TCSM has brought up the point of not engaging in guru worship and simply working with what is in front of you. Blindly following others is indeed a dumb move and should be pointed out as such. However, you have to learn somewhere from someone at some time in your coaching development. Actually, I would argue that this is an ongoing process and not finite in nature.
Moreover, just because one studies the methods and philosophy of a particular coach does not mean that one embraces the philosophy in it’s entirety and applies the methods in there entirety to the team or client list. Making this assumption is asinine.
If this topic is so vital then we should be directed to an external website where a formal position statement can be read and considered. An extensive blog post or series of articles detailing the problem of lemming coaches and trainers would be another option. But ranting over the course of multiple days and posts simply becomes amateurish and hackneyed.
For what it’s worth I am simply a former basketball coach and current, low-level sports performance coach. Everyone on this board likely is more knowledgeable about training than myself. That’s why I try to visit daily. I have no knowledge of who trained who in T&F and with what specific means. However, I have come to the conclusion that T&F coaches likely possess a greater knowledge of performance training than “sterngth and conditioning coaches”, in general. If that means that I study, Pfaff, Francis, Tellez, Schexnayder et.al. than so be it. I could give a rat’s ass how many medals each can claim credit to.
Having viewed many of Pfaff’s presentations (thanks to Kebba) they compare very favorably to those of S&C coaches/trainers that I have purchased–and at a fraction of the cost and without the ego of the prsenter getting in the way. We must also recall that Pfaff has a track record of rebuilding broken, post-collegiate athletes, with no money to spend on a professional coach (see Tri Valley Athletics). I am a fan of his work and make no bones about it.
Unfortunately, the internet facilitates anonymity which gives rise to juvenile behavior and personal attacks.
Carl, keep fighting the good fight.
And this ends my rant…