Becoming a Champion: Girls' Track & Field Series

TD-04262A: with Dana Boone, Texas State University Head Track & Field Coach;
former Oklahoma University Associate Head Women's Track Coach; 2x USTFCCCA Midwest Region Assistant Coach of the Year (2011 and 2007); coach of 53 All Americans; 6x All American at Virginia; 6x ACC Champion

With your focus on the little things, you can improve your overall sprint times with this proven formula for sprint success.

Dana Boone takes you through the sprints and relays in this video from the Becoming a Champion DVD Series. With emphasis on the beginning sprinter or coach, you will get an overview of what to look for and how to develop champion sprint and relay runners.

Staring with a series of warm-up exercises, static stretches, and dynamic flexibility drills, you will see more than 18 exercises to get yourself ready to sprint. Coach Boone gives detailed descriptions of what to look for while one of Texas State University's athletes performs the exercise.

Coach Boone delivers an in-depth, step-by-step breakdown of sprint drills focusing on:

• Acceleration technique in the first 7-10 steps
• The transition phase
• Reaching maximum velocity
• Maintaining speed and strength to the finish line

She breaks down each phase into its own component with an easy to follow approach. Boone also takes you through the basics of effective block set-up and cues to help you both relax and react to the sound of the starters' pistol.

You will also be introduced to a segment on race strategies for the 100M, 200M, and the 400M. Each race is broken down into parts with a specific focus for each stage of the race. Every race has its own unique nuances and learning what to do and when, is a big advantage.

You will see instruction on the 4x100 and 4x400 relay exchanges. The advantages and disadvantages of each type of hand-off is described in detail. Boone shows you several drills to work on mastering the baton pass to keep it moving around the track.

Finally you will pick up several plyometric and strength drills that will make you stronger and more explosive.

Coach Boone examines the essential drills and techniques required to become a better sprinter. With a focus on developing proper sprint mechanics, this DVD delivers over 30 drills and exercises necessary to become a champion sprinter!

41 minutes. 2013.

TD-04262B: with Elisha Brewer, University of Kansas Assistant Track and Field Coach (Sprints and Hurdles);
in 8 years at Kansas she has developed 14 All-Americans; an All-American at the University of Arkansas

Get all the tools you need to improve your hurdles PR! Hurdles coach Elisha Brewer delves into five components that are essential to becoming a champion hurdler:

• Flexibility
• Technique
• Starts
• Knowledge of event
• Sprints mechanics

Each drill in this video is demonstrated by two female athletes providing you with a model for how to correctly execute the drill. You will also hear Brewer's cue words as she coaches her athletes through the drills and makes adjustments to their technique.

Coach Brewer provides numerous warm-up drills that consist of dynamic stretches and hurdle mobility. These drills can be done every day - indoors or outdoors - to improve the flexibility of your athletes.

Brewer shows a series of dynamic exercises designed to strengthen the entire body, and especially the muscles needed for hurdling. These exercises target the speed and strength required for successful hurdling. You will also see medicine ball drills that will make your athletes stronger and more explosive.

In the starts segment, you will see everything from start drills to setting up the starting blocks. These drills and techniques can be used to get more comfortable with the start position and to improve quickness out of the blocks.

The hurdle mobility drills in this video will help develop and refine speed, tight body position, position and posture of the lead and trail leg, turnover, rhythm, endurance, and strength.

Brewer includes insights into meet strategy and common mistakes that can hamper performance.

From the basics to the advanced, this video is packed with useful skills and drills. Appropriate for athletes and coaches of all abilities, this video is without doubt one of the most comprehensive reviews of hurdling on the market.

118 minutes. 2013.

TD-04262C: with Rose Monday, 2012 US Women's Olympic Women's Distance Coach;
former University of Texas at San Antonio Head Cross Country Coach; 1985 NCAA Champion in the 800M (indoor)

2012 Women's Olympic Distance Coach Rose Monday takes you step-by-step through the training program that, not only made her a champion athlete, but has proven to be a primary factor in the re-emergence of women's distance running in the United States. With the help from the talented Maggie Vessey (two-time USA Outdoor Champion, 2005 NCAA Outdoor runner-up, and NCAA All-American;), you will get an inside look at one of the greatest minds in middle and long distance training in the sport today.

