14 Days Out

It's amazing how much time you spend as a coach going over the nominations and shuffling placings between lifters to try and calculate where and who needs to place in the top 2 or 3 compared to the Russian team or the Ukraine team and which team can sneak in to take a spot either in our favor or against us.
I know it all comes down to how we lift on our day, but running numbers prior to the championships can drive a coach crazy!! The USA team is so close in team points to the Russian team in both boys and girls categories, if either team doesn't quite come in according to the nominations list or happens to win a weight class not expected to, then the Team Gold is up in the air. Then of course you have to watch out for the other countries that can sneak up on you or move from one weight class to another in order to gain a spot on the podium. This is what makes this a fun coaches sport.
And while we coaches are going through all of the possibilities, our lifters just need to hit the numbers they have been training for. As a coach, you hope the numbers they are hitting in the gym are quality reps and leave room for no doubt as to depth or pause. We can't be there to watch each lifter. We must depend on their training partners to push them and ensure their lifts are good international quality lifts.
My Idaho lifters have 3 more heavy lifts before we leave on the 4th and this Saturday will be the Saturday that will really determine where they are able to open their attempts which will pre-determine somewhat where they will finish if they go 3 for 3 in a particular lift. I just hope they get all of their gear to work in for the next 3 weeks, I know we are still waiting for Jesse's, although he is very confident in his current gear.
Before you know it we will be counting hours instead of days. I love this time of year!! :)