Question for high school coaches

You don't have to let them drop out.

if they are hurt then let them drop out. If they are not then run them. I learned this lesson my 9th grade year doing my first speed work. we started practice at 4:30 and I went home and ate a bowl of cereal with milk and in the middle of the practice I threw up a lot. My coach put his hand on my back and told me eating before practice was not a good idea and to keep up the good work and finish my practice. These kids who always have this or that excuse are not what you need. They are the ones that will quit on you and their teammates when they are needed the most. Work them hard and make them tougher or let them quit the team. Do let them wimp out.

This drives me slightly nuts too. I try to make being "injured" as unattractive as possible to the kids. I have a very boring (but sound) "injury prevention" routine that they have to do if they are unable to run. For the legitimately delicate kids that actually want to be runners, they do their injury prevention exercises the minute they get to practice, then we adapt the running workout for them if need be. For the kids who aren't really hurt, but always have a complaint (that differs from day to day), they start the running workout and as they drop out of the running, they are instructed to go and do the injury circuit. If I don't have a manager or other coach to supervise them, I may make them walk fast around the track until the other groups are done., and then when I am done working with the other runners, I run them through the injury exercises. I tell them that they have to get in some "conditioning" even if they can't run. They sure as heck are not going to get away with sitting around socializing, or leaving practice early.

Op

I tried this , and it had some minimum success. I broke the team into groups based on ability. It served several purposes. first, it allowed the faster kids to do their workout and not have to wait for anyone. It also allowed the younger kids an opportunity to prove themselves and hope to get a chance to run with the faster group. And, to your dilemma, it allowed me as a coach to have those kids that tend to drop out all within one group. Therefore, it would not effect the team's overall workout. And, it gave me a chance to have a way to deal with the few that were, for lack of a better term, weenies. Some boys just were weenies, and didn't want to do a workout or didn't want to run the 8 miler. And some girls were just constant whiners. How did this effect them? Not so much when they were freshmen. But, when they were sophomores, juniors, or even seniors, it was somewhat of a slight to be put with the injured or slower group. Believe me, some whiners and weenies surprised themselves by working hard to stay up rather than be subjected to going over to that "other" group.

I made it point to never make the freshmen or slower runners feel like they were less a part of the team. I always encouraged them to improve at their own pace, and even told them about this or that senior that was slower than them, and that same referred runner is now a varsity runner who is considered a solid contributor.

Do what you feel is best. But remember, that someday these boys and girls will be grown men and women. You don't want them to have bad memories of you when they see you 13 or 15 years from now. Let them know you care, and that they are very good at ____________ which is much more important.

I had a few former runners who went on to be pilots, doctors, lawyers, and many would mention the support I gave them as a confidence builder, compared to other experiences where coaches ignored them or gave negative remarks.

Be a positive part of their lives.

I tend to agree. And my only real concern is when you split the groups, the "weaker group" (if you will) might never work their way up having no one to chase. I split the groups often, but I always try to mix the groups when possible (boys & girls). Yeah that helps the girls more, but it also gives the guys a bit of a push to hopefully not have to "run w/ the girls". Little do they know that some of our girls will always be legitimately better than some of the guys.

I've gotten pretty adept at figuring out when a kid is either lazy or not into it vs. actually in pain. The ones that are just lazy will never get in a meet, and usually don't come back the next season. Some weak kids try very hard, and I always find a race for them, even though they'll never really improve.

I'm not very "supportive" of the kids that flake out; I'd much rather have them walk away and give my time to any of the kids working hard, regardless of ability.

Got two civil suits filed on two HS coach buddies of mine. One Dad came flying onto the course screaming that his son was not 100% and the coach was trying to hurt him. Another kid came home crying the coach made her run and her stomach hurts way worse. Turns out she did have a stomach problem and the running push supposedly popped something. Matter of time until the poo will hit you.