TERAINA'S CHANCE !
Since their team does not return to the eastern (Line) islands of Kiribati until next Friday, several of the Teraina team took their chance to complete an OBAS (Basic Athletics) course.
The KAA Secretary (David Little) is also on holiday from teaching. Thus it seemed a good idea to help the Teraina people by running a compressed course at the National Stadium. We started this morning, using the shade and the track to cover various aspects of track running. The two male attendees went through a basic jog warm-up, stretching, sprint start off blocks (and adjusting the block), racing 50m. and time-keeping, racing 400m. and recovery (to understand the physiological differences in breathing and pulse), basic spacing of effort, then one ran an 800m. I used two visual methods of starting, one being a dropped arm, the other a normal cap-gun. With little practice, they responded well.
The two guys put in real effort, times for 50m. being 7.2, for 400m. 68, and for 800m. 3-04. Pace judgement and the need for evenness of effort became obvious !
ALSO SOME HURDLES !
They also used our low (Primary School) hurdles as an introduction to Hurdling. One learned faster than the other, but we will have another try later. They transferred onto minimum height normal hurdles and again one adapted better. They were shown how to use local resources (chairs and sticks) if no hurdles are available !
They deserved their lunch on Day 1 !!
THEN WE DID THROWS.
The second session was used to concentrate on the major throws for Kiribati, i.e. Shot, Discus, and Javelin. They used the senior mens' Shot, and we had a competition so that they could take turns in measuring and recording results. With no practice, pushing 7.00+m. was a fair effort from "power position". (By the way, these are track athletes rather than field !) Iete A. grasped the idea of the turn in Discus faster than Iete K., but the latter was able to "make it fly" first. The concept of the importance of rhythm was pushed at them in every field event. Also the need for acceleration. We followed the OBAS book to introduce all the throws, and they enjoyed the Javelin best, both achieving 30+m. (OK, so they were using 600 gm. !!) I impressed on them the possibility of using local resources, e.g. coconut leaf-stems for Javelin, and shapely stones from the beach for Shot and Discus.
AND SO TO DAY 2.
Everyone on time again - surprising in the Pacific ! We started with a revision of the throws and a little more practice of the shift (Shot) and turn (Discus) using the relevant circles (both wet after heavy overnight rain). Then a revision of Hurdles, partly to make them stretch first and thus be better prepared for the Jumps. Again, Iete K. had a better technique but both had improved.
To keep in the shade of the stand, I inserted a take-off board on fairly solid sand. This worked OK for the LJ, again done as a competition to include measuring and recording. More than 4.00m. off a short run was again a fair effort. Then I found a dry patch on the field so that we could set up a basic HJ. Using normal stands and a rubber bar, off a marked three-stride approach, both used scissors to clear 1.30m. comfortably. No slipping ! They were shown how to record HJ and sort out a result. (There are not yet any mats in Teraina, so any backwards jumping would have been irrelevant. Both could have done at least 1.50m. today.) Finally on to TJ. I reverted to the LJ board in front of the stand (but still not landing in sand). I marked targets at intervals of 3m., evenly spaced. They achieved this easily, off a short approach, and understood the value of a "long step" in keeping the whole effort even.
...and FINALLY !
The final session covered the basic principle of Sprint Relay, i.e. get the BATON round as fast as possible ! Thus having the incoming runner calling the exchange and judging the best time to pass the baton became obvious. (See one of the photos.) They took it in turns to pass it, and the acceleration zone and box were explained.
I was pleased to be able to give them "Completion Certificates", together with sets of result sheets (to use in competitions), plus the current National and Inter-School records, and some photos !
They were urged to pass on their knowledge. In two years time, at the next Runga, we will see if Teraina has learned anything !
Last Modified on 25/11/2008 16:21