Funny thing about coaching.
In the U.S. high school sports of cross country and track & field, there are close to 37, 555 head boys and girls cross country and track coaches (duplicates not included). At the college level, junior college and four year, there are just under 4,000 more coaches at those institutions. These 41,555 coaches work with our 1.7 million high school and college athletes 46 weeks a year, six days a week, for an average of three hours a day (two hours high school, 4 hours at college level). This is the strength of our sport.
Rana Reider, photo courtesy of Netherlands Federation
Want to know why our athletes are taking thirty plus medals in World and Olympic championships? Look at the fine development programs we have, and then, the fine post graduate coaches we have, and you do should not wonder why the U.S. athletes do so well. Our coaches with the sponsored clubs, and elite athletes are many of the finest in the world.
At least in America, some of the finest coaches have to leave our country to make a living. I have observed some of our finest coaches being recognized for their talents by countries all around the globe.
The coaches below, Randy Huntington, Dan Pfaff, Rana Reider and Loren Seagrave, are examples of the finest coaches produced in this country.
Coaches are educators. That is what the late Sam Adams, long time mentor at UC Santa Barbara, told me that. He felt that, for many years, coaches did not respect themselves. The group, USTFCCCA, under Sam Seames, has done much to change that.
As I travel around Europe and Asia during the summers, covering the major meetings for you, our readers at @runblogrun, I find it a special treat to catch up with coaches like Rana Reider and Loren Seagrave on the road. I learn something new from them with each discussion and it allows me to view the athletes and their amazing performances on deeper level, and share those insights with you.
