PLAYERS and the GAME

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12643, 31 December 1926, Page 17

PLAYERS and the GAME

think that they have outgrown their tub boat days.

A few words os to the coach: He. is a man sui generis. It is a mistake to suppose that every senior oarsman is ifole to coach; he may be a . firstrate' man with an oar in his hands, but perfectly useless .with the tiller lines. The coach must not be impatient, he must not get out of temper, he must mingle the sweet with the hittei/encouragement with abuse : he must have a quick eye. and must not be'afraid to tell a man he is shirking if he thinks it; above all. he must have been well taught himself; with these qualities it matters little that the coach who is lavishing his strong language on the crew may himself be a less valuable oar than any one of the men before him. « # a . •

There ia another reason why regular coaching should be encouraged, In a club where there is systematic coaching there is likely to be systematic training, and the two should go hand in hand. Races under modern conditions are undoubtedly severe struggles, and- for men to be able to do themselves and their ooach credit they must he in gqpd training—by this 1 mean somethin® more than that they must renounce actual dissipation, nor is-it enough (o give up going to a dance or two, or to reduce the amount' of tobacco consumed for a week or two before tho race. I mean that strict training' should be enforced for at least one .month or five weeks 'before any important race, and it should be one of the coach’s duties to explain to the crew wbnt the most modern ideas of training are as to food, sleep and exercise. The eld raw beef-steak and port wine notions' are' happily given up but training has npt become a dead letter for all that; and because the rower is allowed a-greater variety of food he must be all the more particular to keep strictly within the nrescribed limits. The coach should he responsible for the -crew coming to the scratch fit; he should decide, always taking the captain of the boat into his confidence and consulting with him. how much work the crew are to do each day. It will be seen, therefore, that the duties of a coach are many and vari-

ROWING PERSONALITIES No. s—eTs". INNES Very prominent on the executive Side of the sport is Mr E. S. Innes. He may he said to be the “big noise’’ of rowing at the present time, as he .occupies the chair at the meetings of the supreme controlling body—the .Council of the New Zealand Rowing Association. Back in the year ,1897 he made his first acquaintance with the sport, joining up with the St. George Club, ot Auckland. He was secretary of that club for some "ears, and represented it on the Northern Rowing Union until his departure for Wellington in 1906. ' On his arrival in this city he undertook the representation of his old associates on the New Zealand

pairs, and slowly teach them the elements of rowing, stopping them if necessary every few. strokes to explain what they ,do that is wrong; others who have had some experience in racing should take out the more advanced ones in fours, and teach them swing, time, and a quicker strode, .while the .senior crew,kin training for the race, should be* if possible, in charge of some one man on whom would devolve the many duties I have dccribed, all of which conduce to bringing a : crew “fit” to the starting post.

ATHLETICS The Lower Hutt Amateur* Athletic and Cycling Club has arranged a firstclass .sports meeting for to-morrow (New Year’s Day) on the recreation ground. • * * • . The ground , has recently been surveyed and all the sharp corners, noticeable on the occasion of the club’s evening meeting, have been eliminated. The most keenly-contested events should be the ladies’ races, of which there are three: 75yds. 100yds and 120yds. Miss Porter, the New Zealand champion, Miss Swinburne, the Wellington champion, and Miss Mantan will be fopnd on the scratch mark. Miss Gill (Levin), who won two races at Petone on Monday, will also be a competitor. Kyle, the New Zealand champion, and Newton (Wanganui) will be found on the scratch mark in the quartermile, and will fight out last year’s provincial championship again. The cycle races of which there are four v should create more than usual interest, in view of “Fatty” Lamb’s appearance in Wellington a week later; Flett, who is riding brilliantly just now, will - be. found on the scratch mark. He should go very close' to winning the points prize, but will find Carswell a hard nut to crack. Peter Munro % the Australian-New Zealand champion, will be seen in the shot-and javelin. There are also plenty of races for boys and girls, a boys’ cycle race, and a motor-tyre race.

HONOUR DESERVED The Gisborne ladies, who recently visited Wellington, and. proved their capabilities on the local track, have issued an invitation to the local ladies to pay them a visit on January Bth. In this connection it is gratifying to note- that Miss Nancy Eastwood, the diminutive Gisborne flyer, who established a new record (although it will not bo recognised) for the 100 yards, has been honoured by the New Zealand Council, who have forwarded her name to the Qlympio Council as: a probable Olympic possibility tor 1928. She has deserved the distinction, and in her there are possibilities of New Zealand’s colours being hoisted at the Games!

Takaishi is a champion of the first flight, as his times in Australia show. His times compared with Baird’s, ar.d, omitting split seconds, are as follow: Baird. Takaish?. 220yds ... 2min 32sec 2min 23sec 440yds ... omin 30sec omin 21sCc 100 metres What a pity he cannot be seen in New Zealand, for. he would certainly give a bi& boost to the sport. •* * * • Eatsuo Takaishi is a free style swimmer, and has 'been proclaimed the next best swimmer in the world to Arne Borg, but what of J. Weismuller, who holds world’s records for 100 yards, 100 metres, 150 yards, ' 200 metres, and up to 500 metres? Weismuller’s world’s record for 100 metres is 57 8-10 sec, and his Olympic record in the 100 metres event, held in Paris in 1924, was 59sec. Takaishi made 59

4-ssec for this distance at the Olympic Games. •.* • * Takahiro Saithoh, Takaishi’s companion, is an exponent of the backstroke. ••, • - After Andrew Charlton has swum against the Japanese champion early in January, he will return to hard work on the Ounnedah station ; and that is the last big swimming will see of him. It is a pity (says the “Telegraph”) that Charlton can no longer represent Australia at the sport at which he has proved such a wonder. But either his career or his swimming must go ; and his decision to sacrifice the latter can be understood. Charlton is training hard for the forthcoming struggles with the Japanese, and keen followers of the sport are confident he will defeat Takaishi.

Sydney University Sports Union is. probably a unique organisation in New South Wales. The union controls the finances of all the University sporting clubs, except the Amateut League Football Club, which is not affiliated. Each- member of the Sports Union is eligible for membership of any of the affiliated clubs—except the Boat Club —without the payment of fufther-kitb-scriptions. Thus for Hwp 'gninppß a> University man may belong ■ to- Jhc cricket, football, hockey, tennis, rifle, swimming, baseball, and the athletic clubs. The secretary, who is the permanent executive officer, is Mr Charlie BUII, who succeeded Mr H. Heydbtt when the latter became secretary of the New South Wales Cricket Association.