Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-23
COPELAND TO COACH
AUSTRIAN ATHLETES
Will Sail Thursday to Assume Du.
ties Covering Olympic Games
in Berlin.

NEW YORK, March 2S.-The ranks
of former famous American athletes
now serving as Olympic trainers in
Europe will be augmented Thursday
with the sailing of Alfred Forbes Cope
land to assume his position as head
coach of the Austrian Olympic team
for the Berlin games of 1916. Copeland
IS the fourth trainer with a brilliant
American athletic record to be signed
to coach foreign track and field teams
for the Olympic games two years hence.
He follows in the footsteps of Ernie
Hjertberg. Sweden's coach; Alvin c.
kraenzlein. Germany's coach, and w.
r. Knox, Englands head trainer. In
addition to these men, other famous
American athletes of past decades, in
Guiding James Liehtbody and Joseph
Horner. have either signed or are con-
sidering secondary or speciality coach
ing positions abroad.
Berlin will certainly look like old
home week during the summer of 1876
Copeland said in Quilting his plans for
the future. Il expect to see the great
est gathering of active and veteran
athletes the world has ever witnessed.
While I shall undoubtedly meet such
old friends and competitors as Hjert-
the games. it will be at Berlin that we
will all get together to match wits,
training ability and "reminiscences.
Much must be accomplished in the
meantime, however, II the European
countries are to continue the athletic
Improvement noted in the games of
1908 and 1912.
so far as my work in Austria is con-
cerr cd l have only mapped it out in a
general way. ] shall be governed to a
extent. NV bod -
| the Olympic committee of that country
and the plans which it will explain to me
after my arrival in Vienna. While we
shall all work with the 1916 games in
mind. the chief object is to develop a
better. broader and more competitive spir-
it in Austrian athletics. With this in
mind am going to put into operation the
American axiom, Get the boy interested
early
An important part of my work will be
series of lectures and actual demon
STATIONS of the proper way in which the
various athletic feats should be executed.
This lecture system will necessitate tours
to all parts of Austria and the formation
of classes for instruction. Both by group
and individual coaching I expect to de-
velop and later appoint Il number of as
sistants in order that the work may be
expanded upon a much larger scale
Il understand there is little athletic
SoiHpelillSt SplIiL DIT present IN either the
universities, schools or army, but that
these fields offer splendid athletic mate
rial. I imagine. too. that the Tyrol
mountain districts may furnish some ex-
cellent jumpers and marathoners In the
| rough. Given the physical requisites |
am sure that Austria can produce some
very high class performers in events
wherein continental Europe has not shone
III the past. such as the weight events
and marathon races.
Should the early results of my train
ing efforts warrant it, Austrian athletic
officials will probably sanction a wider
range Of international competition. At
present the dual track and field meet with
Hungary is the principal event of the
year. To this competition may be added.
I hope, dual meets with Germany and
possibly Sweden. I should also like to
see any Austrian team entered in the
English athletic championship games and
the fana ma-Pacitic exposition meet at
San Francisco next year. If my work
and its results keep pace with my hopes
such team entries are not Improbable