Navigating the Combined-Events in the Collegiate System

USTFCCCA Convention

Technical Symposium

Rob Jarvis

University of Arkansas

Outline – Navigating the Combined-Events in the Collegiate System

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• Single Coach vs Team Coaching Approach to the Combined-Events
• Brief History, Background, and Rationale for my Coaching Approach
• How the Team Coaching Approach Works and the “Must Have’s”
• Constructing the Organization Flowchart and Promoting “One Voice”
• Annual Plan and Training/Competition Considerations
• Mesocycle and Microcycle Examples…my “do’s and don’ts”
• Let’s talk Meso/Micro Designs…Hept’s vs Dec’s (Hint: They’re NOT the same)
• Tracking Athlete’s Data Points

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“There is more than one way to skin a cat.”�Team Coaching the Combined-Events vs Single Coach Approach

“Superbad”, Columbia Pictures 2007

Team Coaching the Combined-Events vs Single Coach Approach�Pros and Cons

• One coach compared to multiple specialists (you steer your own ship)
• Multiple event experts compared to one combined-events specialist. Why not seek the assistance of an “expert” in their craft (varying opinions will arise…need to leave meetings with agreed upon messaging)
• Does the athlete work well with others? Good Cop/Bad Cop
• Event coaches generally do not understand the nuance nor get into the weeds of the combined-events…you will have to lead and over-communicate
• Combined-Events specialists (myself included) can get too over the top and overthink programming...keep it KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid)
• Team approach allows staff to share the load…with changing landscape and all of the other “fun” things coaches do that aren’t coaching (TW, time management, admin duties, etc), it becomes a literal team effort

Shout-Outs to the Single Coach Approach (I Observed/Learned from Watching Afar)

• Petros Kyprianou
• Cliff Rovelto
• Chris Huffins
• Travis Geophart
• Mario Setegna
• Kris Grimes
• Jamie Cook
• Shawn Wilbourn
• Harry Mara
• Kris Mack
• Mike Eskind

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My Foundation and Why I Take the Team Coaching Approach�(a quick history)

• 18 years coaching at the Div I, NAIA, and Pro/Federation Levels
• Azusa Pacific University, UCLA, IMG Academy, University of Miami, and University of Arkansas
• Transferred to and graduated from APU during the prime Bryan Clay era…learned first-hand the team coaching approach from his coaching staff (Kevin Reid, Mike Barnett, and Rana Reider)
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The Three-Pronged Approached, Managed by One, for Bryan Clay�(history continued…)

• Reid oversaw and organized the programming (lead coach)
• Barnett handled the throwing events and weight room
• Reider handled the sprints and jumps
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Bryan Clay Medal Count�(history concluded…)

• Gold, 2008 Beijing Olympic Games (8791)

Day 1: 10.44/7.78m/16.27m/1.99m/48.92

Day 2: 13.93/53.79m/5.00m/70.97m/5:06.59

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• Silver, 2004 Athens Olympic Games

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• Gold, 2010 Indoor World Championships, Doha
• Gold, 2008 Indoor World Championships, Valencia (PB 6371)
• Silver, 2006 Indoor World Championships, Moscow
• Gold, 2005 Outdoor World Championships, Helsinki
• Silver, 2004 Indoor World Championships, Budapest

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***Decathlon PB of 8832 (2008 Olympic Trials, Eugene)

Day 1: 10.39/7.39m/15.17m/2.08m/48.41

Day 2: 13.75/52.74m/5.00m/70.55m/4:50.97

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Current USA Heptathlon Fun Fact

The Top 4 Women from Team USA All Utilize the Team Coaching Approach

• Anna Hall (Mike Holloway, Mellanee Welty, Nic Peterson, and Eric Werskey)
• Taliyah Brooks (Johnson Brothers and TJ Crater)
• Chari Hawkins (Shelia Burrell and Craig Poole)
• Michelle Atherley (Jarvis, Amy Deem, and Cory Young)

