Team Goals or Individual Development?

[Guest]

What is more important, a high school team trying to win by sacrificing the individual talent of an athlete in order to get your relay qualified or putting an athlete in what they do best to showcase their talents? My son is 14, he ran 48 in the 400m this past summer track season, but did not get a chance to run the open 400m during the entire high school season.
The coach was more interested in winning another team title; they finished second by the way.

I have no problem with team goals but I feel the development of an athlete is more important. Am I wrong to think this way? What's going to happen in 2003?

[dan moran]

I feel that the coach did what he thought was best for the team. Being that your son is only a freshman, I do not believe the coach jeopardized his ability. However, I definitely would have him run the open 400 his sophomore, junior and senior years so that he can get noticed by college coaches.

[Bill]

I am a 22 year old coach of a girls winter track team. It is a difficult decision for coaches to make when it comes to running athletes in open and relay events. I agree that since he is only a freshman in the next few years he will have a chance to show off his skills. Coaches always need to think about the team, you can't coach to 40 individuals, you need to coach to a 40 person team.