Coach Monday shares 50+ drills that her athletes use to become championship-caliber runners. Monday breaks down the teaching phase of her drills into three distinct parts:

• The warm-up
• The work-out
• Strength training

Each phase has its own drill set used to enhance the runner's ability and to prepare them for a championship season. Monday uses an easy to follow approach and technique breakdown of each drill as it is being explained and demonstrated.

Beginning with a scientifically designed stretching routine, Coach Monday introduces a dynamic warm-up with over a dozen exercises that can implemented into your program, including a special series of drills designed to prevent shin splints (something every coach and athlete can appreciate).

Coach Monday and Vessey demonstrate a variety of workouts, each designed to improve essential elements of championship middle distance running. Aerobic Threshold Running, Speed, Lactic Acid Workouts, Endurance, Strength and Adrenaline Points are all addressed. Aerobic Threshold pace workouts, Broken Tempo workouts, Russian Intervals, Hill Reps, and Date Intervals workouts are all demonstrated including explanations and instructions on when and how to implement these workouts. Monday also includes ideas of how to vary these workouts to increase interest and fight boredom.

Fifteen-plus Core Stability exercises are demonstrated to strengthen running muscles and prevent poor running mechanics. Coach Monday includes coaching points on how to teach these exercises and an explanation of how to implement these with weight workouts.

As an added bonus, Monday includes a section on Pool Running. She explains how this adds to the benefits of a run:

• No additional pounding
• Provides therapeutic benefits for the vascular system
• Provides the resistance of a weight workout.

Coach Monday includes her ideas on practice, race tactics, and sports psychology as they affect the physical demands of the 800m/1500m events. Monday stresses that the athlete must know and understand their own body, and they must have a good working relationship/partnership with their coach.

This is by far one of the best videos for novice coaches or high school-aged athletes who want to learn from one of track & field's master coaches. With a very clear and informative style, Coach Monday helps take the mystery out of middle distance training.

52 minutes. 2013.

TD-04262D: with Heidi Yost, Wichita State University;
won five individual MVC jump titles as an athlete at WSU

Become a stronger jumper from the runway to landing in the pit!

Develop your long jump in a clear and logical fashion. Coach Yost, (a successful jump athlete herself) begins with a clear presentation of those qualities that are needed to be a successful long jumper, then moves on to teach how to develop those qualities.

Coach Yost, along with Wichita State University Heptathlon Champion Tanya Friesen, demonstrate the drills that are needed to develop speed, power, and explosiveness in the long jump. Yost and Friesen present a step-by-step progression of the series of drills needed in each phase of the long jump: warm-up drills, sprint mechanics drills, build-up drills, sprinting drills, approach drills, take-off drills, and landing drills.

Keeping with her philosophy that a long jumper must be a sprinter first, Coach Yost shares a wide variety of drills to teach speed, power and explosiveness. Yost and her athletes demonstrate a clear and logical method to develop a consistent run-way approach. Eight different drills are demonstrated to teach a proper take-off and landing, along with short approach methods to teach the whole long jump action.

You will also see a series of plyometric and medicine ball drills that will help athletes grow their strength and jumping power. Hip mobility drills are also addressed to develop stride length, flexibility and injury prevention.

Besides demonstrating the correct method of executing these drills, Coach Yost also shows common errors made by young athletes when these drills are introduced and how to correct these errors.

Coach Yost provides you with essential techniques and drills that will help you reach new distances this season!

44 minutes. 2013.

TD-04262E: with Stacey Smith, Baylor University Assistant Coach;
9x All American and 1999 NCAA Champion in the Triple Jump at Baylor, former member of the US National Team

Stacey Smith uses her experience as both a coach and competitor to teach the triple jump from warm-up to practice, from competition to cool down, in this outstanding track DVD.

