Frater starts coaching career

Michael Frater is back on the track, but the three-time Olympian has swapped his spikes for the coaching chair.

Frater is assisting the male sprinters at St Jago High School, and he hopes to put them on the path to success.

“Anyone who knows me knows track and field is a passion for me, something I did ever since I can remember, so I always wanted to give back in every capacity,” said Frater, who won the silver medal in the 100m at the 2005 World Championships. “I’m just putting my foot in back where I can actually be among athletes again.

“Coaching has always a passion for me and it’s now just keeping my foot in the door and just gaining the experience I need,” said Frater, who has broken 10 seconds 7 times.

He started his new assignment just weeks ago.

“I’m making the adjustment, realising that these are kids, these are not professional athletes, and it’s a different mindset but it’s just about adjusting and nurturing them, nurturing them on the right path and doing the right things from early,” he postulated.

Coaching evolution

He has witnessed a coaching evolution during a sprinting career guided by Stephen Francis at Wolmer’s Boys School and at the MVP Track Club, by American Monte Stratton at Texas Christian University, and by Glen Mills at the Racers Track Club.

“Coaches have changed their methods, coaches who have been in the game have also changed their methods, so the good thing is that I’m able to talk to all the different types of coaches and get ideas from everybody. It’s for me a learning experience, getting my formula and putting my formula together,” he said.

His approach will be to get his sprinters to work smart.

“Sometimes we say it’s not always how hard you work, it’s how smart you work, so I’m trying to help them out as much as possible.”

Modest as ever, Frater is nevertheless confident that he can contribute positively as a coach.

“It’s just recent, but I think I have a lot to offer, and I have a lot of expertise from the different coaches,– Mr Francis, Mr Mills, coach Monte Stratton, all those coaches – so it’s a matter of getting these guys to learn the right way of sprinting, doing the right things,” Frater indicated.

He joins his 2004 and 2008 Olympic teammate Maurice Wignall, who is also involved at St Jago and is also looking to lean on his experience.

“Maurice has been involved in some coaching for a while now, a few years now, and this is my first time, so, you know, it’s always good to bounce ideas off different people,” Frater said.