The Great Oak High School Juggernaut

What is the scoop on this program?

How did they get so good and get so many kids to join the team and run so well?

The school is 3,600+ kids.

English language learners: 5%

Economically disadvantaged 11%

Question is, why with these demographics (rich as rich can be) have they not dominated before this?

They replaced their soda machines with "juice" machines.

very high mileage. a bit like Hammond HS with Rudy Chapa in the 70s. the kids are putting tremendous amounts of work in. they start their week off with a 13 miler Monday morning before school.

No surprise really. They have a super-dedicated coach, the kids buy in-they go on to run at decent college programs-he brought them east to run the Manhattan Invy back in 2008 if I recall correctly. Shows what you can do when you know what you're doing in a good situation.

pilbooster wrote:

The school is 3,600+ kids.

English language learners: 5%

Economically disadvantaged 11%

Question is, why with these demographics (rich as rich can be) have they not dominated before this?

There are plenty of other SoCal schools with similar enough situations.

That said, they've been a strong program for most of the existence of the school (opened in 2004). Girls have finished in the top 9 each year since 2008 with 3 state titles and a runner-up finish. Boys have made it to state three times in the last four years including a fourth place finish.

Last six years at State or SS Finals:

2008 = Girls D1 #9, Boys DNQ (SS D1 #15)

2009 = Girls D1 #2, Boys DNQ (SS D1 #9)

2010 = Girls D1 #1, Boys D1 #14

2011 = Girls D1 #7, Boys D1 #4

2012 = Girls D1 #1, Boys DNQ (SS D1 #9)

2013 = Girls D1 #1, Boys D1 #12

Not sure what the mileage was in the 70's but we are averaging about 65 miles a week this season for the top varsity kids. I don't think that is much higher than most top end programs...

Coach Soles wrote:

Not sure what the mileage was in the 70's but we are averaging about 65 miles a week this season for the top varsity kids. I don't think that is much higher than most top end programs...

Welcome to Letsrun...

Is Spencer Dodds eligible to compete?

Dodds spencer Great Oak Pending Former School(s) Response 2014-15 00/00/0000

http://www.cifsshome.org/public-transfers.php?start=0&school_id=221&year=2014-15

Spencer was second man for Great Oak and finished 10th place overall on the sweepstakes race = 14:33.71

eligibility popo wrote:

Is Spencer Dodds eligible to compete?

Dodds spencer Great Oak Pending Former School(s) Response 2014-15 00/00/0000

http://www.cifsshome.org/public-transfers.php?start=0&school_id=221&year=2014-15

The coach probably started this thread. He loves the spot light.

DedicatedRunner wrote:

Spencer was second man for Great Oak and finished 10th place overall on the sweepstakes race = 14:33.71[quote]eligibility popo wrote:

Right, but was he eligible?

Not true. But apparently coach Solis did post one comment to the thread.

The Donger wrote:

The coach probably started this thread. He loves the spot light.

Their girls average low 70s throughout the season, but have been known to hit highs in the 90s on occasion. They do a wide variety of workouts throughout the year, with no clear periodization. Their boys do the same but hit 95 for amax and avg mid 80s.

Also they have approximately 300 athletes on their combined team. They have multiple coaches and multiple teams within their team. They are called the A team B team etc. to make the A team you need to be very committed. You basically are not allowed to take AP classes or do any additional extra curricular activities. They practice twice a day during the year(but that probably changed because of new CIF restrictions). Only about 15-30 kids make the A team.

So in other words they have an army of intensely committed kids.

The do train twice a day, just do so with an elective xc class now.

Really most schools that are set up like this are successful. Of course it takes an obsessive dictator and a dedicated clergy to get there but they are drinking the cool-aid and great things are happening. Wish more teams could get a school culture like this as it would be great for the sport.

How are some of the top alum running at the next level?

"are not allowed to take AP classes or do any additional extra curricular activities."

Of course, they are allowed to take AP classes. The coach posted and said more like 65 mpw. The real point is that most people can do much more work than they think they can.

Even 100 mpw in a practice setting doesn't take more than 3 hours per day.

Both interviews pretty much answer what you need.

Coach Soles was able to fool people for a few years, but the truth is out to other HS and college coaches about the intensity and volume of their training.

I recruited Great Oak boys and their training included a weekly 2 hour long run, another weekly 90min run, 10x 1 mile repeats and another really long workout every week. Summer mileage was over 100mpw.

I find it duplicitous when HS coaches run this type of program and then lie about their methods so they seem like geniuses and so college coaches won't be scared to recruit their kids. At least Joe Newton was honest about his York teams, saying his job was to win state HS titles and not to prepare athletes for college.