The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-11-29
COACHING SYSTEM CRITICISED
YILE'S CALLED INFERIOR TO THAT
OF OTHER COLLEGES.

SOhch, Oh the SuDJecs-Shys IL 10 Ahi-
possible to DeveIopo Good Team Pi"y
Under Present systcm-Receipts of the
big Games.
Comments on Yale's defeat at the
hands of Princeton on Saturday last
still continue to be heard from Yale
graduates in different parts of the coun-
try. Now that the subject of the game
itself is exhausted, criticisms are be-
ginning to be heard on the coaching
the Yale elevens have received during
the season. There seems to be grow
ing feeling that the Yale plan of coach
ing as pursued this year is not up to
standard of that received by the other
colleges. Alonzo A Stage, the former
Yale athlete, who has been coaching the
University of Chicago, inlan interview
is credited with the folloWlng
"Princeton's we'll earned victory over
Yale yesterday speaks volumes for the
system of coaching which the Tigers
have worked under this season. 1t is,
in my opinion, greatly superior to the
methods in vogue at New Haven, ana
accounts in some measure for the pet
ter showing Of the Tiger eleven. 1t
does not seem to me possible to devel-
op first class team play under the pres
ent Yale system, which calls as many
2 coachers as possible to take turn with
the team, but retains none OF them long
enough to accomplish much. The con-
trast OF the system at New Haven and
that at Princeton has been marked. The
Tigers have been tutored by competent
graduate players from every position
on the team. Center, guards, tackles,
quarters and backs have each had
special men to drill them, and these
men, the same ones, mind you, have
been with the team at least six weeks
Thus they have been able to perfect
their plays, as they could not do by
working with the men few days or
week at a time.
None of the Yale coachers, except the
head coach, has been with the team
half that long. The teams reflect these
methods in their play. Yale played
with individual dash and brilliancy,
but did not get together for united eff
fort in ground gaining. Princeton, on
the other hand had team play, and
was able to advance the ball in spite of
a fierce defense by Yale. 1 am firm
believer in the efficacy of, the Princeton
system in this respect that they keep
the same coachers through the season.
This gives continuity to their work and
greater perfection of play. A man
cannot work out new plays in week.
and it is impossible to leave instruc-
lions for other men to carry out. Some
times it is matter of foot in the po-
eition of a player which decides the
effectiveness of certain play. This
deadly accuracy which is necessary for
the best results can be secured only by
practice, and the man who worked out
the play must teach it to the men him.
self in detail. Such things take slime,
and this is not allowed under the Yale
system, which calls for many coachers
as possible and does not have any of |
them remain for long time"
The following communication from
yesterdays yale News is interesting: |
To the Editor of the News
The overwhelming defeat of the Yale !
freshman team by the Harvard fresh
man team more clearly than ever show
ed the absolute necessity of a better |
system of coaching. The undergradu-
ates who coach the team work faithful
ly, but they lack the wide experience
that graduate coaches have. Sanford,
now Columbia's coach, was with the
freshmen for about a half hour one af-
ternoon and it was really wonderful to
see the spirit and dash with which the
team then worked. In a day or two
the dash went away. 1t is absolutely
necessary to have some of the univer
sity coackers spend some time each day
with the freshmen, for 1t is in fresh
man year that university players should
be developed and taught the rudimente
of the game. Far too little thought and
coaching Is given to these men at Yale
and this weahens the prospect for a
good university team the following
year; In the last few years while the
has defeated Harvard eight
times, the freshmen have only defeat
ed Harvard freshmen twice. So let the
system be changed and let the man
agement calls for efficient coachers next
year for the freshman team.
A Senior
Such criticisms and appeals in view
of the i'll luck of Yale in athletics dur
ing the last few years should not be
made in vain, and it is probable that
before another year rolls around that
the whole system of coaching at Yale
will be changed. The lesson taught by
George Foster Sanford, the Columbia
coach. whose services were thought TOO
high priced by Yale, and consequently
were refused, is good one, and both
graduates and undergraduates are be-
ginning to realize that such men and
plenty of them are what is needed to
turn out winning teams, instead of
he wavering efforts of graduates whose
only inducement TO put in valuable
time with an eleven is love for their
alma mater
The receipts Of the Yale eleven from
he big games are being footed up.
While the managers of the team are
not yet ready with any definite figures
{ Is rumored that the receipts from the
Yale Harvard game will net each of
he contesting elevens about s24, 900 and
hat the receipts at the Yale-Princeton
game here last Saturday will net about
~, 90 for each eleven.