Topic: I'm Losing My Weightlifters...

[Andy Dick]

...to track.

I am running into a problem.  Some of my talented weightlifters are not going to join the team again this year because they are going to run track.  The problem lies in that many of the track coaches are the football coaches.  So the football coaches are putting pressure on the kids to run track telling them track will get them faster.  However, this is not the case most guys that run track do not get any faster or they get slower.

We try to explain to the kids that weightlifting team is going to be more beneficial to them because track only focuses on running in a straight line.  It does not work deceleration, agility, explosiveness.  All of these aspects are focused on with the weightlifting team.  We lift M,W,F focusing on the olympic lifts and Tue, Thurs we do speed, agility, and plyo sessions.

The problem is the kids feel pressured because thier football coach is pressuring them into track.  How do you pursuade a kid that weightlifting is indeed better for them (which it is) while maintaining a good working relationship with the other coaches?  I don't want to bad talk the track program but it is not going to make them a better football player or athlete.

[eli]

You have a weightlifting team in the Milwaukee area? Where at? Is your program year round? Didn't know there were any kids lifting around here.  Anyways, try recruiting girls, shorter boys or scrawny boys.  I'd say that should be 80% of your team.  IMO, these kids develop their lifting in fewer years and are less likely to have other favored sports, activities, and distractions.  Plus, only 2 or 3 out of 15 weightlifting classes are dominated by males of above average height [for Americans].

[Andy Dick]

We are out of Marquette University High School.  We are not a sanctioned team as we don't want to pay all the fees.  Right now if our lifters want to go to a meet it is out of thier pocket (yet we have none who are weightlifting focused).  We are going to set up non-sanctioned meets as well to keep the cost down since many lifters are not weightlifting focused.  Hopefully this year will be the first our non-sanctioned meet.  It is not year round, it is mainly in the spring.  We focus it around the other programs.  Being many of the guys that join are football players.  It usually goes football season, powerlifting, weightlifting, summer (offseason or weightlifting program).  Basically since we also have a powerlifting team that takes some of the same lifters we focus powerlifting on strength and add a few olympic lifts then spring we focus on building power so more focus olympic lifts.  Anyway I believe I have another topic on here that gives more details.  Not really a strict weightlifting program persay, I am trying to make it so though but need more commitment from guys.

Girls are not an option in recruiting as it is an all boys school.  Which is sad because when I was at a public school the girls were the most coachable athletes I worked with.  I try to get the scrawnier kids but as you probably know its hard.  Plus for some reason there is a huge draw to cross country at this school so that scoops up the scrawnier guys.  I do have some committed guys who I have been working with it is just I get some who are not huge but you can tell are very teachable and have a lot of power.  But they keep getting scooped up by other sports.  Also there are plenty of sports and club teams to compete with just makes it difficult is all.  I have maybe seen 1 or two guys come through here who are focused only on one sport and those guys were all about powerlifting (probably because it is easier) and I could not pursuade them otherwise lol.

Just the battle I must fight I guess.

Eli you located in the Milwaukee area I am always looking for fellow lifters?

[Walter Bailey]

If the kids are so heavily influenced by their football coach, maybe you should spend your energy trying to convince him that weightlifting is better

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

Are you making any money coaching weightlifting? If not, I say move on to greener pastures. Weightlifting is a dying sport, run by total scumbags.

[Simon Klimesh]

Good posts on goheavy btw, Chris. Made sense to me.

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

Thanks for the support. :)

[Andy Dick]

Walter, we do except remember the football coaches are also the track coaches.  So bigger teams and teams with more athletic individuals = looks better for them.  So its been an uphill battle, these coaches know the benefits we offer they choose to ignore it.

Chris, I do not get paid (technically) but I love weightlifting and want to keep coaching the kids and coach them in a sport I still love.  I say technically because the guys come lift after school when I am contracted to be in the weight room so I am still making my salary to coach them.  Meets would be unpaid, but we have few and I wouldn't mind not getting paid if it gets kids lifting (I love meets when I have a vested interest, coaching or competing).  Also, a side note part of bring me here was my knowledge of olympic lifts and creating a "club team."  Also, as you know there are tremendous benefits for athletics garnered from oly lifting.  Remember we are basically removed from the main sphere by running unsanctioned meets etc.  The other nice thing as you know by oly lifting is you can do it on your own without all the organizations.

ADDITION:

Good posts on goheavy btw, Chris. Made sense to me.

Is this related to what Chris said to me?  If so can you post a link?