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From: Wayne Walker
Date: 12/24/2002
Time: 2:05:51 PM
Remote Name: 213.121.92.111
Whilst it is early days yet, and the majority of the responses we have had have come from a limited amount of respondents,(all of which have furnished some useful points to the debate(social,sociological,political,physiological,psychological and individual lifestyle factors...work , family , friends etc),maybe we could start to look at ways the INDIVIDUAL can overcome what appears to be an overwhelming 'pressure'( given previous responses)to amount to nothing more than a wannabe.
Take for example;
Ovett, Cram ,Coe, Elliot ,Goater,Simmonds,Foster,Bedford,Stewart,,Buckner,Eamon Martin (ALL of which were operating at a world level and within a few years of each other- not all were child prodegies either)
locally weve had:
Masterson,Walker T,Makepiece,Mochrie,Barker,York,Newman,Titterington,Allen.
Again most of these were operating at a good National/international level.
Does anyone have any opinions/knowledge of a common set of circumstances that runs through these groups that enabled them to achieve?
What prevailing circumstances enabled these athletes to enter the sport, to stay motivated as juniors and to become close to maximising their full potential as seniors?Were they any different mentally/emotionally or phsically to the people that currently SURROUND each and everyone of us as coaches and athletes?Did they have more favourable financial/time circumstances?
We are looking for ANSWERS here so please try to refrain from regurgitating all those descriptions outlined in the debate 'British athletics will NEVER be world class...'Of course descriptions can be used to illustrate a point outlining: WHAT THE INDIVIDUAL DO ABOUT IT?
I am sure there is a far longer list of athletes that have fallen by the wayside: what had they that caused them to underachieve?(other than injury)