Looking for tips on working with disadvantaged kids, NO parental support and a community that doesn't value fitness or health. All of the coaches highlighted in this post seem to work at fairly large and well to do schools. XC is a rich persons sport, and everyone nut-bites the privileged.
Long Time wrote:
wejo wrote:
I used to search for the one thing that makes runner's good. It doesn't exist. Consistent development is the key.
I'd say they'd all say building the culture and getting the kids to buy in is first and foremost most important. After that you can move on to key workouts. But if the kids don't work hard, nothing is going to happen.
Freshman are 14-15.
Sophomore 15-16
Junior 16-17
Senior 17-18.
This is all voluntary. In America after school sports are a voluntary thing. Some schools may get the kids some sort of physical education credit for doing it but no one is having their kids show up for compulsory reasons.
Great Oak was the exception in terms of times he could have the kids, so naturally you focused on that ;). One reason I didn't put specifics into the article was I didn't want you to think "you have to do this specific workout to be good" or "have the kids for 2.5 hours".
I was amazed at how much time the kids put in at Great Oak. I joked when I trained you could only run for about 2 hours a day but his high school kids are putting in a lot more time.
I'm not sure what they do in the summer but every day in during the school year during the season they have practice from 3-5:30 pm if needed.
He said a typical practice is:
Team Meeting and attendance- 10 minutes
Warmup: Drills + Speed Ladders +Hit =15 minutes
Core Routines: 25-30 minutes stretch
Main workout 45-90 minutes
Stretch 10 minutes
That's a long practice. Having a successful team is great but these kids are starting school at 8am then leave campus at 5:30 everyday. They are also giving up weekends for practice and meets. That's 15 hours a week!
Then they have to-
5:30- kid leaves practice
6: arrive home
6:30pm-7:00: dinner+dishes
7-10: homework
~~~~~~~~~~
Make practice shorter and streamlined
Warm up/drills/speed ladder/hit: 15 minutes(coaches take attendance during warm up)
Core routine/team meeting: 10 min
Main workout:45-60 minutes
Stretch: 10 min
Practice no more than 1 hour 30 minutes.
2 year old post--frightening...
If a coach tried to make us do that crap in HS--assuming we were polite--we would just ignore him.
We were not known for being polite.
What's the deal? Is it so many coaches were not great in HS, so coaching HS is their chance to have the attention lacking when competing?
I didn't run for York, but Joe Newton and his Long Green Line was an example of how to an elite program.
Maybe most HS coaches can start from that benchmark, and make adjustments as deemed necessary?
Wow a blast from the past. A few things about American high school coaching:
1. It really is hit or miss. A few great coaches but a high number who have no idea.
2. Progression progression progression
3. If your high school coach isn't any good what do you do?
Good luck and stay safe.