With the recent signing of Andy Trouard to the club, and many more incredibly talented, naive athletes before him, I can't help but be completely angered by the fact that a coach like Mark Rowland still to this day is so conceited and arrogant that he believes himself fit to coach a living soul. Trouard is an incredible talent and deserves so much more than the graveyard that is Oregon Track Club. I am confident in saying that the only legitimate work done by Rowland has come in the resurgence of Amos, though already a 1:41 guy, and Blankenship, who's current coaching situation is a bit mysterious. Hassan Mead looks to be coached by his agent, Stephan Hass, and the rest of the crew was either riding a wave of unfettered success before Rowland or missing from real, recent competition.
Nevertheless, the results of Rowlands OTC over the years have been dismal, and far behind what would be expected with the resources and athletes at his disposal. Furthermore, his ignorance has costed American distance running massively with the destruction of Andrew Wheating and Charles Jock, the former having the possibility to be the best US 1500 ever by far. How is this clown still coaching? He must have some incredibly secure contract with Nike, but then thus brings out some hypocrisy at runnings financial heart--If an athlete had anywhere near the relative success rate in racing as Rowland did in coaching, his contract would be briskly terminated, yet year after year, for nearly a decade Mark Rowland has been less then prolific, at best.
It all makes me upset, and while I don't know too much about the inner workings of OTC Elite or any other track club for that matter, I believe its fair to say there should be an expectation put on coaches to inspire success. Most high school coaches could do the same if not better with the caliber of athletes Rowland has at his disposal, and I believe Nike should do something to save the Club, besides bringing in a handful of already proven athletes like Nionsaba, Amos, and Kipyego.