Coaching a very good male runner, looking for information on College Programs.

I'd take a hard look at Wake Forest with new hire (from UCLA) Forrest Braden at the helm coaching distance.

scratch U florida off your list

notveganboi wrote:

scratch U florida off your list

Why's that?

CoachRicardoL wrote:

notveganboi wrote:

scratch U florida off your list

Why's that?

Sprints and Jump is where they put their $$$$$

Florida State is a very good program and Bob Braman is a great coach. He is really good at developing talent and is a very personable, down to earth and approachable guy. Tallahassee gets ridiculously hot during summer and is less than ideal training during that time period but fall and winter is ideal and there are tons of very runnable trails near campus.

Having a stable training environment is super important for high school runners coming from the stability of living with parents and stability of an established high school program. Coming into an established program that breeds consistentcy and develops talent is important. If a program is constantly hiring/firing and athletes aren't improving it's a good sign something is off.

My first 2 years in college where super unstable and everyone of the xc/distance guys quit during that span. The first 6 months I was there we went through 3 different coaches!

No bias wrote:

I'd take a hard look at Wake Forest with new hire (from UCLA) Forrest Braden at the helm coaching distance.

Forest Braden is not at Sleepy Woods. He is at another private university.

If this is a serious inquiry, you have chosen a suspect method of gathering and sifting through information on college programs.

Take the time to talk to coaches, athletes and alum from programs that interest the athlete. If you are willing to invest the necessary time and effort your reward will be genuine feedback. In a case where you receive no response or find conflicting or negative info you should at least be able to trust the source(s).

LRC is not a place where balanced and informed opinions can be taken at face value.

Nope, Forrest is at William and Mary.

May I suggest an on line program that you can use to alert colleges of your runner. As a former college coach, these are crucial to finding out about someone you might not have known about otherwise.

https://www.captainu.com/

https://www.gobigrecruiting.com/

CoachRicardoL wrote:

Hi, I am a coach at a high school and have a senior male athlete who is very respectable. He is a true distance runner, (XC, 1600, 3200). He is looking at programs and doesn't know about LetsRun so I figured I would post on his behalf and comb over the information with him. Give me the good, the bad, the ugly and do not sugarcoat anything please. Appreciate it. Team atmosphere, training, coaching, academics, campus, competing, etc.

Schools:

Penn State

Cornell

UNC Chapel Hill

Villanova

U of Florida

Virginia

Wake Forest

Florida State

Coach,

You can never go wrong with Cornell. Great networking for employment after graduation. Great coach . Great campus. 2.4:1 girls to guys. Ivy league.

xc run wrote:

CoachRicardoL wrote:

Why's that?

Sprints and Jump is where they put their $$$$$

Same with FSU

Tell him to go to the very best academic school he can afford. Also, consider where he wants to live after graduation. If he is dying to live in Philly, for example, go to Villanova. If he wants to live in Richmond or D.C., go to UVA or W&M (which is public you knuckleheads). If he wants NYC or New England (and/or pursue further education), go to Ivy League or NESCAC.

If I had it to do all over again as an All-State runner in HS: Naval Academy hands-down. Best prison in the world! World-class education, leadership development, free (sort of), and a lifetime of employment opportunities that pay great money. It's well worth the headaches from where I am now in my mid-forties and looking back.

But choices is what makes the world go round. You want to ENJOY the experience overall. Running is an important part of the equation, but it's just a part; like choosing a major.

a buddy of mine goes to villanova and is friends with a lot of guys on the team (he was a pretty good runner but not quite good enough for nova i guess) and he told me that the coach is terrible and honestly a dick.

Marcus is one of the best coaches and gentlemen out there. Maybe your buddy is basing everything on one conversation or event. Don't judge lest we be judged (since Villanova is a Catholic school). Of course, everyone is entitled to their opinion. That's why you visit places with a smile and an open mind.

What are his PRs and how much is he willing to pay?

What doe he want to study?