He will be missed. They don't make em like Steve anymore..
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/sd-sp-steve-scott-0418-story.html
He will be missed. They don't make em like Steve anymore..
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/sd-sp-steve-scott-0418-story.html
I thought he would return to uci to coach some day. I guess I was wrong.
I am a huge fan of Steve Scott. Any insight as to why he wasn't coaching at a top DI school or pros? Was he simply a much better athlete than coach or did he just not have the right opportunities to coach...I was under the impression that he dictated most of his own training throughout his marvelous career, leading me to the conclusion that he would be a great coach given access to motivated athletes...
Mahavishnu1500 wrote:
I am a huge fan of Steve Scott. Any insight as to why he wasn't coaching at a top DI school or pros? Was he simply a much better athlete than coach or did he just not have the right opportunities to coach...I was under the impression that he dictated most of his own training throughout his marvelous career, leading me to the conclusion that he would be a great coach given access to motivated athletes...
Wow! If true, then why didn’t he coach at a higher level? The US could be so much more dominant in mid distance if his talent could and knowledge could have been disseminated better to the current and past pros.
Ghost of Steve scott wrote:
Mahavishnu1500 wrote:
I am a huge fan of Steve Scott. Any insight as to why he wasn't coaching at a top DI school or pros? Was he simply a much better athlete than coach or did he just not have the right opportunities to coach...I was under the impression that he dictated most of his own training throughout his marvelous career, leading me to the conclusion that he would be a great coach given access to motivated athletes...
Wow! If true, then why didn’t he coach at a higher level? The US could be so much more dominant in mid distance if his talent could and knowledge could have been disseminated better to the current and past pros.
Yeah. He’s kinda like the Kawauchi of the mile.
Ghost of Steve scott wrote:
Mahavishnu1500 wrote:
I am a huge fan of Steve Scott. Any insight as to why he wasn't coaching at a top DI school or pros? Was he simply a much better athlete than coach or did he just not have the right opportunities to coach...I was under the impression that he dictated most of his own training throughout his marvelous career, leading me to the conclusion that he would be a great coach given access to motivated athletes...
Wow! If true, then why didn’t he coach at a higher level? The US could be so much more dominant in mid distance if his talent could and knowledge could have been disseminated better to the current and past pros.
I've never asked him the handful of times I've met him. But my guess was that he was happy coaching where he was, so he stayed there. He certainly wouldn't be the only coach to ever choose to stay at a "lower" level rather than try to coach at a higher level despite probably being able to easily make that transition.
Just as a very recent example, the hunters could probably parlay their success upwards if they wanted. Coaching D1 or a large pro group brings negatives to the other aspects of your life and not everybody wants to deal with that.
As far as his coaching being missed out over the years by pro runners:
1) he isnt the only good coach out there. Those athletes presumably found other good coaches
2) he has coached a lot of runners at cal state san marcos. I guarantee some of them went on to become good coaches at different levels and at least some of them ended up coaching a pro runner or inspired a future pro runner.
False. You aren't a good coach unless you're D1. Coaches at any other level are 3rd tier at developing athletes and aren't as smart as their D1 counterparts. Just like as an athlete, you're better off being the worst runner in all of Division 1, then being the best runner in D2, D3, NAIA, ect.
Steve obviously made a bad life choice by coaching in southern California the last 19 years. Enjoying the school he's at, living in perfect weather year round, and getting to work with kids that he wants to coach....what was that guy thinking???
d1 or nothing wrote:
False. You aren't a good coach unless you're D1.
That means, in your tiny peabrain, that Salazar, and other pro coaches, are not good coaches.
I ran in the NAIA and the same region that Steve Scott coached in, and was there right after he started his coaching career. My coach and him became good friends, and he got to know many members of my team pretty well. Years later, I got into the coaching game, and he always treated me respectfully and as a peer, not a former athlete (most other coaches in the area saw me as a runner who attended meets, not someone who actually coached individuals to national championships.) He's a really good man, and a solid coach. When he started, CSUSM was a brand new school, and competing in the NAIA. He helped transition it to NCAA D-2, and helped the athletic department grow really well. (I think when he started, and up until 2004 or 2005, there were only 4 sports represented at the school--M/W Track/ XC; M/W Soccer; W Volleyball; M/W Golf? correct me if i'm wrong here).
Anyway, people have wondered why he didn't move up to a bigger game in coaching, here's some speculation:
"I had to learn how to turn on a computer. ...When I came here, my goal was to get the track and cross country programs off the ground, and to stay 20 years,”...
“I had never coached anyone before I took the job. I basically learned how to fly here. I wanted to see the university make the transition to the NCAA."
--perhaps he didn't think it was a possibility, since there were coaches out there with more impressive resumes. That may be why his goal was realistic: develop and see a program all the way through from the beginning.
In his book, he talked about growing up in Upland, CA (about 100 miles north), so he probably wanted to stay as local as possible. whatever the reason, I can speak from personal experience, and say that I got out of coaching a few years ago, and while I had the opportunity to go to bigger Div 1 programs, I chose not to, because I like my neighborhood, and my family is settled here. I began a new career. not every coach dreams of being a big-time D-1 coach. and sometimes the ones that do have those dreams change their goals as their families grow.
