Hello all,
I am not a cross-country or track coach, but I am a lifelong runner and former competitive high school runner in cross-country and track. I also coached another sport at the university level. How unusual is it for a coach to ask his runners not to participate in a regional or sectional meet (at the college or high school level) because he does not believe they will be very successful? This coach has suggested that he could save a lot of money for the other team (opposite sex) by not traveling and competing. Obviously he believes the other team/runners have a better chance to advance to the next level.
The team and runners in question performed well in the conference meet, placing in the top three, with two runners placing in the top ten. Looking at the times, I suppose that yes, it's probable that the team would not advance to the next meet, but the two top runners certainly would have a chance as they both set PRs in the conference meet. One is a senior and one is a freshman.
Is it bizarre, unethical, or even cruel to discourage your runners from trying to advance. Has any coach out there ever done this? It is shocking to me as a runner who is still very competitive. Don't run the next meet because on paper you probably won't make it to nationals/state? This sounds crazy to me. I should say that this coach was disappointed with the finish of the team in the conference meet. I should also say that the team is better now than it has ever been in the program's history, both as far as team placement goes and as far as the times the runners are posting. It is not a program with a history of great success. I should also say that the coach is a former collegiate runner (not just some football coach being forced to take the helm of the cross-country team).