I am a captain this year and I was wondering how I can get my team really pumped to run and I wnat them to run in the summer. We only have like 3 guys really committed and I'd like to have 10 guys really committed because I see high potential. Thank you for all suggestions.
show you care. Call everyone on the team. Ask about their goals. Send a follow up email or text repeating back to them what they told you.
people are desperately wanting to be on a team, but they have to have some idea that they are wanted and that they belong, and that they are cared about.
Start with those 3 guys. Get together and run. Then pick the next person and text/call/talk to him: "Jim, Sam, Tim, and I did an easy 5 on Monday. Tomorrow we're going to do a relaxed hill run. Want to come?" Then pick your next victim carefully and let the power of peer pressure work for you.
Pass out copies of Once a Runner.
You need to talk to each person individually and find out what motivates each one. Then tailor your message accordingly.
Be ready to accept that not all will be motivated for the same reasons as you or maybe as seriously.
Also you can do little to motivate a person long-term; that has to come from within.
Can you get the girls to come run with you? For a lot of HS boys having HS girls is a great motivator...
Thank you to all that responded. First yes I am holding a run everyday where we all meet at the high school. About 5 kids already said they would come. About the girls. Only one girl actually takes it seriously and the others don't care about running. We practice together and I invited them to the runs too. I am trying to personally contact most of the guys particularly the ones that have more potential. The difference in some of these kids caring and working hard is huge. I really believe that this year we will have the best team we have ever had. I'm working hard to get them onboard and try to make it fun. Some of them don't understand how much fun it is to run and win. They just treat it like a joke so I'm trying to impress upon them that it's more fun if you work hard and win. Any other suggestions?
You're not on the girls team don't worry about them. You can't make someone love running (or anything else for that matter). But if I had 3-5 guys calling each other up to go for runs, holding each other accountable I would be stoked!
Have a farting contest
Motivation wrote:
Thank you to all that responded. First yes I am holding a run everyday where we all meet at the high school. About 5 kids already said they would come. About the girls. Only one girl actually takes it seriously and the others don't care about running. We practice together and I invited them to the runs too. I am trying to personally contact most of the guys particularly the ones that have more potential. The difference in some of these kids caring and working hard is huge. I really believe that this year we will have the best team we have ever had. I'm working hard to get them onboard and try to make it fun. Some of them don't understand how much fun it is to run and win. They just treat it like a joke so I'm trying to impress upon them that it's more fun if you work hard and win. Any other suggestions?
some of the jokey ones are testing you to see if you really care about them enough to keep calling them. They don't want to commit to something that will fall apart. So be completely consistent with them. Tell them you will call them at 8:00 PM every day to set up the next day's workout, etc.
Many people your age come from unstable family setups where they don't trust their parents - they translate into this sort of situation where they don't trust you either. So be the coach you always wanted to have. Consistent. Caring. Don't give up on people unless they are hurting the group. The get rid of them fast - that will impress the remainers.
Ok. Thank you. I got 5-6 people coming tomorrow which will be the first day and since I run anyways I will be at the track everyday and told them to come everyday to run and I really believe we can have a great xc season because most of them have never trained over the summer before and are juniors and sophs.
heres what will happen wrote:
Pass out copies of Once a Runner.
For high school pass out copies of Cross Country 101.
heres what will happen wrote:
Pass out copies of Once a Runner.
I just bought a used paperback version of the newest printing for $3-4 shipped. I feel like 1-2yrs ago the used copies were $75.
Drop $40 and buy your guys a set.
Motivation wrote:
I am a captain this year and I was wondering how I can get my team really pumped to run and I wnat them to run in the summer. We only have like 3 guys really committed and I'd like to have 10 guys really committed because I see high potential. Thank you for all suggestions.
Your team has a culture problem.
You need to start with the freshmen unfortunately for you to get the culture really going. It should be well known where you all meet and at what time (5 days a week minimum) to run as a team. You can't MAKE them go, but you create the atmosphere where they WILL go. Pitch to the freshmen that this is a great way to bond with upperclassmen teammates before school even starts and that all of you will have their backs at school.
Flagpole wrote:
Motivation wrote:I am a captain this year and I was wondering how I can get my team really pumped to run and I wnat them to run in the summer. We only have like 3 guys really committed and I'd like to have 10 guys really committed because I see high potential. Thank you for all suggestions.
Your team has a culture problem.
You need to start with the freshmen unfortunately for you to get the culture really going. It should be well known where you all meet and at what time (5 days a week minimum) to run as a team. You can't MAKE them go, but you create the atmosphere where they WILL go. Pitch to the freshmen that this is a great way to bond with upperclassmen teammates before school even starts and that all of you will have their backs at school.
1. The big thing to remember is you can't make them go. If you tell them they SHOULD go or HAVE TO go, they won't want to. If you tell them they CAN come you're more likely to succeed.
2. Don't worry about getting specific kids so much. Numbers is the big thing. 10 guys is too few. Yeah a few guys can make a good team for a couple years but big committed teams year after year is the key to a successful program. Even if your team is 50 people you want all 50 to buy into the program.
3. You've gotta be friends, not necessarily best friends but you need to feel comfortable seeing them outside of practice.
4. Make it fun.
Make it happen wrote:
You can't make someone love running (or anything else for that matter).
You can't MAKE someone love running but you can INSPIRE or GUIDE them to.
Motivation wrote:
Thank you to all that responded. First yes I am holding a run everyday where we all meet at the high school. About 5 kids already said they would come. About the girls. Only one girl actually takes it seriously and the others don't care about running. We practice together and I invited them to the runs too. I am trying to personally contact most of the guys particularly the ones that have more potential. The difference in some of these kids caring and working hard is huge. I really believe that this year we will have the best team we have ever had. I'm working hard to get them onboard and try to make it fun. Some of them don't understand how much fun it is to run and win. They just treat it like a joke so I'm trying to impress upon them that it's more fun if you work hard and win. Any other suggestions?
That's a mistake. Contact all of them.
messinat wrote:
Motivation wrote:Thank you to all that responded. First yes I am holding a run everyday where we all meet at the high school. About 5 kids already said they would come. About the girls. Only one girl actually takes it seriously and the others don't care about running. We practice together and I invited them to the runs too. I am trying to personally contact most of the guys particularly the ones that have more potential. The difference in some of these kids caring and working hard is huge. I really believe that this year we will have the best team we have ever had. I'm working hard to get them onboard and try to make it fun. Some of them don't understand how much fun it is to run and win. They just treat it like a joke so I'm trying to impress upon them that it's more fun if you work hard and win. Any other suggestions?
That's a mistake. Contact all of them.
I meant the part about contacting the ones with more potential. Reach out to everyone.
I'm just wondering why should I contact people who run 22 min for 5k and have no chance to help the team?
We will probably only have like 15-20 people on the team. Right now we have 3 really good runners and we have one other committed kid who isn't too fast but might be able to improve. So if we got 10 kids that would be great. Out of the 15-20 at least 7-8 won't break 22. So it's pointless to invite them. I'm trying to invite all the people that even have a remote chance to be good but there's simply not many kids and some of the kids that seem to care just aren't fast. I don't know how to get the kids that run slow to buy in because if they came to the practice it's most likely they would screw around and distract some of the other kids that could be getting better. Please tell me how to get these slower kids to buy in. Unfortunately one of our coaches is all about doing it for fun but myself and another coach as a couple of the other kids really want to win meets and have a really good season. So because of that coach we can't cut kids.
Severe wedgies.