Coach Smith introduces the concepts necessary to be a successful triple jumper. She then covers warming up, including drills and how to incorporate sprints into your warm-up. Head Circles, Arm Swings, and Trunk Circles are just some of the drills that are covered. The importance of putting in 30-45 minutes to properly prepare your body is stressed because of the explosive power needed to triple jump.

As with the long jump, triple jumpers are sprinters first and controlling that speed is the focus of this section. A-Skip, Karaoke, and High Knees are some of the drills used to develop controlled speed to keep the jump horizontal and not vertical.

The approach, which is the main part of the jump, is covered from the beginning to end. Coach Smith covers how to teach a proper approach, showing numerous drills using both the track and run-way. Smith puts it all together by teaching the proper way to execute the three phases of the actual jump (the hop, the step and the jump). Smith offers simple, effective coaching cues and drills that drive home the point that The Hop is the crucial point to the triple jump, The Step is the most difficult part, and The Jump just follows.

Along with technique, Coach Smith offers over a dozen drills to increase the strength and form of your triple jumpers. In addition, she discusses meet day providing you with a series of hints to help manage your jumpers in competition.

Coach Smith provides over 20 drills that cover the triple jump from start to finish. Having a large selection of different drills which develop the entire athlete is key to successful triple jumping.

48 minutes. 2013.

TD-04262F: with Karen Gaita, East Stroudsburg State University Assistant Coach;
1991 NCAA DII High Jump Champion and 4x All American at East Stroudsburg

Using a very detailed approach and easy to understand style, Karen Gaita shows you how to teach the high jump and how to develop a total high jump program! Coach Gaita, an All-American high jumper at East Stroudsburg, takes the high jump from a basic beginner level to high level, elite jumper workouts and ideas that are so valuable to champion high jumpers.

A unique aspect of this video is the fact that Coach Gaita has both a beginning jumper and veteran championship jumper demonstrating all aspects of the high jump and workouts. This allows you not only to see the drills and jumps executed correctly, but also allows you to see coaching points to emphasize with talented but young jumpers.

Beginning with a breakdown of the components of successful high jumping, Coach Gaita explains how and where to look for possible high jumpers on your team. She introduces warm-up drills that are both general and specific for high jumpers before breaking down the high jump in a detailed, drill approach to learning:

• The approach - Learn how to develop consistency in the most important phase of the high jump.
• The transition & set up - Run the curve with high knees and maintain good body posture into the penultimate step for perfect take off position.
• The takeoff - See a number of drills that teach body position and arm-drive for both single and double arm jumpers. Application of take-off concepts are combined in both short and full approach drills and jumps.
• The flight & landing - Create a short body and awareness in the air to get the most from your jump.

Within each topic you will receive a detailed explanation of what to do and why you should do it. Having the ability to watch both a seasoned veteran athlete, along with a first time high school freshman will provide insight as to what to look for in your athletes.

As a bonus Gaita gives you practice alternatives, the components of training and training drills to round out a well-rounded approach in teaching the high jump.

Having the skills necessary to complete a successful jump starts with the implementing all the skills taught in this video. This video is a must for any athlete or coach wishing to take their jumping to the next level.

95 minutes. 2013.

TD-04262G: with Caroline White, University of Minnesota Assistant Coach;
coached Gopher pole vaulters to five All-America awards and six Big Ten titles; a 2x All American vaulter at the College of St. Benedict

Caroline White brings her enthusiasm and love of teaching the vault to you in this outstanding video. Coach White breaks down the event into an easy to follow program for the athlete and for novice coaches. She shares her training ideas on how you can develop and teach the critical training phases behind a successful pole vault attempt.

Beginning with a series of pool drills to develop effective form, Coach White teaches how to clear the bar and fly-away. You will see essential body positioning in each stage of the take-off and flight with clear, step-by-step instruction.

