Greetings to all our returning runners and a hearty "welcome" to our newcomers! Welcome to our cross country family. It is such an honor and a privilege to be doing this that I can't believe this will be my 16th season coaching at Christ the King. I have coached runners that have now graduated from college and are starting their own families...and even some runners who have run for their respective colleges, some on cross-country scholarships. (You see, if you hang in there, it could pay off!)
First, some administrative "stuff:"
1. Our practices will be from 5:30-6:30 every Monday and Thursday.
2. Monday practices will be held behind J.T. Moore Middle School, Thursday practices will be held on the Dominican Campus (next to St. Thomas Hospital on West End...enter the campus and bear to the left and head back behind the Aquinas College...you will see a large parking lot...we'll be near there!)
3. You must have a health form filed with the school.
4. You must have paid the $25 registration fee.
5. Once I get a roll, I will circulate it and ask for your t-shirt size. The school provides our t-shirts...they are the coolest ones on the race course!
6. You must bring water and proper running atire for your child. Running shoes are not required, especially with the younger ones, but bear in mind that if you are using school shoes, they will get "trashed" running on a cross-country course.
7. There will be three meets, followed by a championship meet. (A full schedule and training plan will be provided in a week or so.) YOU MUST MAKE TWO of the THREE MEETS TO RUN IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP!!!
OK, on to the fun stuff...
I used the term "family," because that is truly what our group has become over the years. We are blessed with a terrific coaching staff, many of whom have been here almost as long as I have. Harold Donnelly, who coaches the middle grades and covers the "afterguard" on the course has been coaching 12 years. Ditto for Chris and Katy Holmes. Without the Holmes family, all order on the race course would crumble...time itself would become irrelevant! (Katy is our lead timekeeper.) Leigh Ann Hofstetter is in her 5th year of coaching, she has been invaluable working with our "little ones." Thomas Meyer, who ran for Christ the King in a not-too-distant past, is in his third year of tenure as is Ruth Wehby. Both of these fine coaches have several younger ones coming up through the ranks, so they should be here awhile! In various ways all these coaches have run, raced and lived the athletic life and are now thrilled to be giving something back.
It also feels like family to me when I see the engagement of all our parents in the athletic lives of their children. Parents are always welcome at our practices and it serves as such a terrific example to the kids to see their own mom or dad willing to go the distance.
Running is the foundation of virtually all sports and cross country is running at its elegant best. I use the term "elegant" because it is truly an aristocratic sport requiring equal amounts of strength, endurance, patience, strategy and mental tenacity. I have seen kids with body types that would make you think they could run like gazelles get beat by kids who looked like they had just left the "all you can eat" line but who had greater mental stamina.
My training plan is simple. The practices are the core, but there is some self-practice that I ask parents to get involved in. We focus on the three key elements of effective training: endurance, speed and strength. We also place high value on stretching and utilize a rudimentary yoga routine that stretches all the key muscle groups. Our practices will last for an hour and each practice will focus on developing a specific area of running expertise: hills, stride length, finishing kick, etc. We work hard on our runner's form. I was tickled a couple of years ago when I was at a high school meet and I overheard one of the Harpeth Hall coaches commenting on a St. Cecilia runner (who graduated from our program). "Bet that girl went to Christ the King, those kids always have terrific form." The conclusion of almost every practice is our now famous "Sharks and Minnows" game. Kids perform best when they are having fun!
I do not claim to be an expert. I do this as a volunteer who loves the sport of running. I have run several marathons and triathlons, I ran the mile in track in high school and cross country from 8th through 12th grades. Running, for me, reformed a heavy smoker who was 25 pounds overweight. Now it is my sanctuary. I no longer have the speed to avoid getting caught in our "Sharks and Minnows" game, but love the challenge nevertheless. I am less focused on times for myself and more on the emotional haven that an hour on the roads gives me.
I approach coaching children with a three-part philosophy:
1. Teaching children that winning is never having to say "I quit." As George Sheehan said: "There is nothing more certain than the defeat of a man who gives up. And I might add, the victory of one who will not."
2. Running provides happiness...this is different from pleasure, but an important "life lesson" that the sport extends free of charge. Happiness is true fun.
3. Running is as much a mental sport as a physical one and the biggest challenge is yourself...each race makes us question what is inside of ourselves. I want our kids to be able to smile at their answer.
