ALMOST A BUSINESS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20102, 23 November 1939, Page 9

ALMOST A BUSINESS

SWIMMING IN AMERICA PAINS TO GET RESULTS COACHING METHODS SYDNEY. Nov. 15. Bill Kendall, Australian swimming star, who has just returned from America, thinks we have a lot to learn about the arl of producing champions. The difference between an Australian and an American swimmer. Kendall discovered, is that the latter malms it a business and the former a pleasure. Maybe, if some of the tilings one hoars are true, swimming is perhaps too much of a business in America—one of the university stars there is employed as a head waiter at one of the colleges, though he is classed as a student, and swims as an amateur! Bui they certainly get results. Kendall says that even if unimportant events in America the swimmers race as if they were representing their country at the Olympic Games.

“Coaches will go lo any end to get the best out of their men.'' says Kendall.

"One coach, Kiputli, of Yale, was not quite satisfied with the action of one of his men. To find out what was wrong lie got into a diving suit, and lay on the bottom of a pool, getting a fish's eye view of his pupil as he paddled up and down!" Kendall told of another coach who was trying to get a youth to go over 880yds using the "butterfly" stroke. The swimmer tried day after day for weeks, but the most he could manage was 000yds. He told the coach he simply could not go any further.

But the tutor would not give up. One day he got hundreds of students to line up round the pool just as the swimmer was finishing his usual "Goo.'’ At a signal, students cheered and shouted encouragement lo the swimmer. who responded by going on to do 85511yd5.. finishing with a great dash. He later developed into one of the University’s best breaststroke swimmers over half a mile.