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Hammer Notes CD Introduction

This CD [now converted for the web and available above] is [was] being given out at the Level III in Orlando, FL, on December 8, 2001, as n attempt to supply information to coaches on the hammer throw. It is not intended for sale or commercial use. Permission has been given by TFNews to reprint the chapter I wrote in the Omnibook on the hammer. Jesus Dapena contributed a number of pieces, along with a series of "wire" drawings of Sedykh. Harold Connolly took those and has put these on his hammer web site. Rather than put them on here, it is better to view them on his site...so you can see how Sedykh raises and lowers his COG (Center of Gravity) in the course of the throw

Most of the remaining material comes from "New Studies in Athletics", and most of that has been done by Klaus Bartonietz. His appearance at this Level III is a terrific boost to the knowledge base of throwing in the US.

Back in 1982, when Coaching Ed was formed, I thought that it would be possible to create a hammer revolution through the Coaching Ed program. Right at the start, the hammer was the only event cut from the Level I program, and I was assured I could teach this at the Level II. This I did for quite a few years. However, many, many competent coaches did not attend either Level I or II, so the message from Coaching Ed may have missed the mark. The idea was to give coaches the correct mechanical knowledge so they could go further, and improve US hammer.

There was a show which I recall to this day, that showed how Russians were learning field events in a classroom. It just so happened....that the group was learning the hammer! I saw the graph of acceleration a few years later, and put two and two together. That show, according to Jim McKay, is long gone, but the memory 41 years later is sharp in my mind. It has been my belief for almost that long that any improvement in this event would be through education.

It will also be through supporting programs like Harold Connolly's Youth ideas. We need to get young kids throwing. If you have ever seen Harold's IAAF video, you know his son Adam, and a 10 year old Koji Murofushi are featured in the instructional tape. And, I know the reader is familiar in 2001 with Koji, who is perhaps, the most outstanding technical thrower alive today.

Let's work to find more Adam's and Koji's, get them started. And at the same time, develop a plan to educate coaches.

Kevin McGill