When I get interviewed, sometimes they ask about my coach... should I really say my coach did nothing?

Hmmm... hard to say. Isn't there ONE positive thing that you can say about him? Even if it was indirect help.

hsrunnergirl wrote:

... read a lot of coaching stuff (on here and other places), and am now a lot faster.

But the thing is, now I am fast enough that I've actually gotten interviewed by newspapers/running blogs sometimes. One question that is occasionally asked is how the coach has helped (a typical question asked to everyone).

Give some love to LetsRun! Tell the interviewer of all the posters who made your Dream Become a Reality.

This is a tough call. If your coach didn't help you much, s/he doesn't deserve to get the credit or be complimented. But it could make you look bad if you talk badly about him/her. I'd suggest you come up with something simple, like "my coach is really nice, and I put in a lot of work this year and stayed focussed on improving." Something benign along those lines might do it.

"They allowed me to have a lot of control over my training, which was really helpful for my personality. I really am a lot more enthusiastic about my training when I've got a say in it, and luckily I have coach who doesn't smother me."

Hasn't your coach helped you by putting together a series of meets and races that have allowed you to improve? Hasn't he looked after things like transportation, accommodation, entry registration, etc.

Coaching is not ALL about writing and supervising workouts and training - there's lots of behind the scenes stuff that gets overlooked and under appreciated.

Decent premise. A bit transparent. 2/10 for the attempt.

That is a good point. She could say that her coach helped her get to the meets. Sad, really, that you think that is enough of a contribution to an athlete's development.

I would never recruit an athlete that spoke poorly about their coach.

1. It shows an inability to accept personal responsibility.

2. All coaches prefer appreciative athletes.

3. If you lack respect for your current coach, you will almost always feel the same way in college.

Coaching at the next level wrote:

I would never recruit an athlete that spoke poorly about their coach.

1. It shows an inability to accept personal responsibility.

2. All coaches prefer appreciative athletes.

3. If you lack respect for your current coach, you will almost always feel the same way in college.

Ignore this guy. Most decent college coaches know that the vast majority of high school coaches are not professionals and do more team managing than coaching.

College coaches, at least ones who want to coach GOOD teams, care about your times and your potential. If your coach did not do a good job with workouts and you fixed that on your own, that's a huge plus.

Don't slam your coach in the press. Don't take personal shots at him, but be honest with anyone recruiting you about how your training was set up.

Coaches who want "nice" runners typically coach garbage teams.

Spoken like someone who knows very little about coaching at the next level. I just finished my 23rd year of coaching at the D1 level.

"He's really helped keep me motivated..."

(don't verbalize the rest: "...by being a total dillweed :)

Just keep smiling; after all, you have avenged yourself.

Dodge the question by giving all the credit where credit is due: your eating disorder.

I know you are trying to maintain your integrity along with your new celebrity status, but truthiness is not the point here.

Being appreciative, positive and optimistic are qualities everyone admires and wants to hear about from you. If you want to inspire others, you can certainly talk about the initiative you took last summer.

You should do the exact opposite of your current urge in your next interview: thank and appreciate your coach, team mates and parents above all else.

We have a woman in our area with individuals that do very well, but who is still widely reconized as a dumbass by most. Her better runners get this, but even so there's still not a lot of bashing.

When speaking with college coaches just describe what you do. If there's a significant "individual" component, then add that you do certain stuff on your own - and describe that stuff. This will show initiative, rather than make you come off sounding spiteful or mean.

If you're asked about your coach in an interview, just answer in vague terms and talk about how you appreciate the motivation and time put in by this coach, but figure out a way to go into a tangent about our team. I.e., just divert the conversation. Unless it's on TV, plenty of reporters will botch what you say or misquote you to some extent - don't let it be with something you said about the coach.

I am willing to bet that your coach has done a great deal more for you than you think. Most high school athletes are self centered unaware immature teens who have no clue. You would be no where without your coach, so make the, I know it is hard for you, attempt to say something nice. I would if I were you, because someone may talk to your coach and he/she may not be so willing to help you out if you are an ass. Clearly you got where you are today completely on your own. what an immature child you are.

florcoach wrote:

I am willing to bet that your coach has done a great deal more for you than you think. Most high school athletes are self centered unaware immature teens who have no clue. You would be no where without your coach, so make the, I know it is hard for you, attempt to say something nice. I would if I were you, because someone may talk to your coach and he/she may not be so willing to help you out if you are an ass. Clearly you got where you are today completely on your own. what an immature child you are.

Looks like we found the girl's bitter coach!

Coaching at the next level wrote:

Spoken like someone who knows very little about coaching at the next level. I just finished my 23rd year of coaching at the D1 level.

23 years of having a DII team constantly better than your "nice" runners is not impressive in the least.

How long did Bobby Bowden linger at FSU without winning a title?

Coaching at the next level wrote:

Spoken like someone who knows very little about coaching at the next level. I just finished my 23rd year of coaching at the D1 level.

How many national championships and All-Americans have you produced? Olympians? Do you at least have any top 10 or 20 finishes at nationals?

Coaching D1 for 23 years doesn't mean squat to me. Give me the results.

I had the same experience in high school, execept it was the entire men's team coaching ourselves. We organized our own summer practices and training schedule. We ended up winning our league and going to the state meet. The coach received the "coach of the year" honor, and we were faced with a dilemma. The team sent in a signed letter to every coach in the league asking for the award to be recinded. The coach quit following this, and we ended up with a fantastic new coach. I don't care if it was immature to do any of it, and I don't regret a bit of it. I just know our coach was an absolute ass and didn't deserve any of the acolades they got.

When asked by the local papers we would simply say, 'I have no comment on the coaching'. The guys from the paper understood and after a few times the question wasn't asked again.