Question for HS Coaches

Non-Running Relationships/Women/Men

8 years ago 05/22/2015 9:10am EDT

I run into the "did you run in college?" question all the time. If you didn't run in college (I snowboarded and smoked pot but that is beside the point) and you happen to be producing some of the best runners in your conference, how do you redirect the conversation without saying "it doesn't friggin' matter if I ran or didn't run in college!!!"

I mean, I get it. It's the only thing on a (good) high school runner's mind when they think of the future, but running is so much bigger than just "running in college." There a a slew of options for running during your college years and after and some of the best runners never ran in college!! Ugh, needed to vent.

8 years ago 05/22/2015 9:26am EDT

re: didn't run in college

They're probably curious what it's like to run in college and who you know in the college ranks. If you know those things, just tell them. If they still want to know if you were "good enough" for college level running, be honest and tell them that too.

8 years ago 05/22/2015 9:45am EDT

re: didn't run in college

One of the worst, and yet most revered, coaches in my state did not run in college. I am not saying that is you, I am saying people won't judge you based on whether you ran in college or not. In the end, your results won't matter either. Not really. It's all the Dean Karnezes (sp?) effect.

Either be satisfied with getting the kids the results no matter what people think of you or start a self promotion campaign so everyone will think you're a genius whether you are or not.

8 years ago 05/22/2015 9:47am EDT

re: didn't run in college

I don't understand your question. Are/were you one of the best runners in your area after college?

My last HS coach ran JV in HS, went to a tiny college and "ran" on the team 40+ years ago when running had no cuts, ever. Now, he would try to tell you that he knows how to coach because he has had teams that were nationally ranked, a guy who ran Footlocker and so on.

The fact of the matter is every bit of the team's success comes from two places. #1 every couple/three years there is an athlete that inspires the others to do more work than they ever dreamed of doing. Distant #2 The school is the biggest in the state.

In HS, kids are just starting to run and still growing. Almost all of their improvement comes from getting out the door, as often as possible, and not getting hurt. Now a good coach can help them to figure out how to have fun doing the work but at the end of the day, they have to both do the work and have fun. You can't make them do either.

I think I would brush off the question with something like, "I was a late bloomer."

8 years ago 05/22/2015 12:50pm EDT

re: 09jfd

I've always heard that Pat Henry never competed in track. Has anyone else heard this? Doesn't seem to hold him back from winning titles.

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