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At a recent meeting of the Graduate Committee of the Harvard track team, it was decided that the Supervisor of Track Athletics should assume the responsibility of coaching the team. The reasons for this change were twofold. In the first place, the former coach of the team had expressed a desire to be relieved of the burden of developing a track team, and secondly, it was felt that the supervisor as coach could better execute the plans of the committee than he could acting as an intermediary.
The Graduate Track Committee appreciates that it has a difficult task ahead, but no more difficult than a similar situation which confronted the football team some years ago, and the baseball team a very few years ago. This committee firmly believes that a track team can be developed from inexperienced runners, provided, of course, the candidates for the team do their part.
Harvard draws less "made" track material than most of its competitors, but with an undergraduate body of nearly 2500 men, it should be possible for us to develop a good team. Most of the boys who come to college with previous track experience, have had to make a start some time, and it would surprise a great many of you to know that many of these "made" candidates have had only one or two years' experience. As previously expressed in these columns, a track man can be developed during his undergraduate years if he has two arms, two legs and a lot of determination.
Most of you can remember watching candidates for your school teams. Perhaps some of you concluded that certain men had little chance to make the team, but before your Senior year, some of these doubtful ones surprised you. We have seen the same thing happen right here at Harvard, and provided we can get enough candidates for the team, we feel that we can make teams here.
The University compels all Freshmen to take some form of athletic exercise, and surprising results have been obtained from this compulsory exercise. Many men have kept on after their Freshman year because they have concluded that in addition to the healthful exercise, they have met several men they otherwise would not have met. They have surprised themselves to find that they had something they never knew they had, and as one Freshman expressed it: "It has been worth while because of the broader point of view I have after this past year's experience."
Our track plans are to lay stress on the fundamentals. We shall make no cuts, and we shall never be too busy to help you. We cannot put all of you on a team, but we assure you that you will get some competition before the year is over. The track team, because it has been in the ruck, needs the cooperation of every undergraduate. If you cannot come out for the team, you can interest someone who can, and above all, you can at least be a booster.
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