america's best high school coaches

greenliner wrote:

...truth is, York usually wins as a team and not because it has elite runners.

Aaaahh, and the truth comes out. the coaches have no control over what kind of talent comes their way, they work with what they have. York has had aa series of excellent teams. Even without the huge high school talents, York manages to field a team that is consistantly amazing. They win, as you say, becuase they win as a team. Isn't that the best indication of good coaching? Having a good team, not just a couple of really good individuals?

If you define "best" as dominance...David Sammons in Oklahoma. Over the last 27 years, Edmond Memorial High School Boys Cross-Country has won 14 State Championships and 8 runner up titles (tied for 2nd in 1978)....As a Sr. in 1978, I remember other teams commenting about all the maroon Edmond jerseys on the starting line at the beginning of the JV race, probably 30-40 kids. Jenks, OK is not far behind. I've since moved to The Woodlands, TX and am impressed with Coach Dan Green's program as well. Feel free to check out the OKLA stats -

Raczko the best hs coach? Has produced ZERO team championships in XC or track. Team, you gotta be kidding. Other than Webb and Richard Smith (the 4:12 and 1:47 kid)- not much to brag about. Not too many people are too afraid of a Raczko team. He hasn't been at South Lakes in years. Still living off that.

Lets set the record straight

A coach is somebody who develops talent and a program year in year out their teams are among the best. This I am sure includes many of those who have been mentioned above.

A trainer is somebody who has lighting strike and they have 1 ro 2 very good athletes but before and since those one or two athletes have had NOTHING.

Her'es a comparison to York.

I guess it's still debatable with YORK winning the 1st ever National Team Competition and having 24 State titles "ain't bad" either.

This should settle any debate. -. Still Debatable I think

Jesuit High School YORK HIGH SCHOOL

Walt Lange's Top Ten Joe Newton's Top 10

800 METERS 800 METERS

1:49.29 Michael Stember 96 1:50.8 Tim Hobbs 2001

1:50.70 Patrick McCrystle 82 1:51.9 Marius Bakken 96

1:53.90 David Welsh 89 1:52.0 Craig Gunlach 94

1:54.4 Paul Thomas 87 1:52.4 Don Sage 2000

1:54.7 Eric Mastalir 86 1:53.1 '85

1:54.9 Pedro Reyes 80 1:53.3 '85

1:55.1 Steve Faggella 76 1:53.5 2000

1:55.35 Mark Mastalir 86 1:53.9 '83

1:55.50 Jake Kelly-Strong 05 1:53.9 '90

1:55.51 Barry Carmody 01 1:54.0 '73

1600 METERS 1600 Meters

4:04.00 Michael Stember 95 3:58.6 Don Sage 2000

4:04.15 Mark Mastalir 86 4:07.4 Jim White 1999

4:04.23 Eric Mastalir 86 4:08.9 Ron Craker 1976

4:04.58 Pedro Reyes 80 4:09.1 Marius Bakken 96

4:08:24 Mike Altieri 98 4:12.1 2001

4:08.50 Paul Thomas 87 4:12.2 1972

4:10.7 David Welsh 89 4:12.8 2004

4:14.94 Brandon Collins 01 4:13.8 1986

4:17.3 James Johnson 90 4:13.9 2000

4:17.54 Dan Welsh 95 4:14.1 1981

3200 METERS 3200 METERS

8:44.95 Eric Mastalir 86 8:42.8 Don Sage 1997

8:51.99 Mark Mastalir 86 8:48.4 Jim White 1982

8:53.98 Paul Thomas 87 8:57.5 Marius Bakken1996

8:58.09 David Welsh 89 9:00.6 Sean McNammara'04

9:00.31 Austin Ramos 03 9:09.8 Jim White '85

9:02.36 Michael Stember 95 9:11.2

9:02.6 Tom O'Neil 77 9:11.3

9:03.55 Matt Farley 94 9:12.1

9:03.9 Rod Read 77 9:14.2

9:12.3 Mike Tulley 72 9:16.5

As you can see, Lange's work spans many decades.

wow wow. where did this sage 3:58. come from. Think he ran 4:00. at Pre classic.

That's a mile to 1600m conversion, genius. By the way, it looks like the Jesuit team is stronger at the top. Just my opinion.

Arturo Rodriguez - Holy Cross High School, Waterbury, CT

Joe Newton York high school and Dan Green Woodlands Texas will discuss high school distance trainning at the R and R Distance Summit Dr. Joe Vigil will be at the clinic discussing How to develop a Champion! www.freewebs.com/ranrdistancesummit

MLCC wrote:

George Gibson, Houston High, Germantown Tennessee.

CC team state champions 97, 98, 00, 03, 04

Best distance coach in the state, but is better at coaching PV, Throws, and Decathletes, than distance runners.

Nothing in the whole realm of coaching does this guy not know about.

yeah, you gotta love Gibson, but there is also nothing in the realm of total bullshit that he doesn't know. His stories are taller than the empire state building.

Well I'm from a very small town ( a population of less than 5000 people). And our graduating class size was 124 students (which was the largest in fifteen years). And my coach has coached 22 State Champions and 106 All-Staters over the course of the last 19 years. He's also had a top five team (track and field AND XC combined) nine times. It's no Joe Newton, but I'd say he's done a pretty damn good job with the lack of people that he's given to work with.