Build a Powerhouse

5 hours of sleep a day

19 hours of massive, drive to high schools, recruiting (if thats legal)

lots and lots of recruiting

just getting the name out there

The number one thing that must be done is to decide what your focus will be in terms of which of the four areas will be your specialty-basically you throw out the "balanced team idea-it's old and doesn't put you in the hunt at the national meet. You see the most succesful teams throw one of the four out and make just one a focus OR do a 2-1 split. Thats sounds complicated so look at it this way. There are four areas sprints/hurdles, distance, jumps, and throws. The model of the most succesful program in the history of D1 track and field has been to do the two one split. They bring in distance and jumps and as a side focus give half scholarship consideration to sprints. So on the mens side you have this distribution of money 5 distance 5 jumps and 2.6 sprints. This doesn't mean that you don't take a thrower that wants to come to your school, but it might mean that you don't actively recruit throwers. So you pick your battle ground and fight from there. There are some side benefits to this breakdown that the HOGS use, such as the ability to pick up more sprinters/hurdlers and throwers off the football team for N0 scholarship money. Some coaches cringe at the idea of imbalanced teams-to them that is what track and field is all about-yes it was when duals actually meant something-now not so much. Look at a team like SMU outdoors last year with just throwers alone + 1 distance guy they were able to place third. Same with a team like LSU or Tennessee-heavily sprint laden with support coming from a jumper here or a thrower there with an 800m guy thrown in for good measure. For a totally sprint laden team look at South Carolina women-although with the 18 scholarship thing on the women's side if a coach chose to go the balanced team route-this is where it should be done-on the men's side forget it. If you went after one athlete in each event-you could spend .70 of a scholarship on each athlete and this would not get you the caliber of athlete you want. So focusing on specific areas are the key. Just my opinion as a coach who has been around the NCAA for awhile.

Thats all good.

But, why is youre name "Kiwitrack"

It seems stupid at first, unless youre the real deal? Land of the Lydiard?

Anyway, progams should be built on the individual (or sacrificial goat) at hand. No universal program is for you unless youre MR Average.

Also realize that some high schools have track coaches that suck. So if you really want to find the hidden gems, go to events that don't involve track that occurs same time as track--like baseball and softball. Attend all the plays put on by high schools in your area. Who knows--the next Alan Webb you might find will be staring in My Fair Lady. Also, search out any bicycling or skateboard facilities--or even roller skating even. Some kids like water sports at that time of year--like swimming, skiing, and especially fishing. If you spot a kid putting weatie dough on their line--you know he is a true sportsman and only fishing for carp for fun--or to give it away to some black family. He will be the most athletic--because he couldn't care less about his next meal or what people think of him. Find the young lady fishing crappie and you will have a future champion 800m on your hand--because she probably doesn't know what she is doing and is only tormenting the fish. A major dick teaser is what I call such a girl. Also, if you go out in the woods and spot someone looking for mushrooms, you could have a pole vaulter in the making--because people who hunt mushrooms like using a stick. Ok--well I have helped you enough for now. You should be grateful--but you are probably just an ingrateful ass.

Just a tip here catman: I only read the first few and last few lines of posts. Maybe you should stick to your point without waffle?

Maybe I am half asleep--good night.