Please help... really important decision

Stick at your school. Don't be Kevin Durant.... Nobody likes Kevin Durant.

You wouldn't be eligible at school B.

If you WOULD be, though, transfer. That is the only way to find out for yourself that it isn't the coaching... it is you. THEN maybe you will start to train seriously, if a small college takes a chance on you.

It doesn't matter. Stay, go, whatever. In the end we all die.

CuriousSoph wrote:

Stick at your school. Don't be Kevin Durant.... Nobody likes Kevin Durant.

Sounds more like a LeBron James situation.

In my state they just changed the rule this year so I'd be eligible

Sub 2 wrote:

I don't know what's the right decision to make. If anyone has some insight as to what I should do it would be greatly appreciated

Why do your parents want you to move; will you be living closer to school B?

What is the difference in the programs?

If you switch, you'll still have the history with school A, plus the year of experience at school B, which sounds fine to me. When I was in high school, more than 50 years ago, we moved and I wanted to go to the best track school in the city (B), which had one of the best programs in the state and maybe the whole country. I watched them compete in the first invitational, and saw another team (A) that did terribly. Well my dad picked the terrible school, in a town just south of the city. The reason I found out later was because they didn't allow blacks to buy homes there, not a good reason.

The kids at the school turned out to be great, and the coaches were supportive. This was a smaller school and became the best runner on the team, so trained with school B during the summers and off seasons. My 11th grade year was at an out of state school due to difficulties with my dad (he was a bully), then back to school A. In retrospect, had my senior year been at school B, I probably would have been a much better runner in high school (ended up 10th at state in the mile) and maybe thereafter.

I would have taken that opportunity, but maybe in retrospect things turned out better this way, as I moved to California right after high school was over, and might not have done that had I gone to school B. Where would you like to go?

If I'm being completely honest I want to go to school B. The only thing that's holding me back is that I don't want to let my coach and team mates down at school A. The reason I want to go to school B is because the coach has proven to be good after all his team did just win state

You cant worry about what other people think of you. You have to make the best decision that will benefit you the most and in your case it seems like switching schools.

Sub 2 wrote:

If I'm being completely honest I want to go to school B. The only thing that's holding me back is that I don't want to let my coach and team mates down at school A. The reason I want to go to school B is because the coach has proven to be good after all his team did just win state

Then go to school B.

The best thing you can do is to follow your own path.

Those who matter in life are those who support your right to make your own choices.

Sub 2 wrote:

I know that's what would be better for my development as a runner

Because?

How fast you run is up to you.

Would not recommend transferring your final year of high school. You'll end up stepping on a lot of toes. Granted this is high school so after two years people will have probably forgotten and moved on.

Remember the grass is ALWAYS greener on the other side. There's no way to tell if school B's coaching will click with you, taking a big gamble IMO.

If your coach is really that bad at assigning workouts and understanding the science behind running take this as an opportunity to learn it yourself. Brush up on the basics of running physiology, take the workouts that your coach gives you and then find complementary workouts that you can do on your own time.

Personal example, back in high school my school was pretty solid top in the state for XC and for a few years sub 7:50 in the 4x8. A guy from another local high school decides to transfer to our school for his senior year so that way he can have "better" coaching and teammates. People weren't too keen on him coming in and snagging a top 7 spot (we had 70+ guys on the team so people worked pretty hard over the years to get to varsity.) He was a nice dude but a lot of people resented him I'm pretty sure. I think he may have improved a little bit in XC but track really dropped off and eventually quit the sport entirely I think.

So long story short, just because there is "better" coaching and runners at school B doesn't mean it will click with you or they won't click with you.

Hope this helps some.

Coach Jack wrote:

Would not recommend transferring your final year of high school. You'll end up stepping on a lot of toes. Granted this is high school so after two years people will have probably forgotten and moved on.

You sound like some guy who gets off on abusing young kids.

Stay at school A and graduate with your friends because that is worth more than just training under another coach. It's better to stay at your school and in the relationships that you formed over the past few years. Some of those friendships will last you the rest of your life.

Not exactly sure how you drew that conclusion from that statement. Just don't want OP to piss off/upset his friends/teammates/coaches by leaving to run for the rival school. But that in the grand scheme of things it's only high school and his friends/teammates will forget about it/get over it once college comes around and there's more important thing to worry about.

Unless you're a star athlete that has a lot to gain by transferring (winning a national title, better shot at a full-ride) I don't think it is worth it to transfer in high school. If there's other reasons outside of athletics for transferring then that is a different story.

It would help to know why your parents are pushing you to go to school B and really, you should do what you want. But if running is your only reason for wanting to transfer and you were my son I'd advise against it. As Coach Jack points out, it may not go over well with guys at school B who've run together for years to have a new guy come in and knock one of their friends out of the top seven. On the other hand, if you're fairly good maybe they'll be glad to have you because you'll help them win and place higher than they otherwise would.

But most of your life will not happen at practices and meets. Do you have any friends at school B? Do you want to leave the friends you have at school A, the teachers that you know and maybe get along with, and wander into a place where you are the new guy? The more you know about school B the better decision you can make.

Considerations .||. wrote:

Sub 2 wrote:

I don't know what's the right decision to make. If anyone has some insight as to what I should do it would be greatly appreciated

Why do your parents want you to move; will you be living closer to school B?

What is the difference in the programs?

This was a smaller school and became the best runner on the team, so trained with school B during the summers and off seasons.

My parents want me to switch because they think that's what's best for me and they know that deep down I do want to switch. I thought about trying to run with school B during the summer but I think that would be stepping on a lot of toes not to mention that being rival schools, I'm not sure the coach would even allow it and I surely wouldn't be accepted by the team there. I think I'm going to talk to the coach at school B and see what he has to say and then think about it for a while. Ironically, a couple years ago a girl from school A switched to school B and I saw the backlash from my coach at school A and how our team thought of her and that's part of the reason why I don't want to switch

Well see what you're mentioning about the teachers and what not doesn't really apply as my situation is a little different. I dual enroll and take my classes at a college that is in the city school B is located in (about 45 min from home) so actually it would be more convenient for me to run at school B. I only know a few people on the team there but I'm generally a likable person and make friends fast. I want to see what the coach at school B has to say and like you said they may like me if I give their team a better chance to win which would most likely be the case since I'd be their #1 or #2 runner most likely

Forgot to add that I would still be dual enrolling at school B so nothing would change in terms of school it would literally just be the team that I run on

Sub 2 wrote:

Ironically, a couple years ago a girl from school A switched to school B and I saw the backlash from my coach at school A and how our team thought of her and that's part of the reason why I don't want to switch

Something like that would tick me off and get me to switch in an instant.

The coaches at both of the schools I went to were supportive of me, in fact the coach at school A contacted the coach at school B so I could travel with them to in season big meets. I also trained with them in off season, did that on my own from the start, and one day a week in season during my last year. I wasn't allowed to move and go to school there, but went there anyway when I could, and wish that I'd gone there the whole time.

In your case, the coach at school A is toxic, and I'd get away from him pronto.