 26.

The proposal to obtain an Ameiican coach for New Zealand athletes was first made by Mr. Sutherland oil his return from a trip to the United States and Japan. While in Japan he attended a Japanese-American athletic meeting and interviewed a number of American coaches, including Dean Cromwell, recognised as the foremost athletic coach in the world, who has produced more Olympic winners than any other man. After seeing the Americans in action and learning something of their coaching methods, Mr. Sutherland became convinced that athletics in New Zealand would never make progress unless a first-class American coach was secured. Mr. Sutherland was supported by the president of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association. Mr. R. A\. McVilly, the council of the association and the Wellington Centre. A sub-committee of the centre met on Thursday and decided to embark on a scheme to raise the necessary finance under the direction of Mr. T. W. Leslie.