(Harvey Newton, moderator): Welcome SportsEdTV audience to what I think is going to be very exciting blog and Zoom exchange between a handful of coaches. I've tried to create quite a variety of coaches. This could probably go on for hours or days. But we’ll keep it at about an hour.
Last year, Gene Baker and Bridget Raach both emailed me on the same day while I was traveling. They raised several coaching issues that got me thinking that this topic would be a great blog. Since many of our audience may not have access to a club or a team or a coach, let’s consider:
What is the role of a coach, and does everybody need a weightlifting coach?
Panel member Brian Derwin is a 1980 Olympian who started without a coach at Lehigh University. Gene Baker started without a coach in Michigan in the ‘60s. I started in Florida at the same time, without a coach. Our super US. team of the 1950s, lifters such as Dave Sheppard, Tommy Kono, Isaac Berger, Chuck Vinci, Norb Schemansky all were world-beaters without a coach.
I wondered, what happens to someone today who doesn't have a coach? Can they make it to the top or at least the national level? I tend to think they can, but I sought out a variety of coaches to contribute opinions.
Today, weightlifting coaches are a hot topic. It seems almost everybody is a weightlifting coach, at least within our sport’s community. Either they've taken a course, or they have a website and are willing to take money to provide information. That may be a good idea, and I don't want to downplay it. This fits into what USA Weightlifting membership surveys have suggested in order to regain international competitiveness.
The three primary survey suggestions: 1) We need more athletes. Having just had 1800 athletes at an American Open qualifier, I'm not sure greater numbers are the answer. 2) We need National Collegiate Athletic Association recognition, and scholarships. That's very true, but it's not going to happen in my lifetime. 3) The third key to success is coaching, particularly utilizing famous international coaches.
