This column pays homage to Ben Rosario and all the wonderful things he has done for HOKA NAZ Elite. Ben Rosario has built a legacy as a class athlete, a savvy retailer, and an excellent coach and administrator. He will be missed.
Ben Rosario has announced (Dec. 4) that he would be leaving the club he founded, HOKA NAZ Elite. HOKA NAZ Elite has been a visible and exciting club for eleven years, showcasing its sponsor, HOKA, his athletes, and his club.
Ben will announce the next chapter in his professional career, and we wish him the best!
Here are five Deep Thoughts on Ben Rosario and his tenure at HOKA NAZ Elite;
- Ben developed some fine athletes, from Kellyn Taylor to Scott Fauble to Kelly Taylor and Stephanie Bruce. Consider Kellyn Taylor, who ran through four Olympic Trials. Consider Stephanie Bruce, who competed in XC, track, and marathons. And consider Scott Fauble, whose marathon consistency was impressive!
- NAZ Elite promoted the HOKA and NAZ brands and athletes. Ben Rosario gets it. His social media promotions, newsletters, previews, and reviews did what every club and brand should be doing across the US. NAZ Elite athletes have fan bases, and their social presence has helped build the HOKA brand.
- NAZ Elite showcased tough, committed, fascinating women athletes. From Aliphine Tuilimuk, Olympic Trials Champion, to Kellyn Taylor and all in between, Ben Rosario and his team built stories around the NAZ athletes. We knew where they were, day in and day out. We developed a conversation, which is key in this modern age of 24-hour sports.
HOKA track spikes, photo by The Shoe Addicts - Ben Rosario always had time for the media. He was cheerful, honest, and thoughtful. As a media professional for 45 years, he is pretty unusual. Many brands make us jump through hoops to get basic information. Ben and his team knew they were only as good as their narrative.
- HOKA NAZ Elite, under Ben Rosario, put more into the sport than they took out. Great role models, building up from bad races, racing consistently, showcasing the variety of HOKA products, Ben Rosario gets it: a brand gets value from its sponsorships when they are visible consistently
- We finish with a series of videos that Ben did for us, working with our partners, The Shoe Addicts, in 2016: https://www.runblogrun.com/2016/10/2016-hoka-one-one-coaching-interview-series-ben-rosario-on-coaching-distance-runners.html?swcfpc=1
