AA just has a lot of injuries, a couple over involved parents, and a school coach of limited ability that sometimes tries his own regimen thinking it would be better than that of the club coach (Rainsberger) that the bulk of his 'A' team athlete's come from. This sets up injuries, and is a reason why we do not always see their top athletes each week.
This is why I dislike what has happened to Front Range high school athletics. Too many club coaches undermining high school coaches. Too much recruiting. If those athletes/families would prefer getting coached by Rainsberger, then they should be attending Coronado HS. Maybe if they just followed their HS coach's regimen, there would be fewer injuries. That's a novel thought.
"Limited ability?" He has had great success at two different Colorado Springs high schools. I'd say that makes for a very good coach.
AA just has a lot of injuries, a couple over involved parents, and a school coach of limited ability that sometimes tries his own regimen thinking it would be better than that of the club coach (Rainsberger) that the bulk of his 'A' team athlete's come from. This sets up injuries, and is a reason why we do not always see their top athletes each week.
This is why I dislike what has happened to Front Range high school athletics. Too many club coaches undermining high school coaches. Too much recruiting. If those athletes/families would prefer getting coached by Rainsberger, then they should be attending Coronado HS. Maybe if they just followed their HS coach's regimen, there would be fewer injuries. That's a novel thought.
"Limited ability?" He has had great success at two different Colorado Springs high schools. I'd say that makes for a very good coach.
AA just has a lot of injuries, a couple over involved parents, and a school coach of limited ability that sometimes tries his own regimen thinking it would be better than that of the club coach (Rainsberger) that the bulk of his 'A' team athlete's come from. This sets up injuries, and is a reason why we do not always see their top athletes each week.
This is why I dislike what has happened to Front Range high school athletics. Too many club coaches undermining high school coaches. Too much recruiting. If those athletes/families would prefer getting coached by Rainsberger, then they should be attending Coronado HS. Maybe if they just followed their HS coach's regimen, there would be fewer injuries. That's a novel thought.
"Limited ability?" He has had great success at two different Colorado Springs high schools. I'd say that makes for a very good coach.
This guy just coached a team to a national championship last year!!?! And Rainsberger hasn’t done squat other than massively underperforming at Coronado with a super team. If Rainsberger is such a great coach, where is the girls team?
AA just has a lot of injuries, a couple over involved parents, and a school coach of limited ability that sometimes tries his own regimen thinking it would be better than that of the club coach (Rainsberger) that the bulk of his 'A' team athlete's come from. This sets up injuries, and is a reason why we do not always see their top athletes each week.
This is why I dislike what has happened to Front Range high school athletics. Too many club coaches undermining high school coaches. Too much recruiting. If those athletes/families would prefer getting coached by Rainsberger, then they should be attending Coronado HS. Maybe if they just followed their HS coach's regimen, there would be fewer injuries. That's a novel thought.
"Limited ability?" He has had great success at two different Colorado Springs high schools. I'd say that makes for a very good coach.
The girls won NXN last year. I wouldn’t be too critical. Colorado teams went 1-3. I don’t think AA will complain about the NXN trophy in their case. I actually applaud them for racing less often and not trying to run kids on dead legs just to win some random meet.
This guy just coached a team to a national championship last year!!?! And Rainsberger hasn’t done squat other than massively underperforming at Coronado with a super team. If Rainsberger is such a great coach, where is the girls team?
If you look at most of the AA girls (and many of the other top runners at other Colorado Springs schools) and even a number of the Mountain Vista and Castle View girls (from their Castle Rock group), many ran for Kokopelli as youths (and many won USATF national titles as individuals or as teams). Not sure how the academics are at Coronado, but I imagine she will be able to build up the girl’s program over time. She knows what she is doing. There are few with her resume. On the boy’s side, almost all those kids ran for Kokopelli. The sophomore won a national 13-14 XC title and just broke the Monument Valley Park course record this weekend (and a lot of good runners have run on that course over the years).
