Counsilman's X Factor Excerpt

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

A speech given by Counsilman in 1971 was recently rehashed on the homepage of ASCA. In amongst the
usual was this:

"In the United States we throw our 500,000 age group swimmers into the pool and let the best
survive. The ones that come out on top have the physical ability and have fought their way to the
top through hard, merciless work. We do not coddle our swimmers; our swimmers, also the Canadian
and Australian swimmers, are not pampered. We throw them all in the pool and let the best survive.
I favor this system over the scientific approach of the Russians and East Germans. They approach
things too scientifically and forget that it is dog-eat-dog competition. The Americans, the
Australians, the Canadians, and a few others, produce the toughest swimmers because of the system
that forces them to fight their way to the top. This is why these swimmers are the toughest in the
Olympics and other international meets."

My own response to this was yeah, you end up with a few at the top, but you also end up with 499,
940 broken ones...A case of using and discarding hundreds of eggs to make an omlette of good
calibre.

So, why are other countries making high quality omlettes, with a much more impressive egg-use
economy. Any thoughts on this?

Well, I don't consider myself a broken egg, and I'm definitely a non- elite product of the swimming
meat grinder referenced above. Just because the environment is (somewhat dubiously) characterized as
"dog eat dog," I don't think it follows that the non elites can't enjoy the ride. What's an example
of a good "egg-use economy", just for my own edification?

- Al

diablo said:

A speech given by Counsilman in 1971 was recently rehashed on the homepage of ASCA. In amongst the
usual was this:

"In the United States we throw our 500,000 age group swimmers into the pool and let the best
survive. The ones that come out on top have the physical ability and have fought their way to the
top through hard, merciless work. We do not coddle our swimmers; our swimmers, also the Canadian
and Australian swimmers, are not pampered. We throw them all in the pool and let the best survive.
I favor this system over the scientific approach of the Russians and East Germans. They approach
things too scientifically and forget that it is dog-eat-dog competition. The Americans, the
Australians, the Canadians, and a few others, produce the toughest swimmers because of the system
that forces them to fight their way to the top. This is why these swimmers are the toughest in the
Olympics and other international meets."

My own response to this was yeah, you end up with a few at the top, but you also end up with 499,
940 broken ones...A case of using and discarding hundreds of eggs to make an omlette of good
calibre.

So, why are other countries making high quality omlettes, with a much more impressive egg-use
economy. Any thoughts on this?

Well here in Australia, 90% of schools have swimming pools and 100% have tennis courts. So we seem
to be somewhat proficient at swimming and tennis. Having 30,000 km of beaches helps too.

The local public pool now has a coffee shop, gym, sauna, etc so its become a social focus.

Not being able to swim in Australia means you're a social outcast! So yes we do produce some elite
swimmers, but there are plenty of recreational swimmers and surfers too.

gtoomey

"Al" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:MPG.1a848bf9c8012b8c989720@mayonews...

What's an example of a good "egg-use economy", just for my own

Quoted message said:

edification?

Compare the populations of USA and Australia for example?

I don't know where you live or went to school in Australia, but very few schools in Australia have
pools. Most schools are located within a short distance of a 50m pool.

Counsilman's speech is now out of date. The Australians use a lot of science - the Australian
Institute of Sport publishes a lot of research. But it seems to me that the USA is still using the
egg approach - use a large enough population pool and some people will excel regardless of poor
access to facilities and science.

"Gregory Toomey" <[email hidden]> wrote in message -"]news:[email hidden]-
berlin.de...

Quoted message said:

diablo said:

A speech given by Counsilman in 1971 was recently rehashed on the

homepage

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

of ASCA. In amongst the usual was this:

"In the United States we throw our 500,000 age group swimmers into the pool and let the best
survive. The ones that come out on top have the physical ability and have fought their way to
the top through hard, merciless work. We do not coddle our swimmers; our swimmers, also the
Canadian and Australian swimmers, are not pampered. We throw them all in the pool and let the
best survive. I favor this system over the

scientific

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

approach of the Russians and East Germans. They approach things too scientifically and forget
that it is dog-eat-dog competition. The Americans, the Australians, the Canadians, and a few
others, produce the toughest swimmers because of the system that forces them to fight their way
to the top. This is why these swimmers are the toughest in the Olympics and other international
meets."

My own response to this was yeah, you end up with a few at the top, but you also end up with
499, 940 broken ones...A case of using and

discarding

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

hundreds of eggs to make an omlette of good calibre.

So, why are other countries making high quality omlettes, with a much

more

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

impressive egg-use economy. Any thoughts on this?

Well here in Australia, 90% of schools have swimming pools and 100% have tennis courts. So we seem
to be somewhat proficient at swimming and

tennis.

Quoted message said:

Having 30,000 km of beaches helps too.

The local public pool now has a coffee shop, gym, sauna, etc so its become

a

Quoted message said:

social focus.

Not being able to swim in Australia means you're a social outcast! So yes

we

Quoted message said:

do produce some elite swimmers, but there are plenty of recreational swimmers and surfers too.

gtoomey

Colin Priest said:

I don't know where you live or went to school in Australia, but very few schools in Australia have
pools. Most schools are located within a short distance of a 50m pool.

In Queensland they do.

The government primary school I attended had an unheated pool; & the government secondary school I
attended now has a heated pool along with 400M athletics track.

Quoted message said:

Counsilman's speech is now out of date. The Australians use a lot of science - the Australian
Institute of Sport publishes a lot of research. But it seems to me that the USA is still using the
egg approach - use a large enough population pool and some people will excel regardless of poor
access to facilities and science.

The AIS was set up after no gold medals were won by Australia in the 1976 olympics. To compete now
you need the best coaches/facilities/science.

gtoomey

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

"Al" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:MPG.1a848bf9c8012b8c989720@mayonews...

What's an example of a good "egg-use economy", just for my own

Quoted message said:

edification?

Compare the populations of USA and Australia for example?

Oh okay, I see what you're getting at. Yes, that's a great example if the criteria is medals per
capita - but what I was questioning was the assumption that those in the "dog eat dog" system that
didn't bubble to the top were necessarily "broken omlets" in your analogy. So maybe the measurement
would be something like what percentage of one time participants continue to get satisfaction out of
participation despite their "failure" by meat grinder standards...

- Al