AMATEUR STATUS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 49, 13 March 1937, Page 14

AMATEUR STATUS

ITS INFLUENCE GN BRiTISH ATHLETICS MANY TRACK STARS MPEDEB 2SO WORLD SUPKEMACY FOB THEM $mag, OF AMERICAN COACH j? England'* fanaiic devotloa to the "gentleman amateur" form of eoaching keeps the Unioh Jack from world track and field supremacy in the opinion of Harold Anson Bruce, vetjtran American coach. , The Britlsh Mes in general are cjhock full of prospective athletic greats, but their development may Toe deferred for generations, said Bruce, unless professional eoacnes schooled in physical education, are suhstituted for the present system. Bruce recently returned from Austria, where he completed an 18months contract to prepare Auatrla for the XI Olympic Games held in Berlin last summer. His athletes engaged in dual and triangular meets .with other central European nations and his journey to Berlin gave nim an opportunity to ohserve the athletes of the world. "England's queer complex of preferring the gentleman amateur coach over the professional variety, is an mjustice to British youth," asserted Bruce. "Apparantly the English want their boys and girls to learn the hard way — by hard knocks. England is weak in field events materlal, but the talent is there. In the running events, althoutgh it has not been brought out. Tm glad to say that I observed definite signs of the passing of the eld coaching system and the day for recognition of professional coaches is not distant. If the change were made now, and four or five"or our xecognised coaches were put in cnarge wa would have to reckon seriously with England, perhaps, not in the next Olympic, but certainly in the aext six or eight years." Bruce paused long enough to credit his profess|on with- the success of the I American track and field athlete in intemational competition, but saw httle future in Ihe coaching field for th« thousands of men who are being graduated with bachelor e£ physrcal .education degrees. *WVre turning out a mill of B. P. E's" h® »aid. 'The great majocity of them are utterly unfit for the vocation. Like the musician, the tpaek and field coach is born for the job. Instinctively he must be a leader. Fortunately we have that tjrpe in the United States, but they're few and far between. If England gets that type, she could make the other nations sweat in track and field competition. The materlal Is tnere." ,The former Lnfayette and Union College mentor said he was impeesaed by the longevity of European athletes, espedally the Finns and Swedes. Their success In distance running is directly attributable to almost ceaseless training and participation in cross-country racing. He advocates MU and dale running for all track and field athletes to develop the stamina needed In their specialties. "When the young Australian athlete goes to work to eaxn a living, ha hasn't tlme for much training, but it's different in England, and Sweden," he explain^d. "For example the Finn runs in the morning, the afternoon and ihe evenlng, It's questionable if we are ever going to match them in training for distance. *When does he work , where does ha get his money to eat?" Bruce . was asked. - m *T don't know, but apparently he's satisfied with a herring for a meal," Bruce replied. "One Olympic gold medal Is enough food for him for four years.**