Coaching Philosophy

My Coaching Philosophy – Bob Cruise

I am sometimes asked why I coach. I guess most coaches are asked the same question at some time or other during their coaching career. I simply answer that I enjoy coaching and being with younger people keeps me young. Whereas the ultimate reason to coach is to achieve success with your athletes, success needs to be defined. Success can come in many ways.
Not so with all coaches, but I accept anyone into my squad of walkers who wants to walk. I guess that attitude has something to do with my early days as a young athlete and sportsperson. I was grateful to a number of people who gave me ‘a go’ and I believe I should extend, in fact, I believe I have an obligation to extend that invitation to others. As a consequence I have walkers with visual impairment, with physical disabilities, of both genders who are Australian champions and representatives and, across the squad, an age differential of over 80 years. Each of the athletes in my squad is individual, each has uniqueness and each has abilities some of which are very apparent and some which take considerable time to become evident and/or develop and no doubt some which will never be apparent to me as their coach.
Irrespective of individuality the ‘Bob Squad’ training program starts as a generic program that seeks to cover speed, speed endurance and endurance coupled with flexibility, strength and conditioning and an awareness of a wholistic approach to training and living.
Training for walkers in their late teens is programmed for six of the seven week days including track competition in the summer which I regard as a speed session. I am often frustrated by some successful athletes foregoing competition thus denying aspiring athletes an opportunity to participate alongside them and learn from the experience.
Whereas the age of athletes in my squad range from five or six years of age to the mid-eighties, each is required to do a minimum of five kilometres each track session. A 10 kilometre walker may be required to complete a program of say 12 kilometres on the track. Of course the intensity of training and the type of activity will vary dependent on the age and the condition of the athlete.
Despite the above the emphasis on training is always ‘TECHNIQUE, TECHNIQUE, TECHNIQUE’. Whereas each athlete is an individual and must be treated accordingly the basic principles of race walking, as espoused in many a text, is sought and required. Sometimes the acquisition of a sound race walking technique takes years to achieve and can change rapidly when coaching young athletes who are rapidly developing emotionally and physically.
Non track training is often dependent on an athlete’s availability. Many young athletes are involved in a multitude of activities, some physical e.g. football, cricket, tennis, soccer, triathlons, swimming etc and some undertake more intellectual activities such as piano, chess or indeed are strongly committed to school and/or university studies. Some are strongly committed to family and some work, often with variable shifts. When demanding that an athlete train, a coach should clearly be aware of the availability and preferences of each athlete. To this end a database recording such is useful.