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

Easiest - throws

Hardest - distance

The easiest events to coach are the simplest events to do: long and triple jumps

I don't think triple is as simple as you think. I might agree with long jump being conceptually simple.

Events that get multiple attempts might be easier because you can correct in real time. Not like a running event where coaches kind of sit back and accept their fate.

Distance has to be the easiest to coach. No technique or form to teach. Just run and click off splits.

I'll bite and be a contrarian. The throws are among the most technical which make them difficult. Whereas distance running is the least technical and a clueless coach could just have kids run 45-60 minutes a day and race every Tuesday and Saturday and have success.

They're all hard. Motivating distance runners is tough as is perfecting a talented sprinters technique. The pole vault and hammer throw are probably the two toughest.

In order of most to least:

Decathlon

Pole Vault

Throws

Jumps

Sprints

Steeple

Middle Distance

Distance

No I am not a coach but come on guys. Runners know how to train, but do not know how to run. Sprinters master the science of the stride. There is very little technique to distance running.

Alan

Half of the sprinters/jumpers I know take most of the summer off and still compete at a high level. You could never do that in distance. Most distance coaches can't perfect the timing of peaking and managing three seasons of work. They also have to convince athletes to run 70+ miles a week. The people who think distance is just running and splits just show their ignorance. They also need to have 5-7 athletes running well at the same time. To say there is very little technique to distance running is hilariously ignorant. Some of you must be trolling here.

Oh, AND distance coaches have to coach hurdles, water pit for steeple. They usually have to manage the 800 group as well as the 10k group and everything in between. Distance coaches tend to be great managers of time.

I'm not going to say that distance is the hardest, but it's certainly not the easiest.

In college here is what I think.

1. Distance 2. Sprints and hurdles 3. Throws 4. Jumps and pole vault Multi doesn’t count most teams don’t even try.

My reasoning is most distance coaches work with both genders and in 3 seasons. Recruiting is time consuming and you are always in season. The spread between 800 and 10k involves lots of different sessions and the group is usually the largest. Need to sign 10-12 kid or more per year if both genders. Half the fall the other events can’t even practice. Might be on the road 30 weekends a year

Sprints is hard but the training is very direct. The attitudes and recruiting is what make it hard. There is no development, only talent. Managing the personalities…

Throws is very technical and hands on but usually a small group and half of them only compete outdoors. Might only have to sign 4 kids per year where distance is bringing in dozens for visits. You can also be really out of shape and succeed in throws.

Jumps and pole vault only go a few days per week. Usually the smallest group and least amount of effort to recruit. 3-4 kids per year. These coaches are usually more worried about their clubs where they make more money on the side.

You can get distance runners to 90% (at least) of their potential with a weekly tempo/threshold intervals and CV. Sprinters won't do well with a non-tailored plan. But it's more difficult to tailor a distance plan than a sprinting plan.

Also if anyone has dealt with high level distance women… the stress and demand with that group is overwhelming at best. Eating disorders, body changes, mental health, bad relationships etc. that will eat you alive

This seems like a fair assessment. /Thread.

Easiest 800m

Hardest 110/100 hurdles

Look at the top teams and the events they consistently compete in. Then look at the other teams and the events they compete in.

Of course a bunch of distance runners think coaching distance runners is hard.

What events require the most skill and technique?

It is not the distance runners.

You want a successful track program? Load it with sprinters and jumpers. There is a lot of overlap there and a lot of events.

Alan

Technique is the easiest thing to coach. Throws and jumps coaches video the athlete and replay in super slow motion.

As a distance coach, you have 5 times as many athletes than a technical coach (that's also 5x as much recruiting). Distance coaches do technique work as well. Each athlete is getting an individualized training plan because events range from 800m to 10k.

Distance coaches have to train their athletes across EVERY energy system. There is a high risk of injuries, stress fractures, eating disorders that complicate everything. To peak 3 times is a challenge.

distance runners usually start off with the worst form and coaches have to fix it. try running 100 miles per week with bad form, you'll get a stress fracture the size of the grand canyon

3+ days per week you tell someone, go run and I will wait here until you return, and that is the hard group to coach?

if you haven’t actually coached every group, then you aren’t speaking from experience and should not comment.

im commenting because I have.

As a HS coach, often without assistants, it wasn't that hard talking to the distance runners and then sending them off on their runs and even doing the same with sprinters. But it was much more difficult giving the appropriate drills and cues to jumpers, throwers and hurdles.

Some programs have as many if not more sprinters than distance runners. And many good programs know that you can't have 3 aerobic peaks in a year, I doubt many peak for the indoor season.

Just say you don't know anything about distance running and log off.