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World-class sprint coach has eyes on raw talent in Pune
Commitment and raw talent is what Jermaine Shand is looking for. “It is called ‘coach’s eyes’,” he says
Glen Mills sits atop the coaches pyramid at the Racers Track Club in Kingston, Jamaica and the world’s best sprinters - 100m, 200m, 400m, 4x100m - men, and women, have felt his impact on their careers.
From Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake to women like Seidatha Palmer, all trace back to Mills.
As does Jermaine Chand, the Racers Track Club coach sitting in the stands at the Balewadi complex, watching school runners give it a go at the ZP meet last week.
Shand is expecting to be in Pune a lot more. This visit, comes on the back of two Pune sprinters attending camps at the Racers Track Club in Jamaica, and impressing with their commitment.
Commitment and raw talent is what Shand is looking for. “It is called ‘coach’s eyes’,” he says.
“An athlete I pushed to the 400m category recently is fast, but he lacks explosive power. 100m is an explosive event. After looking at his technique, speed and strides, I was convinced that he would do much better in the 400m,” Shand explains, as an explainer of what a sprinting coach is watching for.
“For every other athlete, the 100m is a very quick event. It requires you to get your top-speed as quickly as possible. Even if an athlete loves the event, but does not possess the explosive power for it, then they will trail. These are the minute details we look at to put athletes in events where they belong,” Shand adds.
Speaking about his own evolution as a sprinting coach, Shand says, “In high school, under the guidance of Glen Mills, we were regulars at local sprint events as well as at national athletics tournaments. During that time, I fell in love with the coaching aspect of it. Immediately after high school, coach Mills asked me if I wanted to be a part of his team and without giving it a second thought, I signed up. I completed my coaching certification and joined the GC Foster College of Physical Education, and eventually reunited with Glen Mills at the Racers Track Club.”
In terms of being strictly a track coach, Shand says, “When I started coaching at my school, I focused on everything which was included under athletics, be it track, field, throws. I do classify as a flexible coach as I am capable of flexing my muscles on the track as well as in the field.”
Shand’s India perspective is shaped by the nation’s progress at international events. At the last seven international meets (see box), Indian athletes have bagged a total of 71 medals.
“There is a love for athletics here. Cricket is the sport which is dominating in the country, but I see quite a few youngsters trying to get into athletics. I see their love for the track and field,” says Shand.
Shand, himself, was initially inclined towards football and played as a goalkeeper in his junior high school days. Shand was a student at the Camperdown High School, in Kingston, Jamaica - known as the “sprint faction” of the city.
It was high school level, Shand completely switched his focus from football to athletics. An unfortunate injury stopped him from competing and he turned to coaching.
The rest has been a steady stream of world champions for the Racers Track Club and Jamaica. Now, is it Pune and India’s turn?
