Track and field throwing events (discus, javelin, hammer and shot put), originating in ancient Greece and pre-Medieval Ireland and Scotland, require complex physical interaction. An historical analysis of the features of traditional media which have been used as coaching tools in these events - books, video, audio, diagrams, photographs and hypertext - provides the foundation on which future multimedia tools can be developed.

Variables associated with effective coaching are based on technique, science, use of expert models, and motor learning theory. Training in these events is enhanced through the use of multimedia, a tool uniquely suited to the variables of track and field instruction. Additional variables - interactivity, usability and cost - are associated specifically with multimedia and should be considered in the development of future multimedia coaching tools.