Elite athlete training coach Hennie Kriel, who recently partnered with Puma to boost the explosion of track sprinters in South Africa.
Durban North News (DNN): When did you become a coach and what attracted you to training track athletes?
Hennie Kriel (HK) : I started coaching in 1985. It was a natural step for me as I was destined to be a coach. Track and field, and particularly sprinting came easy as it was the sport in which I competed in. I am a teacher by profession and most of my family are teachers, so becoming a coach was a given, as coaching is also teaching.
(DNN): What motivated you to set up Grigora?
(HK): I did not want to be just another coach with just another group of athletes that did the obvious thing. I wanted to be different, to be unique and I also wanted the athletes coached by me to feel that they are special.
(DNN): Why the name Grigora?
(HK): It had to have a Greek influence to it because of the Olympic legacy and it also had to say something about speed and the first Greek word that came up was Grigora.
(DNN): Can you share the fundamentals of your training methods?
(HK): To make sure that the training is relevant to the specific event of the athlete and then to make sure it is relevant to the specific athlete.
(DNN): Who is part of the coaching team and what are their roles?
(HK): I oversee all training aspects. As part of the supporting team, we have two physiotherapists – Karen Fourie and Karli Frenz.
(DNN): What are your strengths as a coach?
(HK): Maybe this is a question for the athletes. I teach athletes from a young age to take responsibility for their performances and for their careers. I teach and encourage them to make their own decisions and then to learn from those decisions. On a technical level, I understand specificity of training and the importance of quality of training, but in saying all of that, I am still learning every day.
(DNN): Besides natural speed, what sets world class sprinters apart from other talented athletes?
(HK): I know and experienced it time and time again, that attitude is everything in life. To reach and survive at the top level a specific mental capacity is a must. Without the hunger to be successful, the journey is a short one. That is the reason I put a lot of effort in helping the athletes.
(DNN): How do you encourage athletes when they have a bad performance or suffer an injury?
(HK): Those are the difficult parts of coaching. In the case of underperformance, myself and the athlete needs to take collective responsibility. Me as the coach has to understand the reason(s) for the performance and it is in those moments the specific relationship between us must come into play. I truly believe that the goal setting process that is in place for that specific athlete has to be the driver to refocus and to get back on track.
(DNN): Best advice you ever heard, or words of inspiration you live by?
(HK): ‘The man who knows why, will always be ahead of the man who knows how’. I met Wilbur Ross during the 1992 Olympic Games at a training track outside the village, and it was one of a number of things he shared with me that morning. A truly inspirational person.
(DNN): Why have you chosen to work with Puma, how will the relationship benefit you and the athletes you train?
(HK): As a young school athlete, I ran in Puma spikes and ever since it has a special meaning for me. If Puma is good enough for the fastest man ever, it surely is good enough for us. The relationship with Puma as a leading brand plays a big part in making myself and the athletes feel we belong something special. It is a huge motivational factor in our quest to be really world class.
(DNN): Why do you think South Africa is experiencing a surge in sprinting talent?
(HK): The talent was always there. It was just a matter of accepting the challenge and the desire to prove to ourselves that we can be the best in the world. It is a collective commitment by coaches and athletes. The sub-10 second breakthrough was the catalyst. I also think more coaches understand modern coaching methods.
(DNN): Your advice to young athletes?
(HK): ‘Any fool can make another fool tired’. Make sure you find yourself a coach that can make you faster. Take responsibility for building your own career and work relentlessly towards your goals.
(DNN): What key advice would you give to the coaches of high school sprinters in South Africa?
(HK): Make sure you understand the fundamentals of speed and how to develop it. Never pretend that you know everything and always be willing to critically challenge yourself. The most important aspect of coaching is to know how to work with each individual as an individual.
(DNN): The highlights for Grigora so far?
(HK): Being recognized by Puma as a leading brand in the industry is special. Grigora athletes in the last five years have established two world records and 12 national records.
(DNN): Looking ahead to 2019 – what are the focus and the goals for the new season?
(HK): To take the next step in the process to establish Grigora as the leading sprint and hurdlers group in the world. An important goal is to create a platform for female sprinters of South Africa to reach the level of our male sprinters.