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Fun Fact Tangent: Hall was also on top of her

game when she was in the single coach system

with Petros…Both approaches work

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***Can’t wait to continue to be a fan and watch her

chase after JJK’s World Record

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How the Team Approach Works

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• Choose Your Own Adventure…i.e. Who Coaches What (UCLA vs Miami vs Arkansas)
• Ego Has to be Checked at the Door (Don’t Forget That the Head Coach is Still Your Boss if They’re “Assisting” You!!!)
• Ask for Help…Nobody Knows All
• The Specialty Coaches Don’t Have a CE Background…Teach Where Appropriate (i.e. volume/intensity of regular group vs CE group when joining others for practice sessions) – “Don’t crash the Ferrarri…"
• At CE Competitions, CE Coach is the Point Person. Period.
• When Staff Discussions Need to be Had in Battle, Speak as Group Before and Can Give Concise Message to Athlete

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We don’t want this to be the athletes POV at any time!!!

“Office Space”, 20^th Century 1999

The “Must Have’s”

• The Combined-Events (CE) coach HAS to be organized and must be able to manage everyone’s time (athlete and coaches)
• I can’t emphasize how important time management is for this construct to be successful (specifically practice flow from event to event)
• The CE coach has to monitor, balance, and adapt each athletes training load between event areas (more detail later)
• The CE coach needs to be, or strive to be, an energy systems aficionado
• The CE coach has to at the very least consult with event coach(es) on what to prescribe, if not write the training themselves, and have the event coach(es) administer the workout for the day

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The “Must Have’s” (Cont.)

• Ideally, CE coach is present for all sessions if schedules permit (yes, I know, majority of us are the jumps coach, too)…as CE coach is present for all competitions. Practice is rehearsal for comp…need to be present
• Can’t have “One Voice” if CE isn’t present at event specific practice to know all the cues/language(s) of staff
• The coaching staff HAS to want to be involved…can’t force the time commitment on them
• The CE Athletes, I would argue, for teams that embrace the CE for team titles, those athletes are the glue of the team (they get to work with and float between event groups)
• ***Bonus Points if CE Coach can control the weight room =)
• Make a Habit of Watching the Athletes Warm-up

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Flowchart…Know Your Role

Jarvis

(Jumps, Jav, & Sprints; Program Planning)

Coach Doug Case (Hurdles & Sprints)

Coach Erich Sullins (SP/D Throws)

Coach Steven Strobis (S&C)

***Six Razorback Decathletes in the Group (Two seniors, One Junior, One Soph, and Two Freshman)

Before We Chat Training Design…Background on my Coaching Tree (for Influences/Context)

Azusa Pacific/Bryan Clay Staff

(Kevin Reid & Mike Barnett)

Bryan Clay Staff & Mentor

(Rana Reider)

Mentor

(Jeremy Fischer)

Former Boss

(Loren Seagrave)

Best Advice I Was Given as a Young Coach:

“Our sport doesn’t need another sprint coach…take what you learned from there, apply it to the jumps and combined-events, and you will be successful.” RR circa 2005

Energy Systems “Master”…Get to Know This Chart (if You Haven’t Already)

…and This Performance Markers Chart (Thanks, Boo)

Considerations for the Annual Plan, Training, and Competition Management

Review of the Key Points to Creating Annual Plan

• Work Backwards from Major Competition (NCAA Outdoors for This Discussion)
• Deliberate and Purposeful Mesocycle and Microcycle Design (work through the progressions)
• NCAA Indoor/Outdoor Seasons Allow for Mini-Peaks, NOT Two True Peaks (in Traditional Periodization Sense)
• The Competitions That ARE NOT Dec’s/Hept’s/Pent’s Are Multi-Purpose…IMO Practice Wearing Uniform
• The Dec’s/Hept’s/Pent’s That ARE NOT at Championship Meets Should be Strategic in Relation to Team Schedule

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Considerations for the Annual Plan, Training, and Competition Management

Review of the Key Points to Creating Annual Plan (Cont.)

