What is the easiest event group to coach in track and field?

5000m & xc

I'd say middle distance is easiest, because technique is a very small portion of the knowledge required. I believe more technical events become more difficult because knowledge of technique and training programming is required, in addition to how to juggle those two things within a training structure.

It seems like most of these replies are based on which event group has more athletes instead of focusing on which event group is hardest to coach. Obviously having more athletes in an event is difficult. But let’s try and stay on topic here.

Sprints and jumps has to be the easiest. The kids train for 6 months a year and can still be very successful. Most coaches can just correct mechanics and POOF the kid is faster. They don't ever have to develop anyone.

Compared to what? A sprinter's workout is 3x200 w/ 10 minutes rest. SO MUCH COACHING.

Or a triple jumper who jumps once per week?

Rating Each Event in Terms of Difficulty to coach, each one has its own challenges. I think MD and Distance are actually pretty different in terms of every part of the approach-but then again only opinion.

Sprints:

Talent plays a larger role, you have FT muscles or you don't-often less improvement statistically from HS

Scientifically: moderately hard

Time Commitment: Moderate

Mentality: High Pressure, but easier to simulate in workouts

Injury Risk: Higher due to explosiveness

Throws

Actual Training: Technically difficult to some extent

Time Commitment: Hard

Mental Aspect: Moderate

Injury Risk: Overuse prone

Distance: 10k up

Scientifically: Easy-aerobic fitness, and mechanical efficiency baby

Time Commitment: Extremely hard

Mental Aspect: also interesting to coach

Injury Risk: You can see it coming.

Middle Distance: 800-5k

Scientifically: Hard.

Time Commitment: Hard

Mental Aspect: Hard

Injury Risk: Moderate considering the balance between energy systems and power and endurance

Jumps:

Scientifically: Moderate

Technical: Hard

Mental Aspect: Moderate

Injury Risk: Moderate, especially in doubling in sprints

If you include the marathon into track and field then it would be the marathon. If not then it would be the 10000m event.

Marathon: Just go out and run a whole lot of miles.

High Jump: Either you got the ability or you don't.

If you consider 1/2 Marathoners and Marathoners under T&F umbrella, those two events. Fifteen-hundred meters to 10000m athletes have to have 600m speed to medal since 1972 Olympics. Trying to create 600m speed after years of neglect from age 3 to age 20 is difficult.

I will say that sprinters and throwers have a lot more chances to qualify for stuff… so if you are a coach at a school were success is how many ncaa qualifiers you have it is a lot easier to qualify kids in sprints, distance is the hardest. If you have a 5k or 10k kid you have only a couple chances for them to run a qualifying time and if they are not just better than everyone this can be a lot of stress and management because you need to get them ready for a handful of race opportunities that don’t necessarily occur around your schedule. And if they have a crappy 10k you can’t just do it again next week or probably even the next week.

Sprinters especially ncaa quality are just gifted and as long as you don’t screw them up they can often qualify, think football dude that just shows up after Fb season and still does spring ball with the team but is on a 4x1 team or is an open event sprinter. There are no soccer players that just show up and qualify in the 1500 or 5k.

If your definition of success is actually winning a NCAA championship in an event I think most events are pretty equal when it comes to the requirements of recruiting, teaching technique (either mechanics or racing strategies) and getting athletes ready to perform when it matters most.