Big wow day for Ventura! Despite not having the new NP transfer, they beat all of the California teams. They got a new freshman who became #3 on their team and now they are 5-deep. Even if Sadie didn’t perform how she wanted, I’m sure she is happier when she found out how her team did. Hopefully Ventura keeps it up and makes it to NXN this year.
Ventura has another freshman who ran in an earlier girls race. Her time would’ve made her number 6 in the Sweeps race by 26 seconds.
One of the best stories from last night was the 1-2 punch that some of the top teams had. Timpview, Santiago and Mercer Island combined for 6 of the top 10 finishers in the Girls' Sweepstakes. Lily Alder beating her outstanding teammate Jane Hedengren was surprising, while the Rodriguez sisters made a statement... but nobody made a bigger statement than Rylee Blade and her incredible 15:20 time. Her teammate Braelyn Combe finished 9th.
Flower Mound's 1-2 may not have been one of the 4 best last night, but their depth was truly impressive with 4 girls under 17:00. Ventura and Buchanan both missed having a 4th runner under 17:00 by only 1 second.
Here's how the best 1-2 punches compare to one another:
Timpview (UT): Lily Alder 15:23 (3rd) / Jane Hedengren 15:37 (4th) – Total 31:00 Santiago (CA): Rylee Blade 15:20, (1st) / Braelyn Combe 16:02 (9th) – Total 31:22 Mercer (WA): Sophia Rodriguez 15:48 (7th) / Victoria Rodriguez: 16:08 (10th) – Total: 31:56 Air Academy (CO): Tessa Walter 16:14 (11th) / Jordan Banta 16:26 (16th) – Total 32:40 Flower Mound (TX): Alexandra Fox 16:23 (14th) / Ava Cole 16:27 (17th) – Total: 32: 50
Mountain Vista of Colorado who didn’t come to Woodbridge, but Juliet Frum and Keeghan Edwards would have also put on a good showing at Woodbridge.
I know this is just a girls thread, but I should also mention the boys since there are 2 teams with standout 1-2 boys:
Big wow day for Ventura! Despite not having the new NP transfer, they beat all of the California teams. They got a new freshman who became #3 on their team and now they are 5-deep. Even if Sadie didn’t perform how she wanted, I’m sure she is happier when she found out how her team did. Hopefully Ventura keeps it up and makes it to NXN this year.
Sophia Grant did not transfer after all. Can't blame her for considering running with the GOAT, but changing schools is often just too tough for a young lady, so she went back to Newbury Park.
AA just has a lot of injuries, a couple over involved parents, and a school coach of limited ability that sometimes tries his own regimen thinking it would be better than that of the club coach (Rainsberger) that the bulk of his 'A' team athlete's come from. This sets up injuries, and is a reason why we do not always see their top athletes each week.
This is why I dislike what has happened to Front Range high school athletics. Too many club coaches undermining high school coaches. Too much recruiting. If those athletes/families would prefer getting coached by Rainsberger, then they should be attending Coronado HS. Maybe if they just followed their HS coach's regimen, there would be fewer injuries. That's a novel thought.
"Limited ability?" He has had great success at two different Colorado Springs high schools. I'd say that makes for a very good coach.
Sure. Seems that this touched a nerve. Fun how you do not mention what the other two schools are. Also, the AA coach himself is a club coach, has been for years.
This is why I dislike what has happened to Front Range high school athletics. Too many club coaches undermining high school coaches. Too much recruiting. If those athletes/families would prefer getting coached by Rainsberger, then they should be attending Coronado HS. Maybe if they just followed their HS coach's regimen, there would be fewer injuries. That's a novel thought.
"Limited ability?" He has had great success at two different Colorado Springs high schools. I'd say that makes for a very good coach.
Sure. Seems that this touched a nerve. Fun how you do not mention what the other two schools are. Also, the AA coach himself is a club coach, has been for years.
I'm trying to imagine a world where I coach at a HS and then also attempt to coach the runners from another HS. I can't wrap my head around anyone thinking that's a good idea.