This unique approach to the vault is beneficial because it allows an athlete to experience the vaulting progression safely, with proper technique and form without taxing the body. The water slows the drill down and allows the coach and athlete to evaluate proper mechanics and understand movements while exaggerating mistakes. It also provides an indoor training option when bad weather hampers outdoor vaulting time.

Coach White introduces the basics for beginning vaulters, including instruction on finding your pole's pre-bend and weight rating, and finding and marking your grip. She shares over 20 drills that can be used by the young athlete to build the fundamentals needed for the pole vault. Each drill and progression is demonstrated by one of White's All-American athletes.

Each drill includes step-by-step instruction and coaching tips for how to develop pole speed, develop good athletic posture, a proper approach and an optimized plant. Using standing plants, 0-, 2-, 4- and 6-step approaches, White gives valuable instruction for both coaches and athletes on what to look for and what to develop with each of these drills.

As the athlete becomes comfortable with each stage of the approach and vault, White adds components of successful vaulting, appropriate for all levels of athletes.

White wrap-ups her presentation by covering a unique sets of drills and skills off the runway to help gain speed, core and hip strength, and power to get the most out of your vaulting ability.

Athletes of all skill sets will benefit from these great drills and reach new heights!

63 minutes. 2013.

TD-04262H: with Carrie Lane, University of Nebraska Throws Coach;
assistant coach in 2009 and 2011 World Track and Field Championships

Throws coach Carrie Lane of the powerhouse University of Nebraska track and field program takes you through a step-by-step plan to developing champion discus throwers! Coach Lane identifies key focal points for successful discus throwing, including: Balance & Posture, Maintaining Separation, Maximizing Discus Orbit, and finally the all-important Kinetic Linking. These topics are discussed as a former Husker athlete demonstrates.

Beginning with a review of the qualities and skills needed to be a successful discus thrower, Coach Lane shares over 40 drills that she has used in her 18 year career to develop successful discus throwers. Each drill includes step-by-step instruction, in a logical manner, to address the critical areas of the discus throw.

Coach Lane introduces a thrower-specific warm-up that includes various hurdle exercises, dynamic stretching exercises, a strength building lunge matrix, and that stresses the concept of kinetic linking (firing the muscles in proper order for a successful throw) with drills. Her warm-up is both perfect for a general muscle warm-up and for preparing the nervous system for the high-powered speed needed to throw successfully!

Lane introduces the correct grip of the discus and drills to develop this skill. She also introduces standing throws, with relevant coaching points and cues to develop the proper posture and positioning to ensure quality throws. By using the "Toe-Knee-Hip" concept, she gives athletes and coaches a valuable and easy set of cues to set up a strong throw. The Wheel Drill, Spider-Man Drill, and variations of the South African drill are all demonstrated with coaching points addressed.

Another unique feature of this video is the segment on five common problems that face many beginning throwers. Lane explains the issues and provides suggestions and drills that can be used to fix them. This information is invaluable for the beginning coach or athlete. Lane includes a Preparing for Competition section that features ideas on how to properly prepare for the stresses and challenges of competing under pressure, and gives valuable hints for coaching your throwers at meets.

This outstanding video is great for both the experienced and beginning coach, and will help you to develop championship discus throwers!

45 minutes. 2013.

TD-04262I: Erin Wibbels, Guatemala National Team Coach (throwers);
former Assistant Coach at the University of Mississippi; 4x qualifier for the NCAA Outdoor Championships at Nebraska and a 2000 Olympic Trials participant

Coach Erin Wibbels shares her All-American-producing program for developing rotational and glide shot putters. Coach Wibbels discusses and demonstrates the critical training drills and progressions that highlight the secret behind a successful throw. She demonstrates over 40 drills and medicine ball exercises that will help the young athlete develop the consistency that is needed for this technical event.

Warm-Up
Loosen up your legs, hips, and shoulders with dynamic and static warm-up drills that are geared specifically for the weight throws. You will then be taken into the ring and shown a set of warm-up drills using the shot itself.

