GENERATIONS of Tamworth athletes all have one thing in common, a Wally Warner signature all over their running style.
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Now the veteran coach of some 50 years is hanging up the clipboard and calling it a day, finally prepared to give himself a bit of the time and caring that he has imparted on so many others.
“It is something I am not looking forward to,” Warner said.
“I still tear up a bit thinking about leaving the kids.
“But it is time I spent some time with my family here and in Sydney.”
The 79-year-old claims that over that fifty years there has never been a two-day stretch where he hasn’t trained kids since he was taken on as a sports coach of St Edward’s in the 1960s.
More impressively, Warner has never charged a cent for his efforts, training right through the year.
“I just love teaching kids to run properly,” Warner said.
“These days parents are asked to shell out money for everything and I got sick and tired of it.”
Even when Tamworth’s answer to Rocky Balboa’s trainer Micky was working full time he still trained kids several days a week.
He has also served as coach and trainer to local clubs involved in rugby league, baseball, cricket, soccer and several other sports in that time, and has always coached by the same mantra.
“It doesn’t matter what sport you are into, if you have the correct running style you will be a better athlete,” Warner said.
Some of his better athletes returned from the state championships at Homebush last week with some medals, the trip the last the trainer will go on with his charges.
“I took 11 runners and all of them made a final,” Warner said.
In the last five years, Warner’s gang has won 17 national titles and the veteran believes he might see some more in the near future.
“In the next two or three years there are going to be some very good young runners coming through.
“But it is time to call it.
“I have loved every second of it.”