“Promoting participation in and support for cross-country and track and field in Arkansas secondary schools.”  

Commentary.......Coaches Comments.....Wanting It

1/20/2001

The best coaching advice I ever received was from Coach Dixon (editor's note: West Plains, MO Zizzers coach) as it applies 
to coaching runners. “You can’t want it too much for them. You will end up being hurt or you will hurt your athletes.” I, like many coaches have seen the gifted runners that WE see as future state champions...no...Olympic champions. We as coaches are disappointed when those athletes have bad races. Perhaps the training we develop for the team actually revolves 
around that one runner. Where does that thinking leave the rest of the team? As a coach, can you be as happy for the runner who breaks 25:00 for the 5K as you can for your top runner? When you reach the level of thinking for your team, then your team will start to perform. If you will think for your team, the pressure that is put on your top runner by you is gone. This will give you the time, freedom, and enjoyment of encouraging those mid to back packers. Perhaps those mid to back packers will move up? As a competitive runner wanting to stay in racing shape, my personal running once took on the role of beating my top runners. Again, who gets neglected? All on the team must feel that they have a role of importance. As I ran with my back packers, I found they put more of themselves in their running. The numbers on my team grew larger. I got to spend some time teaching and bonding with my runners and really got to know them. I once coached a young man who ran cross country to get in shape for basketball. 
He was a very smart (33 ACT) “soft in the mid section” who’s first 5K was around 25:00. He eventually...to most unbelievably, broke 18:00 for the 5K his senior year. If you can teach your runners the things this young man learned, your entire team will become interested in each other as well as improving. He bought into the idea of team, off season training, self improvement and striving to do something well that he was not that gifted to do. He relished the challenge of making varsity on the state runner up team in 1998. He was my 9th runner at the state meet. Granted, he was a self motivator but he was given the same chance to succeed in this great sport by his coach and teammates. The idea that the runners are here for us is wrong. We coaches are here for all who are motivated to run. What ever the reasons a young person would choose to run- to get into shape, lose weight, be part of a team, make varsity, or be a state champion...no Olympic champion, we have to “want it” for all our team members. This is when the true rewards come for the runners as well as the coach!

Courtesy: Clint Pevril, Head Cross Country Coach
                  Mountain Home, Arkansas

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