Originally Posted by
Doge
COS allowed one person track-side for each rider. Part of that is due to the bubble and the COS venue where you could not be on the outside. Yes, riders should learn to count their points. But is is helpful to know where you stand. In 40min of circles having an idea of where your opponents were or ranking seemed like useful information. I asked a couple NT coaches and they went into lengthy explanation on the sign language they use. It was of course something to learn, but I was wondering how many here do points races and have opponents numbers communicated to them. It seems not many.
In LA I did my first split calling, and it was less than perfect. I go quite a bit better, so that I was also able to help other kids.
A rider interpreting what a coach is signaling in the 2 seconds they get to see it is an advanced technique that comes with experience. I don't think it will come in the first, say, 30+ races. There is enough going on just managing the bike, body, and other riders at race pace. Once the comfort comes, the brain is free to take on new tasks. Like singing and playing the guitar at the same time. Can't happen until you know how to play the guitar first.
That being said, at this very early stage in your son's track racing career, simply taking Eddy Merckx's advice would be best, "Ride lots." As others have noted, he'll learn to do it on his own and won't need someone signaling to him.
I've been a coach on the sidelines of collegiate track nationals points race "coaching" (to use the term *very* loosely) two U-23 pros. (I wasn't their coach
at all, just there supporting them). There wasn't much I could do that they didn't already have in-hand. I helped the most by having a wheelset and a wrench at my feet in case one of them got a flat and needed a quick swap. These guys raced almost weekly at DLV for years and were very experienced trackies by that point.