In my last post, I re-introduced myself and told you I’m a running coach. And I also mentioned that I’m now the head coach for cross country at my alma mater. That part might have taken you by surprise since as of last season, I was only an assistant and I hadn’t even been blogging at that point. A lot has happened! Anyway — I interviewed for the job late fall and found out I got it during very early winter.
I’ve been working toward the head coach gig for a few years. I’m super jazzed and really excited to get started with the team. After the 2020 season, I know I have my work cut out for me. But my plan is to breathe some fresh life into the team and take the program to the next level. There are days my head is exploding with ideas and it’s hard to contain myself. But before all the fun and excitement can begin, and the new and shiny ideas brought to life, I have fundamental hopes and goals for the upcoming cross country season.
Goals for Building a High School Cross Country Program
My overall goal is to develop an inspiring, inclusive, and challenging environment where runners can grow and thrive — individually and as a team; and socially, emotionally, and physically.
Social and emotional development and well-being is integral to becoming a responsible human as well as becoming a gracious and successful athlete. I want my team to feel confident and comfortable with each other and the coaches to be able to have frank and open discussion, but I want them to recognize when it’s important to be humble and to learn from those with more experience than them. And the same is true for winning and losing. It’s important to be both a gracious winner and a gracious loser.
And to winning — is it important? Yes, of course. But when we succeed as individuals, we will succeed as a team. One of my goals is to foster a culture of camaraderie in order to get there.
Hill? What hill?
I’ve also got some amazing workouts in mind for these guys and gals. We’ll be focusing a lot on perceived areas of weakness. I sent out a pre-season survey to ask the kids where they thought they could improve. Some said long runs. A lot said pacing. The majority have said hills. So guess what we’re doing early and often?
Strength training will be a big part of our workouts. We’ll start with the “little stuff” — lunges, squats, planks. Single leg all the things. Basic movements every runner should be doing anyway.
I’m also taking them to some new locations this season. We have a vast park system in our area with some amazing views and terrain. The purpose of these field trips is for a mental challenge and reset. And to experience new terrain. But above all else, for team building.
Cross Country: One Team, One Goal
One thing we’re going to do a lot of is finding that one thing. What is it? Maybe it’s a good song. Maybe it’s a mantra. Is it running with a friend or opponent and chatting during the race? Whatever it is, we’re going to dial in and find the one thing that helps each individual in a training and racing situation.
As I said, so many ideas = head explosion. And there are days when I question myself and wonder if I’m too idealistic. I’m certain the self-doubt will continue to happen for some time. But for now, I’m going to constantly remind myself of my goals for the team and how overjoyed I was when I found out I was head coach. Those two things will get me through. Plus, the kids are great. They’re hilarious and incredibly hard workers.
We start summer conditioning on Monday and honestly, I can’t wait to get started.
xo
Let’s talk!
Have you coached high school athletics?
What’s one way you’d implement the goal of camaraderie?
Linking up with Deborah, Debbie, Laura, Lisa, and Jen.
23 Comments
Really fantastic Rachel! Sounds like you have a great plan in place for your team. They are lucky to have you. happy training to all of you
Thank you so much 💕 I’m looking forward to it!
Good for you!!! I didn’t realize this was your alma mater. Makes it all the sweeter, doesn’t it? I have no doubt that you will easily engage the students. Looking forward to hearing all about it.
Thank you! I’m excited and I just hope to put past seasons in the rear view quickly.
No experience here at all. Never ran CC or coached anything.
It seems like a great opportunity and I know that you will be great at it.
Looking forward to hearing about it.
Being with others on long runs is what I enjoy the most. Even though we each have different running goals and different paces, we all support each other. We never compete. I think I am lucky with with the people I run with.
I hope your teammates work well with each other.
I think warm up activities that do not involve running can improve camaraderie – ex green bananas or ripe bananas? hot dogs or hamburgers?
I have bonded with these friends over reading and knitting and eating.
Thank you! Those are great ideas — and you’re right, team bonding often happens outside of running. ♥️
I love your enthusiasm, Rachel! I’m sure it will spill over to your athletes. Will you be training girls and boys?
I would implement field trips – as you already are planning to do. I find that doing something away from the usual surroundings can change old habits and patterns. I’m so looking forward to hearing how you will progress with them!
Yep, boys and girls!
I agree about field trips. It helps break things up and keep things fun and exciting!
Wow, I want to be on your cross country team! Sounds really great. Idealism is a good thing! Sounds like you’re very passionate about this and that will carry you through the inevitable challenges. Can’t wait to hear about it as the season unfolds.
Thank you! I wish you could be on the team! 🙂
I hope the passion and idealism does carry me through, but time will tell. Stay tuned…!
I think you have some great ideas and awesome goals! The team camaraderie is key, as is keeping the humbleness in check. Also, being a gracious winner (and loser) is a life lesson…and we all know how running parallels life. I’m so excited for you!!!
YES so many running/life parallels. I just hope I do right by these kids and can instill the love of running and some life lessons along the way. Thank you!!
That’s a really awesome graphic, and I love your ideas. I played soccer so n ever ran cross country – so my POV is coming from indoor and spring track – hope it’s still helpful. I love the responsible human element. Our indoor meets were in an area slightly less well off than our school and our coaches installed a need to keep it respectful. Not that we had designed unis or anything, but just to be aware.
Also, totally agree on team camaraderie. My teammates and I (all sports) are in general in touch to a stronger degree than other high school friends
Thanks! It was a fun graphic to make. We’re going to use it throughout all our team “stuff” — handbooks, journals, hoodies, etc. I hope the kids pick up on the impact but we’ll see.
That’s really good to know about keeping in touch with your teammates. Is that true for both soccer and track, or more one vs the other?
Before I ran the marathon I’d have said equal, but more regularly in touch with soccer because that was a hybrid of community softball I played and we knew one another longer, but when I started training, track reunions started happening in Strava and then we added one another on Instagram, etc. I think they were different kinds of people and relationships even in school, leading us down different tracks. All good, just not intersecting much: military, v. liberal arts degree wandering overseas until grad school
Congrats on becoming head coach! That’s really awesome and it sounds like you have some great ideas. Coaching a group of high schoolers seems overwhelming to me, but it sounds like you really know what you’re doing and that you’re really great at it!
It’s not as overwhelming as you’d think. They’re just like toddlers but in bigger bodies. 🙂
In all seriousness, thank you! Coaching high school is hard work but it’s also incredibly rewarding.
This is fantastic news Rachel! Well done you! I always see idealism is good so long as it’s supported by concrete goals and a plan, which it looks like you have. I love that you want your athletes to grow and thrive and feel part of the team. They will learn skills that will not just help them in the sport but for their future lives. Can’t wait to here how you and they get on!
Thank you! I’m really looking forward to it. A fresh start for a lot of us on the team — coaches and athletes included! <3
I loved coaching cross country and I still miss it sometimes. Then I remember all that time (including Saturdays!) that I got back and I’m okay again. Seriously, though, I loved it and I’m still connected with many of my former runners who are now adults. It’s a great feeling when they tell you how important you were to their life when they were in high school.
Yeah, it’s very time consuming. But I love it. 🙂
Good for you! Coaching cross country teams sounds so fun. I love your focus on camaraderie, your team will benefit so much from you fostering that.
I hope they do. I think they will. But I hope they do. 🙂 It’s just such a better experience for everyone when we’re all in it together, ya know?