Jeremy Wariner and coach Hart split

thirtyfoot

In what seems to be a row about money Clyde Hart has stopped coaching Wariner. Is this the end of Wariner's quest for Michael Johnson's 400 record? It'll be interesting to see how he goes this season or what Michael Johnson would have to say on this seeing as Hart was his coach and he advises Wariner (although I don't think he is his agent).

Common Sense

I am always amused when high profile athletes such as Wariner and Isinbeyeva leave coaches who have brought them, as athletes, to the height of their powers and where all the indications are that they will take them to another level. Usually these athletes retain the PBs (or WRs) they set under their first coach. Isinbeyeva is a case in point - at one stage she was targetting Sergey Bubka's number of world records set; now, I reckon she'd be happy to set just one more record. It'll be interesting to see how further (if at all) that Wariner can progress without Hart's guidance. In Ireland athletes such as Karen Shinkins could not improve on the PB she set working with Jim Kilty even though she was subsequently coached by Loren Seagrave. One theory I have is that 'first' coaches get to know athletes better than their subsequent coaches can; possibly because the first coach is developing the athlete and, therefore, gets to know the athlete better.

thirtyfoot

Common Sense wrote: »

I am always amused when high profile athletes such as Wariner and Isinbeyeva leave coaches who have brought them, as athletes, to the height of their powers and where all the indications are that they will take them to another level. Usually these athletes retain the PBs (or WRs) they set under their first coach. Isinbeyeva is a case in point - at one stage she was targetting Sergey Bubka's number of world records set; now, I reckon she'd be happy to set just one more record. It'll be interesting to see how further (if at all) that Wariner can progress without Hart's guidance. In Ireland athletes such as Karen Shinkins could not improve on the PB she set working with Jim Kilty even though she was subsequently coached by Loren Seagrave. One theory I have is that 'first' coaches get to know athletes better than their subsequent coaches can; possibly because the first coach is developing the athlete and, therefore, gets to know the athlete better.

Was it Peter Coe who said he would never coach another athlete as he would have to live with them all their life to know how to coach them correctly. I think its an inate skill to be a top top coach, to have that something extra on top of the technical stuff. I know what you saying about the great coaches etc but donkeys don't win derbys and its 50-50 I'd say in that the coach must be perfect for the athlete and the athlete must be perfect for the coach, like Wariner/Hart or Johnson/Hart.

Usually athletes leave their coaches as may have had a bad season and feel they need a regime change like Gillick, O' Rourke, Shinkins, Cuddihy (although she didn't have a bad season) for example. Wariner's case seems to be about money which is sad.

On Shinkins her case is interesting as the season she had her 'breakthrough' (although not PB) she was away from Kilty during the week and trained alone only meeting up at weekends and holidays. It worked well for some reason but Sydney didn't and that precipatated her move (although she wasn't coached by Seagrave in the US, she was coached in a Seagrave system) and while she didn't repeat her PB she ran much more consistently. Derval has done the same and Gillick too, I can't blame them if they feel the relationship has possibly staled because coaching is more than just program writing. The danger is if athletes who move coach are blaming the coach for shortfalls.

With the Irish athletes, the moves are about their betterment as athletes while Wariner its all about the $$$$, like after Clyde Hart where do you go?

cfitz

Tingle wrote: »

With the Irish athletes, the moves are about their betterment as athletes while Wariner its all about the $$$$, like after Clyde Hart where do you go?

In them sort of situations I'd imagine that once the money becomes an issue the coach/athlete relationship can easily become tainted. So when it gets to that stage even if Wariner decides 'wait a minute, Hart's well worth X amount of money', it's already too late to get back the working relationship that brought him the success.

Whatever the case, it'd be a shame if it slows his progress. But you never know maybe the change will suit him...

thirtyfoot

Wariner reckons he could take Johnsons record this season, it'll be interesting to see how it goes.

http://ia.rediff.com/sports/2008/feb/05oly.htm