The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-08-07
School for Athletic Coaches Has Been
Decided Upon and New Direct
ors VIII be Taught
There.
NEW THING IN IDEAS
University of Illinois is Pioneer il
This Field and Begins Work
In Fall of This
Year.

URBANA, Ill, Aug. THE COM
ing Camps, Stages, Yosts and Zupp-
kes-the athletic coaches of the fu-
ture-will not be developed haphaz.
ardly Instead of being educated for
other professions and taking up coach
ing incidentally, the new coaches viii
have the benefit of four years special
training for their work and the pres
tige of the university degree.
That is the plan for the University
of Illinois, where the department of
athletic coaching and physical educa-
ton has been established A four-year
course in coaching will open Sept %.
Those who complete it will receive the
degree of bachelor OF science.
1t is expected that many high
school graduates interested in athle-
tics will enroll.
The Illinois idea is new. No other
university has recognized the impor-
lance of such education by offering
four-year course and degree.
Famous Athlete to Instruct.
"Potsy'' Clark, famous Illinois ath-
lete, Just home from France, who was
a member of the championship foot.
ball and baseball teams of the A. e.
F., and Maj. John L. Griffith, executive
head of athletic activities in army
training camps, formerly director of
athletics at Drake university, have
been engaged as instructors, in add.
ton to the coaches Of the Illinois var
sity teams. George A. Huff, for
twenty-four years director of athletics
and baseball coach at Illinois, Is the
head OF the new department
The announcement Of this course is
In important sign of the trend of the
times. Once the athletic coach was
regarded by the college faculty as
more or less of necessary evil. Now
1t is realized that athletics and physi.
cal education must receive more en-
phasis in the universities, colleges and
secondary schools of the country That
means that there must be trained men
to direct this work.
Most coaches, thus far, have been
educated to be doctors, lawyers or
engineers, for instance. Coaching as
a life work was often stop gap or
an after thought. Beyond their own
In athletics they have been
as coaches. But the day Of
LIE Sell-iNdue COACH, II Is preulCleQ, Is
passing. Few colleges or high schools
are willing to allow their teams to be
practice material for would-be coaches, |
who plan to pick up their training as
hey go along. Besides it takes too
ong. The demand for trained coaches
s immediate and pressing, for the war
has given a tremendous stimulus to
athletics and physical education.
Courses for Prospective Coaches.
What will the prospective coach |
tudy? Baseball, football, basketball, |
rack and field athletics, swimming. |
hygiene, training and /
massage, anthropemetry, playground |
management and the organization Of /
cams. There will be classroom work |
md training on the field as well. In
edition to these technical training |
curses there will be required courses |
UGH as education, psychology, rhe-
ORIG and public speaking, and the
tudent will have general elective |
ourses from which to choose. So he
yill have pretty fair general educa-
ton 80 hi ial two Y,{r