"Aside from softness, perhaps nothing annoyed Percy more than a coach who failed to practice what he preached. While in Los Angeles, soon after Elliott ran the fastest mile ever recorded on American soil, they both attended an instructional clinic on track and field at UCLA. All of America's leading coaches were there along with their athletes who went through prescribed paces and demonstrations while the coaches lectured to the audience of nearly 2,000. Puffing their cigars and cigarettes (this was in the late 1950's),the American coaches glibly ordered their athletes around taking about 15 minutes each on the microphone system. When it was finally Cerutty's turn to speak, he was told he had two minutes. He didn't need three. According to Elliott, his coach 'electrified the arena' as he called all the coaches 'a pack of pompous clowns who had no right teaching students in that fashion'. When he'd finished, the coaches were bristling with anger and embarrassment."
Blunt and outspoken, sometimes to a fault, Cerutty believed that if a coach couldn't do it he couldn't teach it.
If you want a site that has great articles on the Golden Age of Track and Field--go to--
ReplyDeletewww.onceuponatimeinthevest.blogspot.com --For those who are too young to remember, there was a time in the U.S. when Track and Field was a major sport and got regular coverage in the media. This site takes you back to that time.