Coah issues

One of 2 things is true:

1. You are getting a free education due to a fat scholarship. Especially if the deal includes enough to live on comfortably, this is a good deal. You are a pro athlete. You are getting paid to run.

However, you agreed to run 'for the team' whatever that means in exchange for a significant fraction of a million bucks. Quitting will and rocking the boat may get you cut off and you ain't a college student anymore. No tragedy in my mind but (although I may not have) you agreed to the deal.

2. They ain't paying you. There is no full-ride athletic scholarship. Your old man is catapulting a significant fraction of a million bucks into the ether. You are a walk-on and therefore have nothing to complain about. You voluntarily chose to give up you own, exactly perfect training program which occurs on your exactly chosen schedule in favor of being subject to this coach. You are who decided this guy is your coach. He doesn't have authority to rule anyone who doessn't specifically join his team. Students wishing to run do not have to report to this guy and sign up. Only those wishing to be coached by him do. And you did. This for no payment or compensation of any sort. Genius!

What is a Coah?

Actually situation's do not get lumped into either category 1 or 2. I wish life was that easy but it isn't.

I got a small scholarship because it is d2 and I went there because it seemed great and is a fairly new and growing program. I pay for my education without my 'old man's' help. I run, work, and go to school full-time. I'm top 5 on the team and we are just getting good runner's now so it is time for a change, captains and all agree. If you don't have anything decent to add to the discussion then don't reply.

Dannymetz wrote:

. I was wondering what you guys think would be the best approach to this situation..

Sit on his face and smother him.

the value or usefulness of a taper has a lot to do with the training approach. if the mileage is moderate (40-80/week) tapering is not necessary or always beneficial.

if the miles are too high for too long (80-120/week) and the intensity and pace variety lacking, tapers is not useful then because the base is imploding. you still need to periodize velocity and duration for the best results.

a simpler request w the coach would be that he back the quality down (not much point in going over 90% top speed), move the work away from the track whenever possible, and allow you all to supplement the training with your own miles.

truthfully though, not much point in racing collegiately unless they are paying you. and at the ncaa level the coaching is sadly not always stellar as the system incentivizes overtraining.

try to talk to the coach in a cooperative open-minded manner. yours is not the only university team being run into the ground. overtraining is an ncaa tradition.

DannyMetz wrote:

If you don't have anything decent to add to the discussion then don't reply.

He was contributing. You didn't provide much information on the situation so he was forced to make assumptions.

Also, you're in college and still don't know that you don't need an apostrophe when pluralizing? ( situation's)

Try to keep up, man.

In any case, if you actually have problems (and the majority of the team does, as you have so stated), bring the entire team and have them talk to the athletic director. This kind of stuff is up to him at the end of the day.

The second is actually right in that it boils down to this:

Either they are paying you to obey this clown (perhaps not your situation).

OR

You are doing this voluntarily and for free.

You have a better recourse than anyone has suggested yet: quit.

This doesn't mean quit running. This means don't tell this joker that you run. Just do it and he'll have nothing to say about it and nothing to do with it.

I can't see how you're in some pickle. If they were paying you, you would be. You'd have to weigh complete training and racing atonomy against you're only source of income.

Since you say this ain't the deal, how is this a decision at all? What's the upside to being trained by some ex-Marine failed. Football coach?

What are your PR's

Just remember you are playing with a mans job and livelihood. Understand the seriousness of going after a mans job if you and the team go that route. Before you do that be sure you understand this isn't a hobby for your coach; its how he pays his bills. If he needs to get better then he should take accountability. But don't take these things lightly.

I hate it when I agree with dsrunner....

Seriously, "all out speed work from the beginning of the year"

No one can make an entire team do this. Like ds said more than about 90% is wasted so all of you just run it at 90%. Tell him it is 100% and you are still tired from the last 100% workout.

Suck it up buttercup.

Stop whining. You either go with the program or you do not. Practically, every group of college guys think that they know better than the coach.

Pretend that you have graduated and have a real job. Read your message over again. Every time you read the word "coach" insert "boss", "manager", "CEO", "director" or whatever. Doing this makes you sound like a whiner who will be in for a rude awakening when cruelness of reality hits home in the next few years.

So you all suggest bending over and taking it for the rest of my life. I like making change when I'm presented an opportunity. I do know more than him and he doesn't take his job seriously at all.