• If One Has the Luxury to Layout a Quadrennial Plan to the Athlete…i.e. Year One Fix A, Year Two Focus on B/C, etc…That’s Optimal
• Prioritize Technical Needs. IMO Trying to Fix Too Much in Year One Will Delay the Projected Development of Athlete
• Train Them as Speed/Power Athletes!!! Training Slow Doesn’t Translate IMO. 9/10 Dec and 6/7 Hept Events are Speed/Power Events

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Annual Plan Design, Decathlon

Annual Plan Design, Heptathlon

My Do’s and Don’ts for Mesocycle and Microcycle Setup

• Commonality of Events vs Convenience of Coaches Schedule
• Teaching Events and Progressions From GP on (Lower Intensity, but Still Learning…Lots of Rehearsal and Transition to Higher Intensities as we Move from GP to SP to PC to Comp)
• In My Programming, I am Very Sensitive to Density of High CNS Days…Also Depending on Time of Year
• When Do the Athletes Lift? Morning vs After Practice
• Maximizing the Athlete’s Time Before They Run Out of Gas for the Day…Quality Reps and Purpose

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My Do’s and Don’ts for Mesocycle and Microcycle Setup (Cont.)

• Pick Your Battles on Prioritizing Strength’s and Weaknesses That Need to be Addressed with Athlete(s)…The Group Ends up Balancing the Other Athletes “deficiencies”
• Rely on the Athlete Feedback and Walk the Fine Line of Training on the Edge
• However…“Don’t Crash the Ferrarri” – Mike Maynard, 2012…just because it’s written on sheet doesn’t mean you have to have athlete complete workout (IH Example at UM)
• When Competitions Roll Around, the Meet is Your “Hard” Day for the Week

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Some Examples of Event Pairing for Practice

• Acceleration Dev -> Block Session -> LJ Approaches (“First 12”)…can add in SP session, too
• Contrast Variation of Block Session w/resisted Dynaspeed/1080 runs from blocks or 2-point followed by non-resisted runs
• Hurdle and PV (Men)
• High Jump and Javelin Picking Cool Down
• Max Velocity Runs (Fly Runs, In’s and Out’s, etc) and LJ Approaches (Full)
• For Hepts… Hurdle Session to High Jump Approach Session (teach them “transitional control” between events)
• Discus and Extensive/Intensive Tempo Runs (Men)
• Javelin and Extensive/Intensive Tempo Runs (Women)
• Short Approach HJ/LJ and Tempo Runs

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Weekly Snapshot (Micro #10)

Weekly Snapshot (Micro #32, Hept)

Tracking Athlete Progress and Data Points

• Diligent Record Keeping of Practice Sessions Helps Build Picture Over Time…Also Makes for Good Reference Points in Following Years
• Don’t Be Afraid to Know Where the Athlete is at (i.e. referencing Boo’s earlier chart)
• Be Stealthy Sometimes (measure w/o tape)

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Final Potpourri of Thoughts

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A Few Things I Didn’t Touch Earlier, But I Feel Important:

• Cueing System is Huge…Getting to Know How to Speak to ALL of Your Athletes is Critical
• Building a Working Relationship With Athletes Goes A Long Way…There is More to Life Than “Just” Track
• Prepare and Plan to Have Long Days at the Track
• Let the Athlete Know You’re Present…I Always Make Them Either Point or Wave Before an Approach/Run/Rep and I Return Gesture so They Know I am Watching and so That I Don’t Miss Anything
• Watch Videos in the Office, Not at Track After Each Rep

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Thank You!!

Rob Jarvis

University of Arkansas

Assistant Coach, Men’s Jumps and

Combined-Events

Email: robj@uark.edu

IG: @Jarvoisier

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