Is Jamaica the best?

[hi-tech]

If Jamaica is such an ideal country for producing speedsters and coaches why is Dexter Lee coming to train in Atlanta? Does he know something we don't know?

[Pelpa]

Re: Is Jamaica the best?

If Jamaica is such an ideal country for producing speedsters and coaches why is Dexter Lee coming to train in Atlanta? Does he know something we don't know?

That's the kind of talk that takes away from the global village concept. Besides, of all the positives that could have been taken from this, you have managed to scuff your own input on this shine.

[Trackstarr11]

[ If Jamaica is such an ideal country for producing speedsters and coaches why is Dexter Lee coming to train in Atlanta? Does he know something we don't know? ]

He's connect with Veronica Campbell. He looks up to her and will now be training with her, that's way he's moving to Atlanta base.. to train with Veronica and Carpenter. Or Maybe Idk

[rabalac]

Re: Is Jamaica the best?

If Jamaica is such an ideal country for producing speedsters and coaches why is Dexter Lee coming to train in Atlanta? Does he know something we don't know?

Perhaps you would like for all athletes to stay within their national borders, thus preserving the "purity" of their national identity. What a shame that would be.

[fatmanrunning]

Some of the jamaican posters will know this better than me, but as far as I know there's really just Francis and Mills to coach at the level needed.

As MJ said about Ato - how was he ever going to win championships when he's not even quickest in his training group. I think there can be merit in moving away as psycholigical barriers to beating the big man in the group can develop (very athlete dependant, but could also be a factor here).

[usafa]

Why not take advantage of what the US has to offer? I think the right combination of US and Jamaica based runners will only make JA stronger.

[Pelpa]

Some of the jamaican posters will know this better than me, but as far as I know there's really just Francis and Mills to coach at the level needed..

Interesting, I would also like some light shed on the number of Ja. Coaches coaching in the US.

The number of coaches is sort of irrelevant. One would need to see the ratio of "the level" coaches to the number of professional athletes.

Next thing is; there are many more coaches at that "level", just not with the athletes and backative as yet. Francis for instance is an economist with a love for track. On paper there are dozens of other guys and gals who are locally based and on paper are above his level. I would like all and sundry to take a deep look on Ja's system (deeper than the yam arguments) and see the importance of places like G.C. Foster sports College on Ja's track programme.

(nb. Francis' never got his high school to win champs, he then started with a no name foster and Neil Gardener and Donnovan Housen in 2001)

P.S. Don't be dissing Mrrs. Oliver, Graham, Hawthorne and Coleman!! LOL

[fatmanrunning]

By level I meant coaching Olympic and World Champions. I'm sure there are plenty of other fine coaches in Jamaica, particularly at the Schools level, otherwise the production line of good juniors would have stopped long ago. My point was more that he may have taken into account who was producing athletes at the highest level, together with who was already in the group, as part of the decision - although I have no way of knowing if that's the case.

Just something I'd take into account if I was advising, along with education opportunities, facilities, the opportunity to live abroad etc..

[Pelpa]

I think the major thing is the competence of the guys and not what they have achieved.

For example, until this point, it seems the common assumption is that Lee has made the best decsion. I'm confident that if Reebok had also supported his junior coach,he would also create a world beater.

The bottom line is: there isn't just "Francis and Mills coaching at the level needed" (they are the most noted). There are many in Ja. even above Francis' level.

If your statement were the truth then, JA collectively would not have been doing so well over the past two outings on the count of: Francis (alone) is definately not noted as a team coach, Mills not noted for coaching women champs. This tells that there must be a whole host of other guys associated with the programme that know a thing or two.

Francis was as good then when he only had Gardener and Housen and couldn't get Wolmers to win champs as he is now with Asafa and Shelly.