Thank you for the honor of coaching your children. If at any time you have concerns, please do not hesitate to call me! I look forward to running with you and your children.
"Every journey begins in hope and ends in wisdom." -Lau Tzu
First, some administrative "stuff:"
1. Our practices will be from 5:30-6:30 every Monday and Thursday.
2. Monday practices will be held behind J.T. Moore Middle School, Thursday practices will be held on the Dominican Campus (next to St. Thomas Hospital on West End...enter the campus and bear to the left and head back behind the Aquinas College...you will see a large parking lot...we'll be near there!)
3. You must have a health form filed with the school.
4. You must have paid the $25 registration fee.
5. Once I get a roll, I will circulate it and ask for your t-shirt size. The school provides our t-shirts...they are the coolest ones on the race course!
6. You must bring water and proper running atire for your child. Running shoes are not required, especially with the younger ones, but bear in mind that if you are using school shoes, they will get "trashed" running on a cross-country course.
7. There will be three meets, followed by a championship meet. (A full schedule and training plan will be provided in a week or so.) YOU MUST MAKE TWO of the THREE MEETS TO RUN IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP!!!
OK, on to the fun stuff...
I used the term "family," because that is truly what our group has become over the years. We are blessed with a terrific coaching staff, many of whom have been here almost as long as I have. Harold Donnelly, who coaches the middle grades and covers the "afterguard" on the course has been coaching 12 years. Ditto for Chris and Katy Holmes. Without the Holmes family, all order on the race course would crumble...time itself would become irrelevant! (Katy is our lead timekeeper.) Leigh Ann Hofstetter is in her 5th year of coaching, she has been invaluable working with our "little ones." Thomas Meyer, who ran for Christ the King in a not-too-distant past, is in his third year of tenure as is Ruth Wehby. Both of these fine coaches have several younger ones coming up through the ranks, so they should be here awhile! In various ways all these coaches have run, raced and lived the athletic life and are now thrilled to be giving something back.
It also feels like family to me when I see the engagement of all our parents in the athletic lives of their children. Parents are always welcome at our practices and it serves as such a terrific example to the kids to see their own mom or dad willing to go the distance.
Running is the foundation of virtually all sports and cross country is running at its elegant best. I use the term "elegant" because it is truly an aristocratic sport requiring equal amounts of strength, endurance, patience, strategy and mental tenacity. I have seen kids with body types that would make you think they could run like gazelles get beat by kids who looked like they had just left the "all you can eat" line but who had greater mental stamina.
My training plan is simple. The practices are the core, but there is some self-practice that I ask parents to get involved in. We focus on the three key elements of effective training: endurance, speed and strength. We also place high value on stretching and utilize a rudimentary yoga routine that stretches all the key muscle groups. Our practices will last for an hour and each practice will focus on developing a specific area of running expertise: hills, stride length, finishing kick, etc. We work hard on our runner's form. I was tickled a couple of years ago when I was at a high school meet and I overheard one of the Harpeth Hall coaches commenting on a St. Cecilia runner (who graduated from our program). "Bet that girl went to Christ the King, those kids always have terrific form." The conclusion of almost every practice is our now famous "Sharks and Minnows" game. Kids perform best when they are having fun!
I do not claim to be an expert. I do this as a volunteer who loves the sport of running. I have run several marathons and triathlons, I ran the mile in track in high school and cross country from 8th through 12th grades. Running, for me, reformed a heavy smoker who was 25 pounds overweight. Now it is my sanctuary. I no longer have the speed to avoid getting caught in our "Sharks and Minnows" game, but love the challenge nevertheless. I am less focused on times for myself and more on the emotional haven that an hour on the roads gives me.
I approach coaching children with a three-part philosophy:
1. Teaching children that winning is never having to say "I quit." As George Sheehan said: "There is nothing more certain than the defeat of a man who gives up. And I might add, the victory of one who will not."
2. Running provides happiness...this is different from pleasure, but an important "life lesson" that the sport extends free of charge. Happiness is true fun.
3. Running is as much a mental sport as a physical one and the biggest challenge is yourself...each race makes us question what is inside of ourselves. I want our kids to be able to smile at their answer.
Thank you for the honor of coaching your children. If at any time you have concerns, please do not hesitate to call me! I look forward to running with you and your children.
"Every journey begins in hope and ends in wisdom." -Lau Tzu
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