We changed the title to make it more accuarte. Initially the title of the thread was, "HS Coach has his own athlete DQ'd". Please note the athlete ran the mile under protest and finished high enough to qualify to states if him being scratched is overturned.
At the FHSAA 4A District 10 meet, the Viera HS Head coach had his own runner, Aedan Rendek, DQ'd from the 1600 because he "didn't run hard enough" in the 800 earlier. Kid also ran the 3200. Here's video of the head coach and the distance coach arguing at the starting line.
I guess Rendek was DQ'd from everything and his season is over. I've been a coach for 20 years and I have never seen anything like this. I think this is seriously F'd up.
This is a coach that won't be in the sport much longer. No matter the circumstances this is not the way you operate.
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The video isn't really that exciting. It's a far away shot of two guys talking and pointing at a runner standing on the track in lane 1. They eventually start the race and that's it. Did I miss something else?
Michigan, Battle Creek Pennfield High School, about twenty years ago...
Coaches put their top distance runner in the 3200 relay. She doesn't want to run it. They said they'll scratch her from every event if she doesn't. Ends up in front of a judge. Judge says they have the right to do it. She runs the relay, knowing if she dogs it they are going to scratch her from the 1600. She runs hard, they did well, then she did well in the 1600 too.
I always thought it was really her helicopter parents who didn't want her to "waste energy" on a relay.
The guy in the green shirt and woman in hat are arguing about the kid racing. She's his distance coach, the other guy the boys head coach and wants him off the track and DQ'd.
Here is a more complete article. If I was the AD, I would fire the coach immediately-- unless there is more to the story that isn't being reported.
If you read the article, it states that the distance team had won 40 of the team’s points, whereas the head coach’s sprinters only scored 4. sounds like this kid was expected to do everything for the team. That head coach has no clue how hard it is to triple in distance events, especially in hot/humid weather.
I'm torn on whether the boys' coach is a bigger idiot for:
A) Running this kid in the 3200, then the 800, then the 1600 at a sweltering mid-day meet in Florida, or,
B) For disqualifying the kid for giving a sub-optimal run in the 800.
Also, these district meets are small, with short/limited rest between events.
Messeddupp wrote:
I've been a coach for 20 years and I have never seen anything like this. I think this is seriously F'd up.
There's got to be more to the story than what's being reported, right? Still absolutely no way to conduct one's self as a high school coach. Hopefully the kids season is not actually over.
seems like the coach was just using this kid for points without thinking of his well-being and the kid had enough. the article states his best event is the 1600, probably what got him the scholarship to Butler in the first place, so why should he burn himself out in other races when a state title in the 1600 is his goal. glad his distance coach defended him. hope the DQ is overturned and he gets to keep racing.
I qualified for the 3200 and 1600 at the league championship my senior year, which was the final meet of my HS career. My team sucked and I was the only distance runner who qualified for the meet, so there were no team points at stake or anything. I asked to scratch from the 32 since it was first and I desperately wanted a chance to PR in the 16. My coach who was a sprinter refused and basically called me lazy. I thought about false starting the 32 on purpose but I couldn't get myself to do that. I ran myself into the ground on a 90 degree day, had heat stroke symptoms after, and ended up having to scratch from the 16.
Anyway this coach is an absolute clown and I hope he gets fired.
Agree that the coach should be fired before their next meet. No matter the circumstances this is the wrong way to handle this situation.
This is messed up! I looked at this guys results from the past two years. His best event this year, is definitely the 3200. At regionals and states, the 3200 is the last event, usually run in 90+ degree whether. His only shot at a state medal is in the 3200. If he had qualified in all three events at districts, he would be running all three at regionals, with much better competition. It would be very difficult for him to run these three events and be able to run a fast enough to qualify for states. I'd love for that sprint coach to go out there and run an all out 1600, all out 800, and then all out 3200, all done within 2 hours. Let's see how he feels on that last event.
Every time I drive past that high school on 192 I'm shocked at how rapidly the Harmony area is growing. Previously it was a long empty stretch between Melbourne and St. Cloud. I have no idea what people do for work in that area.
Just a few random thoughts:
High school sports are for the kids, not the coaches. The head coach seems to not understand that.
Being from an older generation and playing sports, such as football which usually places a high value on discipline, I can appreciate the value of punishment for infractions of not putting the team goals first. However, the punishment clearly does not fit the infraction. (That's with the assumption an infraction was committed.)
Along with the punishment line of thinking, taking a strict hard line with a senior in his last weeks of his last season serves no purpose other than showing you're petty, self centered and not that bright.
The runner is moving on, looks like he is heading to Butler and will continue to run in college. Best of luck to him. I'm pretty sure he'll be moving on to bigger and better things. Unfortunately, his distance coach will be stuck working alongside the head coach. My condolences to her.
By not winning, the 800 the runner cost his team 7 points. (Because he had teammates who scored.) By scratching him out of the 1600, the coach cost the team 7 points. (Of course, it could be debated if he won the 800, he might not of been able to win the 1600) If 7 points were so important, why did the coach give away 7 points himself.
Scratching the runner in the 1600 punishes the rest of the team, not just the runner. Why would a coach do that?
And as much as I hate to think it, would it have played out different if the races and the sexes of the parties were different. Would the coach acted different if the runner was black, listened to the assistant coach if she was black and/or male?
And lastly, there may be more the the story than what we know and/or assume, and the coach may not be really as bad as I think he is now.
The distance coach, Samantha Gerrits, coached the boy XC team to the state title as a first-year coach. She is a former 5:00+ marathoner who recently ran 3:28 at Houston and took 3rd overall at the Space Coast Marathon.
RossiCheated wrote:
I'm torn on whether the boys' coach is a bigger idiot for:
A) Running this kid in the 3200, then the 800, then the 1600 at a sweltering mid-day meet in Florida, or,
B) For disqualifying the kid for giving a sub-optimal run in the 800.
I think you can safely go with both in this case. Coaches have to be able to talk and try to understand their athletes. Sounds like this guy is good at yelling and being oblivious. The kid has college lined up already it seems. He should turn in his uniform and walk. Let coach go yell at himself.
What is the athlete supposed to do if the coach tells him to get off the track? Which coach does he listen to?
