My son has been running for almost 4 years (he's in 9th now) and things are getting real! He is very serious about it and this whole world is a learning curve for me. Any advice on how to best support him? His goal is D1 for college. He has times that are considered on track for D1/D2 schools.
Should he do summer meets or camps or are his school training and meets sufficient? Thank you!
My son has been running for almost 4 years (he's in 9th now) and things are getting real! He is very serious about it and this whole world is a learning curve for me. Any advice on how to best support him? His goal is D1 for college. He has times that are considered on track for D1/D2 schools.
Should he do summer meets or camps or are his school training and meets sufficient? Thank you!
As a former HS and college coach, I can say this "be careful" too many young athletes want to go to some really big school, and get there and find out that there are 7 or 8 people ahead of them in posted times. Sometimes it's better to look at what the school offers academically. What is your child interested in, as far as a possible career? What school has that type of program, that is rated as a good one? I say this, because not everyone becomes the number one runner at a D1 school. The biggest tragedy is when a parent has big dreams and aspiration for their child, and encourages them to go to Oregon or ND, and their child sees reality after the first few weeks, and begins to feel hopeless. There are plenty of great programs like Kent State as an example, or Jacksonville State, that a young Freshman can become a part of the top 5 almost immediatley, and thrive, and feel good about themself, while getting a great education.
How best to support him? Honestly, it sounds like he's already working plenty hard if he's been training since 5th grade. I'd advise you to help him temper his ambition a bit and keep things in perspective. Keep him from overdoing it and mentally burning out.
Re camps: I think that depends on the current situation. If he has a good coach and a good plan there's no need to seek other opinions and training environments. Running isn't like other sports where you need to attend camps to get scouted. If you run a fast time, they all know how to find you. But if you're going to have to coach him yourself then attending camps and workshops would be valuable. You can also learn so much online these days.
The single biggest thing a high school runner needs from a parent is just a family situation that gives them time and flexibility to train. And of course facilitating transportation when necessary.
This is sage advice in my opinion. Being honest, 9th grade is still extremely early for a runner's career. Too much too early often leads to burnout, discouragement, and ultimately walking away from the sport without reaching your full potential. When it's so easy to see 14 y/o's training like Ingebrigsten, it might seem like all 9th graders should be running 50+ miles/week. Not the case, even for talented runners in HS.
Definitely agree about camps here. If his coach has a structured training plan for the summer, I might err aside from camps. But, they can be a fun way to make friends and get a deeper look into the sport as a HSer. Overall, more just a thing to do if you have the money to spare. Definitely has nothing to do with recruitment, though.
My biggest advice is this: as long as your kid meets the training expectations of his coach (does workouts, willing to do runs outside of practice if asked to, etc.), never push him to do more than he wants to do. If he has a natural desire to do more than he's asked to, that's great, and make sure it's done in a healthy amount and format. But forcing him to do things he genuinely doesn't want to do sucks all the fun and enjoyment out of it. Certainly there will be times he as a low moment and won't feel like continuing, but this is different than genuinely not wanting to do it. Always support your son in his low moments. Being a father is the biggest element to it all.
My dad never ran, but was an athlete of his own right in his day. He supported me in many low moments--biked alongside me in early morning runs and late evening runs, drove to see me at far away meets, etc... He made a huge difference in my running in HS. I'm so lucky for that.
Make sure to buy healthy food. Buy him new running shoes/spikes when they are worn out. (About every 500 miles for trainers) and just overall support. Camps are a great opportunity to learn, and there are many good camps to look Into. Summer races are not good, as they can lead to an athlete burning out mid-season in xc.
OP exactly this. Don’t give coaching advice or training this is what the coach does. Support him by buying new shoes, foam roller, cook him (and all your kids) a healthy breakfast and dinner. Pack them a lunch for school. Be interested in their goals and attend their races. Encourage them to reach out to college coaches early and take him on visits.
Disagree with camps it’s just a d measuring contest over the summer no real practical training
Disagree with not giving coaching advice. High school coaches are a real mixed bag - some good and some bad. Don’t be an ass to any coach, but you are your kids’ primary advocate if they land on a team with a coach who really doesn’t know what he or she is doing. Every situation is different.