Who are the 5 MOST Influential distance coaches in the US

How can anyone say Salazar is influential when everything he does is hidden under a shroud of secrecy?

Canova>God wrote:

I am also not positive about the Ponsoby/Cook situation. Is Ponsoby coaching Leo alone or is Cook involved?

I am not sure about the level at the moment but Cook was definately involved in Manzano's develpment over the last several years.

He was very influential in Manzano's Olympic Silver.

And Torrence got pretty good.

Rowbury medaled in 2009.

Erin Donohue made a team under Cook.

Shalane Flanagan medaled.

Cook has a good influence on American distance runners/middle distance.

The OP asked about "MOST influential" coaches in the U.S. I guess most of us interpret "influential" differently, but I don't see how most of the coaches listed on this thread have been influential. It seems as though people are just listing who they think the BEST coaches are. Here's my 2 cents regarding the coaches listed in this thread:

Jerry - great coach, not very influential; very vague at clinics other than preaching old fashioned hard work

Hudson - used car salesman

Hansons - not much substance, but have put together a nice stable of national class athletes

Li - very vague about Lagat's training; he can coach stallions, but can he do anything with a donkey?

Vigilante - successful no doubt, but doesn't offer much as a clinician

On the other hand:

Alberto - plenty of videos and interviews where he gives specifics about the training that Rupp and company are doing

Canova - provides week by week specifics of his athletes; technically, maybe not a U.S. coach, but isn't he working with some Americans in Colo. Springs?

Vigil - only coaching 1 athlete now and is getting up there (over 80), but no other coach has influenced other U.S. coaches more over the past 2 decades; when listening to presentations, no other coach/clinician is referenced as much as Vigil

Gags - nothing needs to be said here; universally respected as far as I can tell

Marcus O'Sullivan - provides specific, usable information when presenting (not sure if he's been listed previously on this thread, but he's an effective and influential coach in my opinion)

Somewhere in the middle:

Mahon

Daniels

Wetmore - does he do clinics?; never heard him speak before except in interviews about his teams; not many specifics, but I do respect the results

coach wrote:

all those ancillary exercises that Salazar espouses on flotrack (I don't mean PEDs) have been done by Cook for years. Cook and Gags are still influential.

I think of Vig, Cook and Gags as primarily middle distance coaches.

It is impossible to make a list of just 5 when you use the term 'influence'. Influence to me goes beyond counting medalist at Olympic, World and National Championships, becasue if that is the metric, then McDonnel, Dellinger, Bowerman. Li, Timmons, Vin and whoever was Frank Shorter's coach would top the list for example. Perhaps it is Jack Daniels or Bill Bowerman? I can't say for sure, but I am inclined to say influence is someone who advanced the sport in a mulitude of ways. What is it that we do today that was developed and/or legitimized by someone? Like I said, 5 is too small of a list, but somewhere on that list would have to be Daneils, Bowerman and Salazar. Also, someone who has had a profond influene on distance running wasn't a coach as in John Dye.

You're all missing one guy.

Dave Smith is producing a great crop of athletes down in Stillwater currently.

Credit to him. 5 sub 4milers, 3 sub 7.54 and 1 at 13.38. With other athletes still yet to race.

A force to be reckoned with in the future.

Watch this space....

No love for Warhurst?? If we're going by medals he has to jump to the front of the discussion. Had great success coaching athletes from 800 thru 26.2

travel agent wrote:

You're all missing one guy. Dave Smith is producing a great crop of athletes down in Stillwater currently. Credit to him. 5 sub 4milers, 3 sub 7.54 and 1 at 13.38. With other athletes still yet to race. A force to be reckoned with in the future. Watch this space....

Ummm, everyone is missing one other obvious candidate: Dolan, formerly of Princeton, now at Penn, who took Dolan to an 8th place steeplechase finish in the last Olympics. One of the most unexpected developments in recent Olympics history.

Hudson? The guy needs medication.

Never Forget wrote:

travel agent wrote:

You're all missing one guy. Dave Smith is producing a great crop of athletes down in Stillwater currently. Credit to him. 5 sub 4milers, 3 sub 7.54 and 1 at 13.38. With other athletes still yet to race. A force to be reckoned with in the future. Watch this space....

Ummm, everyone is missing one other obvious candidate: Dolan, formerly of Princeton, now at Penn, who took Dolan to an 8th place steeplechase finish in the last Olympics. One of the most unexpected developments in recent Olympics history.

Sorry, meant "took Cabral to an 8th place steeplechase finish in the last Olympics."

When I originally commented I clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now every time a comment is added I get four emails using the very same comment. Is there any way you may remove me from that service? Thanks!

Cheap NFL Jerseys

NFL Throwback Jerseys