Best High school coaches in country?

The quality of coaching in my local area and in my state has improved dramatically over the last fifteen years. I know more high school coaches who have educated themselves about various aspects of training and racing, who raise money and travel, who help kids get into college running programs. Some are better than others, for sure, but the overall quality at the top is much greater, and there are more of those top tier coaches.

SDSU Aztec wrote:

Baby Bear wrote:

Wail Lange, Jesuit , California

Lange is legendary in the Sacramento area. I spoke with him a few times and found him to be very personable; especially when compared to my coach.

If you're to going consider "over training", Stember is the only guy I remember running well in college. You could argue, though, that the Mastalirs and Thomas physically peaked in HS and that guys who run 9:00-9:10, of which he had many, tend to disappear in D1.

There have been other Marauders that have run well in college. I am staring at one right now in the reflection on my computer screen. What a handsome devil. Well, just thought I'd let you know you were wrong about that. I have to get back to polishing my National Championship rings and counting my All-American certs. Ciao!

what is having it wrote:

What do you mean by "not having what it takes"? Takes for what? I coached a girl in HS who never broke 65 for 400 (and we ran it often, 4 x 400) was a Div. 1 All-american in college in XC, never won a National title at the NCAA level but was still pretty good.

Not having what it takes to be competitive at the professional level. Just as soon as you get that D1 All-American someone is bound to say your girl was overtrained and that's why she didn't make it as a pro, but at some point you got to have a basic level of raw speed to make it to the top.

The girl you coached in HS, was she still not able to break 65 for 400 when she was a D1 All-American? Did her 1500 times not get any faster in college? I can't imagine there are too many D1 All-Americans that can't crack 65 in the 400. Maybe they are out there, but certainly few and far between.

Before anyone can give you an answer the word 'best' needs to be defined... otherwise this thread will get the same results and responses as it always does.

Edina and Wayzata from Minnesota!

They have had at least one runner in the top 50 runners in the nation every season.

They have always qualified for NXN!

David Remmert

Monticello, Illinois

Agreed. The best coaches win consistently, of course, and win “the right way”- with integrity and good sportsmanship. They give back to the sport, and instill values and nurture virtue in their athletes. They care about the future welfare of each and everyone of their athletes, not just the elite ones. Their athletes improve from the beginning of the season to the end and from season to season.

What else?

Jeff Howard at woodridge high school in ohio. Great guy and coach! I don't have any ties to that program just know that coach is a class act and his teams find a way to win or be in the hunt at the state meet every year in cross country!

When literally every Great Oak runner fails to make good improvement in college, I’d say it isn’t the college coaches. A lot go to programs who develop kids greatly. They don’t do well. What’s the common theme between all of them? The program they came from. Only one who improved a lot I know of is a certain TCU runner. Have you ever sat down and spoken to multiple kids from that program? You would be shocked. But I think many would have that same reaction to a lot of the top HS program. Same thing for the top college programs. Whatever is written about them online doesn’t tell the whole story.

Does it matter how his kids do after high school though? In the context of great high school coaching results it doesn’t matter at all because he is seriously in the GOAT conversation. If we look at how they do after (this thread isn’t about that), then you are just willfully ignorant or obtuse to not consider these things. I coach at the D1 level and a lot of coaches have certain programs that they don’t really touch. I know of a few of these programs out there that are like that. Unfortantely, a lot come from California. For coaches who go after those kids, well, they usually get burned. It sucks but that’s how it is.

Could the root of the problem be national meets and state championships? If we weren't sending kids to compete against better and better high schoolers until only 1 runner or 1 team was left standing to be declared the best then this hyper-competitive game would relax, right? Is that not a big part of the problem? How much overtraining would go on if there were no nationals or state champs?

Ok, yet making it to the top of the sport requires wheels, without good top end speed development will be limited.

The girl in question did not ever break 65 for 400 in HS or college. She was able to be a Div. 1 XC all-american but never get to cats in track. So, I do agree that speed will limit the ability of a distance runner to keep climbing the ladder.

Metrics for success.

25%: Percentage of high school population that is on the XC team. Is the school 3000 kids and they get 100 to choose from or do they have 400 kids and they get 40 kids out? Being big doesn't always mean "Better"

25%: Team success in high school, do they win league titles, regional titles. has to be part of the equation.

25%: Alumni participation. Do kids run in college, post college. How many alumni run road races in their 20s/30s? Are you helping to build the sport, are kids staying healthy long term.

25%: Leadership development. How many kids go on to be coaches, business leaders, etc.

Example from other sports: Hayden Fry, Iowa college football. How many national titles did he win? 0 how many former players, assistant coaches went on to be head coaches? Tons, and many of them successful.

I think some of the previously mentioned programs for high school are not the best coaches, they just get the most talent. In college, that means they are good recruiters. In high school, it just means they got hired in the right town (not counting private schools).

From IL:

Iverson @ Naperville North

Vandersteen @ Neuqua Valley

Sipple @ Downers North

O'Malley @ Sandburg

I'd say verdict is still out on Kern. His first few years as head coach were rough but it seems like his York team is hitting its stride now. They might be the favorite for a state championship/NXR Midwest win next year.

Yes! Ripping on coaches anonymously on Letsrun, let me join in. :)

Actually, I have been fortunate to meet some of the top high school coaches in the country and I have been very impressed with their knowledge, dedication, and care for their kids. Here are some of the coaches I think should be in considered for the best distance coaches in the country (in no particular order):

-Dan Iverson - Naperville North (IL)

-Jeff Messer - Desert Vista (AZ) (currently not coaching)

-Marc & Joan Hunter - Loudoun Valley (VA)

-John O'Malley - Sandburg (IL)

-Timo Mostert - American Fork (UT)

-Rene Paragas - Saugus (CA)

-Juris Green - The Woodlands (TX)

I would feel very comfortable having any of these fine coaches coach my own children and have been fortunate to spend some time with each one of them. I'm sure I'm missing some as well, but this is a good start. Have a great day. :)

Doug

This guy gets it. /thread

Mike Potter- Warwick Valley HS New York, best 4x8 coach in the country. Team has won states in 4x8 more than anyone, held state record in the 4x8 (and still has the DMR record). Guy turns 28/58 second "sprinters" into fast 800 guys

George Carr in SC. He is the coach at St. Joseph and year in and year out he is one of the top teams in SC and he is at a small AA school. In SC, we have 5 classifications. St. Joseph is a private school but he does the best job in SC developing his runners year in and year out.

As a former athlete, I would say Nick Mangum out of Raleigh NC (Cardinal Gibbons) is in that conversation. An 8-9 year streak of girls XC titles across different classifications. A few boys XC titles. 1 or 2 Track state titles (not a strong field/sprinting school...titles came mainly on distance). Numerous individual/relay state champions. Girls XC qualified for NXN in 2017, sending an individual girl qualifier to NXN this year. Had an individual boy go to FootLocker in 2016 (high finish there). Has had numerous athletes go to D1 running programs. Overall is a class act, loves his kids, and is respected by just about anyone who knows him.

Hmm, no Aris or Kranicks?