His $112,000 a year salary probably helped as well.
Reread the second paragraph. Apparently sarcasm goes over your head.
Bad Coaches wrote:
d1 or nothing wrote:
False. You aren't a good coach unless you're D1.
That means, in your tiny peabrain, that Salazar, and other pro coaches, are not good coaches.
Scott was coached closely and extensively by Len Miller, who recruited him for UC Irvine from Upland HS and suggested and guided his transition from the half-mile (4th CA HS champs) to the mile. At first, Scott was averse to Miller's high-mileage training but eventually thrived on it; while in college he was able to reach the 5000m-10,000m level of his teammates Ralph Serna (4:02 1M/8:45.9 2M HS; 2:14:16 marathon 1981) and Eric Hulst (8:44.3 2M/28:54.91 10,000m HS), at 5000m/10,000), and the three of them tied intentionally for the win at the 1976 NCAA Div. II cross-country championships at Missouri State (UCI's and Miller's second consecutive title). Miller continued to coach Scott individually throughout his pro career until very late, when Irv Ray briefly coached him as he prepared to attempt a sub-4 mile at age 40. Although as an adult Scott may have had input on workout specifics, his racing and training schedules and were designed and overseen by Miller, whose influence on his success is hard to overestimate.
There is no sarcasm where you think in occurs. You seem to suffer from an overactive imagination.
MoransRUs wrote:
Reread the second paragraph. Apparently sarcasm goes over your head.
Bad Coaches wrote:
That means, in your tiny peabrain, that Salazar, and other pro coaches, are not good coaches.
Steve Scott... tremendous runner and tremendous coach. Has done an amazing job at CSU San Marcos. Was a great mentor to his athletes. (Which is the real reason to be a coach.) Stayed there for lifestyle reasons.
Goofy LR posts that disparage the guy for any reason are either uninformed or paid trolls.
(Steve was kind of hard core with his training back in the day though!)
While with our high school XC team we ran into Steve and his team at a camp in Mammoth. As fanboys we went over to say hi when we realize that was indeed Steve Scott walking outside our condo. He ended up coming over and giving a formal speech to our athletes that night. Then he agreed if we won the state meet he would come talk at our banquet as well, which was about a 2 hour drive north for him. We won state and he held true to his word. Stand up guy in every way.
How is he dealing with prostate cancer , anyone ?
I hope well .
Does he still run/ jog ?
Ghost of Steve scott wrote:
Mahavishnu1500 wrote:
I am a huge fan of Steve Scott. Any insight as to why he wasn't coaching at a top DI school or pros? Was he simply a much better athlete than coach or did he just not have the right opportunities to coach...I was under the impression that he dictated most of his own training throughout his marvelous career, leading me to the conclusion that he would be a great coach given access to motivated athletes...
Wow! If true, then why didn’t he coach at a higher level? The US could be so much more dominant in mid distance if his talent could and knowledge could have been disseminated better to the current and past pros.
Scott wasn't a D1 athlete. So he didn't know what takes to succeed in the Big Boy division.
Coach Joe wrote:
While with our high school XC team we ran into Steve and his team at a camp in Mammoth. As fanboys we went over to say hi when we realize that was indeed Steve Scott walking outside our condo. He ended up coming over and giving a formal speech to our athletes that night. Then he agreed if we won the state meet he would come talk at our banquet as well, which was about a 2 hour drive north for him. We won state and he held true to his word. Stand up guy in every way.
I find this to be the norm with Steve, rather than the exception. I'm sure there are dozens (hundreds?) of kids with stories like yours, and I'm stoked you were blessed to experience that. What an awesome memory, one you'll never forget. Thanks for everything Steve, you've always been a classy part of the sport.
Go Eaters wrote:
I thought he would return to uci to coach some day. I guess I was wrong.
Zot, Zot, Zot!
As someone who ran for Cal State San Marcos, I can say, Steve really made running fun and enjoyable. He instilled the passion he had for the sport, while not compromising the integrity of over training and racing. Some of my best running memories were from that team, and that lead me to continue running post-college. I've seen Steve here and there over the years, and with all his medical conditions, it's nice to hear that he's retiring. So many wonderful athletes have been coached by Steve, and I'm sure everyone has plenty of positive things to say, and a few may have some downers.
Since Steve lived in Carlsbad, he was basically handed the job at CSUSM by Bob Mangrum (some rich dude that wanted to fund a sports at CSUSM). There wasn't much pressure from the Admin for him to excel, and being NAIA, it was a perfect fit. Many of his athletes from the time I was there stayed in the sport either: sales reps, elite level running, athlete reps, etc... It seems like Steve had so much pressure to perform well while he was competing, that he didn't want to put that pressure on his athletes. We never ran super high mileage, and many of the school records are modest at best. Steve loved coaching and I'm sure he will miss it very much!
Cheers Steve on your next chapter in life!