TargetTalk

Interesting article in today's Swedish news:

http://www.aftonbladet.se/55/article6457301.ab

This states that Ragnar Skanåker wants to take over the Swedish National pistol team as coach. He claims that the current team is in shambles and needs proper leadership. At almost 76 years old, he says he's the man for the job.

I wonder how this will play out. He was last the Swedish National champion at age 73. That's a pretty long career already.

The Google Translator does a respectable job translating this, by the way.

He may be the man for the job but that depends on a) his coaching xperience and b) without sounding funny, how long he can cope with doing the job. I personally would be looking for someone younger who can develope the team over the next 10 years or so. At 76 he's unlikely to be able to do that.

Rob.

He may be the man for the job but that depends on a) his coaching xperience and b) without sounding funny, how long he can cope with doing the job. I personally would be looking for someone younger who can develope the team over the next 10 years or so. At 76 he's unlikely to be able to do that.

It's stupid opinions like this that threatens the health of this sport

RobStubbs wrote:He may be the man for the job but that depends on a) his coaching xperience and b) without sounding funny, how long he can cope with doing the job. I personally would be looking for someone younger who can develope the team over the next 10 years or so. At 76 he's unlikely to be able to do that.Rob.

Might be a natural reaction but you could have sad that 10 years ago and now he is still going strong. Do not forget that he will certainly draw attention to our sport from the media, a most welcome public interest!
Kent

If they don't want him... He can come coach me :)

RB6 wrote:

He may be the man for the job but that depends on a) his coaching xperience and b) without sounding funny, how long he can cope with doing the job. I personally would be looking for someone younger who can develope the team over the next 10 years or so. At 76 he's unlikely to be able to do that.

It's stupid opinions like this that threatens the health of this sport

Really, which part of my sensible suggestion is 'stupid' pray tell ? I would turn your own statement around and ask you how that non-constructive verbage helps us move forwards ?, I did at least explain my thought processes.

Reinhamre wrote:

RobStubbs wrote:He may be the man for the job but that depends on a) his coaching xperience and b) without sounding funny, how long he can cope with doing the job. I personally would be looking for someone younger who can develope the team over the next 10 years or so. At 76 he's unlikely to be able to do that.Rob.

Might be a natural reaction but you could have sad that 10 years ago and now he is still going strong. Do not forget that he will certainly draw attention to our sport from the media, a most welcome public interest!
Kent

He could certainly have a role in shooter development. Such as team management or the like, something to keep the media interest going, and to be honest he could do that for rifle and pistol. Like I said what coaching experience has he got to take on such a role though ? I've seen him shoot and I've seen him selling his hat with glasses on.

Rob.

RobStubbs wrote: I've seen him shoot and I've seen him selling his hat with glasses on.
Rob.

Yeah, I know, BUT, media is like flees on a lump of sugar.
National championship in free pistol final 2009 was sent by national tv broadcast, live! Let us use the flow :-) Besides, do we have an alternative? That is the big question.
Kent

Reinhamre wrote:National championship in free pistol final 2009 was sent by national tv broadcast, live!

Doesn't that happen in every country? We can only dream.

At 76 he's in the start list for Intershoot in Den Haag, so at least we'll see if he can still shoot, as a boy of 63 I wish him all the best.
Best regards
Robin

lastman wrote:If they don't want him... He can come coach me :)

Good one, lastman!

Ragnar past it at 76?
First day at Intershoot, qualifying, first Sigurgeirsson (Ice) 578, Skanaker 6th with 569.
Best regards
Robin

RobinC wrote:Ragnar past it at 76?

I don't think anyone suggested that he was, did they?

David
No they did'nt, I was just innocently commenting, it was meant to be a compliment.
Robin

It was amusing watching the final on the web-cam; he was sitting down between shots.

OK it might have been to "rest his weary bones", but I doubt it. More likely it was just because he could.

The first time I saw Ragnar shoot (1981) I was amazed to see that he would leave the firing point between series and go and have a chat with the crowd.

After shooting against him many times I realized that he was a master at being able to mentally switch in and out of match mode at will; just like flicking a switch. A valuable skill at a level that not many have.

I would rather be coached by Ragnar. Others might be able to help also, but this would be getting the information from the " Horses Mouth " so to speak. This also followes my therey that the world level shooters understand our sport better than most coaches and have important information to relate that cannot be gained from lesser mortals. If you set your goal to set a new world record I believe you must improve your technique until it is better than what has gone before. I am convinced that the shooter must become a student of what others have proven and deelope from there. Good Shooting Bill Horton

2650 Plus wrote:I would rather be coached by Ragnar. Others might be able to help also, but this would be getting the information from the " Horses Mouth " so to speak. This also followes my therey that the world level shooters understand our sport better than most coaches and have important information to relate that cannot be gained from lesser mortals. If you set your goal to set a new world record I believe you must improve your technique until it is better than what has gone before. I am convinced that the shooter must become a student of what others have proven and deelope from there. Good Shooting Bill Horton

A philosophy you've stated before Bill, but one that I very much disagree with. You can be a very good learner, a very good shooter and a rubbish coach. How many times have you seen a very good worker get promoted to management and be shown to be absolutely rubbish ? The very same applies as shooting and teaching (coaching) are very different skills.

Rob.

David Levene wrote:The first time I saw Ragnar shoot (1981) I was amazed to see that he would leave the firing point between series and go and have a chat with the crowd.

I also remember him doing this in the early 90s, usually with his Hammerli 152 still in his hand!

"Those were different days" as they say, range safety has evolved since then thank god.

He can coach- he coached the US team in the past.

One of the advantages I see in having a coach that either is or has been a world class shooter like Skanaker is that in a sport with such a huge mental component especially at the world class level, without those bonafides, how do you convince your shooter that they can do what you have been unable to do? How do you chart a course for them to get to the highest level if you have never been there yourself? I am not saying that they are not a lot of average shooters who are very good at imparting the physical and technical skiills of shooting on to their students. I just believe that coaching someone to be world class level is an entirely different game and expecting someone who has not competed at the highest level and succeeded to develop world class shooters is asking too much of both the coach and the shooters. Not every world class shooter is going to automatically be a great coach. Not every club level shooter is going to be a terrible coach, but based on the amount of mis information some of the so called experts try to give me on the line I will give more weight and credibility to what a World class shooter or former World class shooter is telling me. Isabel

Isabel1130 wrote:One of the advantages I see in having a coach that either is or has been a world class shooter like Skanaker is that in a sport with such a huge mental component especially at the world class level, without those bonafides, how do you convince your shooter that they can do what you have been unable to do?

You wouldn't need to.

In the modern game at world class level a coach is the figurehead for a team of specialists; sports psychologists, nutritionalists, biomechanicians, conditioning coaches, etc.