Club is stupid in HS for distance athletes from hood programs. Just run with the HS nearly year round.
Sure. Seems that this touched a nerve. Fun how you do not mention what the other two schools are. Also, the AA coach himself is a club coach, has been for years.
I'm trying to imagine a world where I coach at a HS and then also attempt to coach the runners from another HS. I can't wrap my head around anyone thinking that's a good idea.
Club is stupid in HS for distance athletes from hood programs. Just run with the HS nearly year round.
Except many schools don't offer year round programs. Have you seen how much a HS coach makes? Club is not in competition with HS for distance running. In fact, Colorado and California are good BECAUSE OF CLUBS
Our daughter has had huge success by working with a club coach in the off season. Improving her national class ranking from the 300s to top 50. But once the actual season starts, she is 100% with the HS team. The club coach will still touch base with her from a support stand point, but understands he is to provide zero input or critique of the HS coach’s training plan. The reality is that our HS coach (who is a good coach) is responsible for more than 100 kids and cannot provide the type of personalized training program, especially in the offseason, that a club coach provides.
Sure. Seems that this touched a nerve. Fun how you do not mention what the other two schools are. Also, the AA coach himself is a club coach, has been for years.
I have no dog is this fight, but you made a dig at a coach who just last year won NXN and, if I'm not mistaken, won a CO state championship at another C. Springs HS some years ago. So, your "limited ability" comment seemed out of line.
Sorry, but I honestly don't know what you are referring to with "you do not mention what the other two schools are."
Our daughter has had huge success by working with a club coach in the off season. Improving her national class ranking from the 300s to top 50. But once the actual season starts, she is 100% with the HS team. The club coach will still touch base with her from a support stand point, but understands he is to provide zero input or critique of the HS coach’s training plan. The reality is that our HS coach (who is a good coach) is responsible for more than 100 kids and cannot provide the type of personalized training program, especially in the offseason, that a club coach provides.
That's good to hear, but there are likely many more instances of club coaches undermining high school coaches, even exceptional prep coaches. "Too many chefs in the kitchen."
I say this as though we were chatting in person, over a coffee or beer, not judging in the least. Simply curious. But is it possible your daughter would have seen the same improvement had she just followed her HS coach's summer plan?
I know for a fact many top college coaches are leery of recruiting "overcoached" high school athletes. Or athletes coming from "super programs." It would be interesting to see a study of NCAA All-Americans over time to see how many had club and HS coaches vs. those that had one coach throughout? Or better yet, those that simply stuck with the sport and finished their eligibility that came with the club/HS vs. just HS experience?
Our daughter has had huge success by working with a club coach in the off season. Improving her national class ranking from the 300s to top 50. But once the actual season starts, she is 100% with the HS team. The club coach will still touch base with her from a support stand point, but understands he is to provide zero input or critique of the HS coach’s training plan. The reality is that our HS coach (who is a good coach) is responsible for more than 100 kids and cannot provide the type of personalized training program, especially in the offseason, that a club coach provides.
That's good to hear, but there are likely many more instances of club coaches undermining high school coaches, even exceptional prep coaches. "Too many chefs in the kitchen."
I say this as though we were chatting in person, over a coffee or beer, not judging in the least. Simply curious. But is it possible your daughter would have seen the same improvement had she just followed her HS coach's summer plan?
I know for a fact many top college coaches are leery of recruiting "overcoached" high school athletes. Or athletes coming from "super programs." It would be interesting to see a study of NCAA All-Americans over time to see how many had club and HS coaches vs. those that had one coach throughout? Or better yet, those that simply stuck with the sport and finished their eligibility that came with the club/HS vs. just HS experience?
I hear what you are saying but i think everyone is in a different situation and its best not to judge unless you have knowledge of what is happening. My situation obviously wasn't analogous with the super program discussion but just about having 2 different coaches, but when i ran in HS in the mid 2000's my xc coach was the wrestling coach who just googled some workouts and told the kids to go do it. No summer plan at all was given, so the local Junior Olympics summer program was a godsend.