Evening star., 1926-12-03

NV first years at Princeton taught
me a good many games are lost in or
near the dressing rooms before the
play begins. For instance, as the
game draws near everybody who
knows any member Of the team or
coaching staff becomes possessed OF
an overpowering desire to interview
him. I suppose 1t is inevitable that
friends who have come q long way
to see the game or who merely want
to prove to themselves and their COM
uantons that they really know some
body on the inside should forget that
by insisting at this time they are
doing their level best to beat their
team.
I have seen dressing rooms 80
crowded with outsiders that the men
actually were cramped for space.
Some Of these interested spectators
insisted upon smoking, while others
bewailed the fact that their conneo-
ton with the assistant rubber'S thifd
cousin had not enabled them to get
a seat on the 60-yard line and de-
manded that this injustice be rectifed
at once. One gets beautiful slant
on the human sense OF seif-imp0f'
tance on occasions like this.
It really is more difficult than t
sounds to safeguard a team already
under high nervous tension from
the petty annoyances of their friends
and OF over jealous partisans who
make up for their lack OF acquaint'
ance by a yociferous patriotism
which takes the edge off every mans
determination as nothing else can DO.
Competent Guard Needed.
It really is an essential thing to
get a man on guard at the door OF
the quarters who Is not only without
human sympathies, but has the au.
thority to hold his own against old
players, and former captains even,
who seem to forget how they hated
these visitations in their own day.
and are bent on imparting some OF
their great ideas to the coach and
team at the last minute.
Besides being absolutely sheltered
from distractions, the team should
have a brisk warming up on the field
and then gather for a final talk IN
which the old line Of spiritual abjurga-
tions have no place whatever. ] am
convinced the fighting spirit grows
best in a quiet atmosphere Of earnest
ness. This last conference cannot
include any new foot ball teaching.
With me now, this last talk Is as
carefully considered beforehand as II
were making a set address. An
extemporized burst of rhetoric will not
do. Generally speaking, it is a stimu-
lus ather than an admOnition that
aim for. know that some coaches
proceed on the assumption that noise
has it's value, and perhaps 1t has.
know that others make a practice OF
calling in old time heroes or profess
sional graduates given to spread eagle
eloouence to use these final moments
/ am not arguing against them. /
merely describe my own ideas OF the
way to handle the team and get the
best results.
Coach Gives Players Cue.
Inconsciously, every player takes
his cue from the coach in these try
ing moments. 1t Is not enough for the
coach to have his own nerves under
control and to show a kind Of cool
calmness which is the best index Of
confidence, but he also must know,
and show that ne knows, exactly what
is to be done by everybody at every
minute 1t is very easy to let some
minor annoyance disturb ones equa-
ninity and the ease with which that
can happen to the coach Is an excel.
lent proof Of the harder tension on the
men. Somebody IS perfectly certain to
have forgotten something and there
always is a mass Of trivial things left
undone or done wrong by somebody
connected with the team.
A team which sees its leader fly of
the handle over a missing blanket or
a broken shoe lace cannot be blamed