I have a new runner who I usually ignored show a drastic improvement. Should I invest on her more ?

You shouldn't be coaching. You have a duty to bring out the best in ALL of your runners, not just the ones that are faster now or that you deem talented. It's unbelievable that anyone who calls themselves a coach admits they ignore a person on their team. You are also sound judgemental and mean.

I don’t get all the negative responses here. The OP said the athlete in question was lazy and unmotivated. Athletes with those characteristics are largely uncoachable. For the sake of his own sanity, and team unity, he probably had to start leaving that athlete alone.

But since she has suddenly done, so well, he probably should circle back and encourage her. But I don’t think he is necessarily a bad coach based on what I’ve read here.

Big Nope.

15 girls is not that many people to engage.

You 'give up' on people who don't show up to practice, not those that show up everyday and attempt to do the workout as prescribed...even if it looks awkward or they have to walk.

To add, she is a freshman - new to highschool, potentially new to the sport and therefore undertrained and less body aware, potentially less able to communicate effectively due to age, etc.....lots of change, lots of life transitions.

If you choose to keep coach, you should consider exploring classes on leadership and how to coach youth athletes.

Forget about investing more ‘on’ her and invest more time into studying ‘English for Dummies.’

Firstly the poster is trolling, nobody coaches like this.

The entire premise of sport is to promote health, happiness and friendships. Treating runners differently is unhealthy, miserable and divisive.

I coach a different sport, and I absolutely work harder to engage the athletes who show up, listen, work hard, and try to do what I teach. The ones who don’t, get less of my time. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. I learned a long time ago that not every kid is going to catch your vision of fully maximizing their potential. That’s their decision. I’ve spent a lot of time chasing after kids that were less interested in improving than I was in helping them improve. It’s a bad place to be, unfair to them and difficult for the Coach.

That's because you think coaching is about winning and performance, that's the easy part, you're not doing the real real work. So you are the one who needs to work harder, and be more engaged. Not your athletes.

dumbest post i have seen on letsrun in the past 15 minutes

is "invest on her more" a euphemism?

best HS coach i had was TF and that dude's superpower was he could have kids make state and even set a couple state records -- and simultaneously genuinely care about and invest in every kid on the team, and talk to every parent. he plucked me and my buddy out of a PE class based on watching us run the presidential fitness test. i was on the sprint relay and my hurdler buddy won 110s at conference and went to regionals.

if you had a runner drop 3 minutes on her time despite neglect that kind of proves you don't know what you're doing, either talent ID or workouts. 15 people aren't that many to invest in.

personally sounds to me like a "roll out the ball" coach. if you have good enough select soccer teams around you can roll out the ball and make our HS playoffs. you will lose to a coached and organized team eventually but you can fool people. same here. any idiot can saddle up the fastest people their junior highs and local track clubs have already made. i want to see someone who makes their kids improve.

i mean, here's the thing, you can train up this person personally for a year of their life, if you sum total all 4 years. plus suggesting what they should do offseason to get better. if you can't make something decent in 3 months a year --or-- a year over 4 seasons, you're no good.

Wow, you’re amazing Kangaroo Poo! How did you become such an expert on my coaching, despite never meeting me or any of my athletes? Why, you’re a veritable internet guru. Let me Venmo you so I can learn your ways.

I read your boring post, it revealed everything - 'catch your vision of fully maximising their potential'. Leave your corporate rhetoric in the office, coach with passion, and dedicate yourself to all your athletes.

I insist you take my money Kangaroo Poo! Telling me to “dedicate myself to all my athletes”, why, I suddenly realized my biggest problem is that I got into coaching because I really despise kids.

I am moved to tears Kangaroo Poo.

You are so dull, don't be a boring coach.

The strangest thing is the title of the thread. You are wondering whether you should invest more or what... continue to ignore her?

not a coach, but guessing she just jogged it in with 29 min and did a harder effort at 26 min 5k. She probably isn't too interested given what you've said

Thank you for understanding

26 minutes is still very slow, so I don't get the "drastic improvement"

If you're a teacher you are paid to help every student. As a coach same thing applies. Helping everyone reach their own potential.