Ronnie Ash now a Sooner

[harvtrack]

Defending outdoor high hurdle champ Ronnie Ash formerly at Bethune Cookman now appears on the Oklahoma track roster. WOW!

[Marlow]

Wow indeed!

http://www.soonersports.com/sports/c-tr ... nie00.html

and this guy will coach him (was Brathwaite's coach!)

http://www.soonersports.com/school-bio/matt_kane.html

there must be an 'interesting' story in the transfer!

[vip]

Did Ash come late to the sport? I recall hearing or reading something about him not trying the hurdles until high school and was well under the radar for the big universities. That would explain him going to Bethune and also his quirky form, where his lead arm almost goes over his head. If anyone has any info on Ash and how he got started, chime in.

[BisonHurdler]

Did Ash come late to the sport? I recall hearing or reading something about him not trying the hurdles until high school

Maybe it's just me, but I certainly wouldn't call this "late."

[Marlow]

Did Ash come late to the sport? I recall hearing or reading something about him not trying the hurdles until high school

Maybe it's just me, but I certainly wouldn't call this "late."

He was a sprinter up to his senior year in HS, so yeah, he's a late-comer. He's one of those kids with tree-trunk thighs, which is why he won the NCAAs into a stiff wind. The arm-carriage, though odd-looking, is an effective way for him to accentuate his forward lean over the hurdles. His 'dive' is one of the best. Really snaps the lead leg down.

[decafan]

Marlow, what are you talking about? "The arm-carriage, though odd-looking, is an effective way for him to accentuate his forward lean over the hurdles. His 'dive' is one of the best. Really snaps the lead leg down."

[Avante]

Oklahoma not known for it's hurdlers.

[Walt Murphy]

Wow indeed!
there must be an 'interesting' story in the transfer!

Don't kow about the Oklahoma connection, but, in case people here weren't aware of it, Ash's coach at Bethune-Cookman was "released" this past September.

[Marlow]

Marlow, what are you talking about? "The arm-carriage, though odd-looking, is an effective way for him to accentuate his forward lean over the hurdles. His 'dive' is one of the best. Really snaps the lead leg down."

Every now and then, when I have a high hurdler who stays too upright over the hurdle, I get a broom stick and hold it a couple of feet over the hurdle, so he'll have to 'dive' under it. When Ash hurdles, he puts his lead arm up and over his head, and ducks underneath it, which, as awkward as it looks, puts him in a great position over the hurdle.

Go to YouKnow where and type in "2009 NCAA Men's 110 Meters Hurdles Final". At the 5-minute mark is the race. Ash and Richardson (the favorite) are side by side (Ash in 6 in maroon, Rich in black in 5). See Ash's arm? Now watch their heads. Rich stays too upright; Ash is staying lower and in a more aggressive position coming off the hurdle. In THAT stiff headwind - Ash wins easily.

If I were Ash's coach, would I like to smooth out that arm action? Yeah. But it sure works for Ash right now.

[gcheves]

If I were Ash's coach, would I like to smooth out that arm action? Yeah. But it sure works for Ash right now.

Marlow, he's running 13.2 with his current form ... if he were to improve his arm action could he approach the collegiate record of 13.0?

[Marlow]

Marlow, he's running 13.2 with his current form ... if he were to improve his arm action could he approach the collegiate record of 13.0?

It's a 2-edged sword. Many HS phenoms have a 'hitch in their giddy-up', technically speaking. That is chiefly the result of a coach who fears that tampering with a good thing is a bad thing. How many coaches would have loved to fix Michael Johnson's jerky, upright stride, or Paula's head bobble, or Zatopek's death-march gait? Or Bob Hayes' gallop? Or Fosbury's flop?!

Generally speaking, of course, it's good idea to try and fix technical flaws, but every now and then, a coach wins the battle, but loses the war. The athlete looks better, but performs worse.

I would love a shot at Ash, but better coaches than I have tried and failed in similar circumstances. We'll see.

[sprintextreme]

Smart move by Ash. Good up and coming coach there plus a good training group to work with. NICE!!! 8-)

[HotTrack]

All i have to say is that the Big XII is loaded both men & women.

[gh]

Wow indeed!
there must be an 'interesting' story in the transfer!

Don't kow about the Oklahoma connection, but, in case people here weren't aware of it, Ash's coach at Bethune-Cookman was "released" this past September.

And his name is now on the front page, which may have had something to do with it.

[ndamix]

Wow indeed!
there must be an 'interesting' story in the transfer!

Don't kow about the Oklahoma connection, but, in case people here weren't aware of it, Ash's coach at Bethune-Cookman was "released" this past September.

And his name is now on the front page, which may have had something to do with it.

Also, there were allegations of possible school, conference, and NCAA violations Bethune-Cookman never elaborated upon when they released Ellenwood.


http://onnidan.com/09-10/news/september/bcu090809.htm