Fundamentals
Wibbles demonstrates an easy approach to teach the shot put using a fundamental, proven system. Wibbels teaches from the ground-up:

• How to Hold the Shot Put
• Basics of the Glide
• Basics of the Spin
• The Secrets Behind the Stand Throw

Glide
Wibbels concentrates on proper body mechanics and positioning. She introduces drills to help with foot work and posture, and using the toe-knee-hip concept, Wibbels offers coaching points and various camera angles to show what to look for when coaching your athletes.

Spin
Develop proper footwork starting from the front of the ring and moving backward. Offering variations of the Wheel Drill, the Knee-Up Drill and the South African drill, Coach Wibbels uses clear and concise coaching points and language to make clear what you should be doing with each step to maximize your throw.

Medicine Ball Drills
Discover shot put-specific medicine ball drills to develop quickness, strength and core body strength. These drills are appropriate for athletes at all levels of development.

Throughout the video you will be shown how to do the drill, what to look for as a coach, and ways to correct the most common mistakes beginning throwers make. Keeping the weight over the back foot, screwing up the leg to build upward motion, and remembering to "crush the spider" are just of few of the many things taught in this video.

From the beginning of the warm-up to the final medicineball drill, you will see everything you need to know to start someone out in one of track & field's power events - the shot put.

39 minutes. 2013.

TD-04262J: with Debra Farwell, Washington State University;
Farwell's athletes have reached the WSU record book in the javelin each of the past four seasons (2009-12)

Javelin expert Debra Farwell of Washington State University takes you on a step-by-step discourse through the program she uses to develop championship-level throwers.

From warm-up through meet day preparation, Coach Farwell's instruction covers six areas, along with the drills she uses for each segment:

• Dynamic Warm-Up
• Throwing Mechanics
• The Runway
• The Release
• Meet Day Prep

Warm Up
Coach Farwell and her athletes introduce you to a series of javelin-specific exercises that are designed to completely warm-up your athletes for practice or competition, to build javelin strength and to reduce injury.

Mechanics
In the mechanics segment, Farwell demonstrates three common grips available to the thrower:

Finnish Grip

American Grip

Fork Grip

The how and the why are explained for each grip. The grips are designed for the subtle differences in hand size and throwing mechanics.

Incorporate 11 drills into your workout that improve body positioning for the throw and the release mechanism. Included are valuable coaching points and cue words to help develop championship mechanics.

Most importantly in this section, Farwell teaches you the safe and correct method for throwing the javelin in order to not only throw far, but to prevent injury.

While teaching productive runway and cross-over technique, Coach Farwell stresses proper body positioning on the run-way and the kinetic chain required to generate maximum momentum and longer throws. Using a variety of methods, Farwell shows you critical techniques for developing a strong and consistent run-up and release.

As she teaches the 5-, 7-, and 9-step run-ups, Farwell demonstrates how to add steps and how to know when a thrower is ready to advance to a longer run up. In addition, you'll learn how to prepare the runway on meet day to properly measure your run-up, which allows you to accommodate the various meet surfaces and weather conditions you will encounter.

Javelin Strength
Coach Farwell includes a set of 11 strength training drills in three categories:

• Flexion & Extension
• Internal & External Shoulder Rotation
• Forearm Strengthening

These drills will strengthen the shoulder, elbow, forearm, and the wrist to help you stay injury free and to help produce a more fluid motion and overall better throw.

You will also see a trouble-shooting discussion on common errors in the javelin.

This is an outstanding video that will allow you to teach proper javelin throw techniques to beginners and re-emphasize the basics with veteran throwers!

"This is one of the best javelin videos that I have ever viewed. I think it simplifies some of the more complicated skills needed to be a successful javelin thrower."
Mike LeMay, M.D.
USATF Certified Track and Field Coach and sports consultant to multiple NCAA Division 1 track and field programs.
South Windsor, Connecticut.

74 minutes. 2013.