The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-10
TRAINING A FOOTBALL TEAM.
Football Players Born, Not Madeline
Training Table.

Allen Sangree, in Ainslee's Magazine.
ITO pick the best eleven men out of a
university who shall reflect most credit
upon the institution as football players
would be a difficult task for any one but an
expert coach. The field in the opening
week shows several hundred lusty youths,
nearly all under twenty years, who appear
equal in physical There are
great, heavy, s%unburned chaps from the
farm and pale-looking boys from the city,
fat youths and slim ones, tall and short.
But grit is the predominating character
istic of them all. He would be a fool to
don the moleskin breaches who lacked that
quality. Yet III all this farrago of candi-
dates the eye of the coach is not for a
moment bewildered. With the help of as
sistant coaches he puts the whole crowd TO
work running, kicking, tackling, falling.
That football players are born, not made,
is his firm conviction, and he limits his
observation to discovery here and there or
the football instinct"
Expanded this means grit, quick wits,
perfect health and power of restraint. 1t
must be kept in mind that the season lasts
only q few weeks, and in that time a young
man is to be instructed in a science over
which he would ordinarily spend as many
years. There Is no time,' Consequently, TO
coax talent.
Pity sympathy ana SenIl6neSS Hnu no
place in football ethics. The play is the
thing, and many a poor youth AIows what
it is TO retreat to the sanctuary OF his
room and there shed bitter tears over the
h%arshness of a coach and a failure to MAKE
the team.
What the coaches do in picking a crack
college eleven is first to place in groups all
the candidates for the various positions.
The half backs are set to running, catching
and lodging; the tackles fall upon the
dummy or one another, the guards and
IL 49, - k~A.l- An.1 n =A1fA NIn
lanx Of humanity, while the full backs
punt and drop kick.
"In forty-eight hours the candidates have
been so weeded out that two elevens can
be selected. These are pitted against each
other in fierce, fast play, presided over by
relentless veterans. The right men soon
prove themselves and they then become an
object of concern and some respect.
But the coach never let's up. The ball is
placed, the signal given and away goes the
new half back surrounded by his Interior
ence for a run through the tackle.
i'm, cut in! screams an Infatuated
coach. oh, that's terrible
Hurry up! bellows the head coach, Civ
ing the center rush a violent shove, and in
two seconds the ball is snapped back again
before there is time to say another word.
What did l tell YOU about using your
fist?' begs the old tackle Of the new man
who promises SO well. You just ruin the
team with that right hand. Never hit when
the umpire can see you like that, and don't
soak a man in the face. Hit him in the
stomach
You are stiff on your legs cautions an
other coach 10 his protege on the end.
Keep on the move constantly, and when
you tackle pull the man toward you and
slam him down hard SOS TO kill his wind
After twenty minutes of rough, hard
play the whistle is blown. the coaches re-
tire TO 4 side line, and the trainer hurries
up with aggressive Importance.
Fall i'm there, he calls out, briskly: now
don't lope; hit her up fast and the TWEEN
ty-two young heroes sprint around the
track until the trainer considers that they
nave had enough. Then TO the clubhouse.
the alcohol rub and the cold shower.
whence the candidates emerge bruised and
sore. but glistening with health.
The team lives In a clubhouse during the
season. apart from the rest of the college.
and there the coaches note every change in
form. Tobacco and stimulants. of course,
are eliminated. as well as fatty foods,
pastries and luxuTies. The men are fed
early, sleep long and are never allowed to
grow stale.
''One season of this training effects no.
ticeable change in Il player, mentally and
physically. Once the boy grad
ually learns TO control his muscles. 10
handle himself gracefully. balance nicely.
and finally acquires a self-reliance that
shows itself in co~untenance and gait.
THE brain, too. works in unison with the
body, the nerves acting as a lot or tele-
graph wires running TO separate muscles.
over these the stimulus Is sent, and as
muscular tissue develops. so does that OF
the brain. BY the confidence of demeanor
thus speedily matUred, out Of 1,0U school
boys you can readily pick the football play
ers. The training lasts forever. and IL IS
countenance and department. denoted by
repose. latent power, ferceness and good
nature, is 10 be noticed in all experienced
football players