A New Era

In May of 2008 we graduate group of young ladies in our program that were so talented and so team oriented you just knew they were going to be difficult to be replaced. Well, you can't replace them but you can be blessed with another committed and talented young group. We have a great and competitive group of 9Th graders that are the truth. We are excited about their potential this season. Its not going to be easy but our possibilities are endless for '09.

What we accomplish together is far greater than what we do on our own

The XC season ended a couple of weeks ago but I was really pleased with what was accomplished. The boys were 7th overall at state which was the highest finish in school history and an unexperienced girls team was in the top 20. So I felt pretty good about it and am enjoying my break til resuming training. We have something great to build on.

I will be back here soon.

Not Since 2005

Well we accomplished our first goal of qualifying both our boys team and girls team to state Saturday Nov 8. Not since 2005 has this been done. I have always had a girls team to qualify but it was a fight for the boys. I am really proud of the kids and their continuing on the legacy of their former teammates. So far we have had good practices. That's always a good indication of how the state meet will go. We have a few more days to prepare.

The challenge

I haven't been here for a minute because my summer vacation ended (just in time for the Olympics:( and school started. Practices are more intense now. I never mentioned that have taken over the boys XC team as well. I am assisted by our 2 male assistants but I am the only one who was mentored to take over the XC program. I am using the same formula that enabled my girls XC to win last year. Right now I am giving our kids a good base and staying on them about form. I am excited because its going to take me to another level as a coach. The boys are still getting used to my strictly business approach but for the most part they are responding. The girls already know. They have always been my stress relief. Its going to be a good season.

Becoming a Leader

The past couple of years I have been spoiled by my now college bound seniors who were great leaders and captains for me. I currently have XC team where I have to go back and lead them myself as I develop one. Thankfully since I have gotten older I understand things alot better.

A team has to have a solid leader that will lead them in the right direction. They understand your philosophy as a coach and demonstrate that philosophy to the rest of team. Some kids are hesitant about taking on a leadership role because they don't want to disappoint. I try to make sure they understand that there are going to be some times that you are going to get frustrated and not want to do it anymore. It is a task you have to work on daily. Good leadership is essential to a teams' success.

Do I Really want to be good?

One of the things that I love about our hs track and XC program is that it doesn't take long for our program to weed out those that just want to be a part of and those that really want to be good and get better. Our kids work intensely everyday and commit to improving themselves. It allows them to see themselves doing some things that they never thought they could do. The ones who don't' make it unfortunately end up quitting because it is a real commitment. Their commitment transfers into the classroom. They either push themselves harder to improve their grades etc or they just do enough to get by. The intent is that if they improve mentally, physically, and spiritually from year to year they take with them life lessons when they leave us.

Giving Back

A couple of weeks ago I heard the story about how former LSU runner Lolo Jones had given her home town of Des Moines,Iowa her prize money in an effort to help the recovery from the flood damage. I was really moved by this story which many people don't know about. When you give back their is something that you experience that is indescribable. You experience such wonderful blessings in your life because you give with genuine heart. Even if you don't have money your time is equally valuable, especially to young people. I think LoLo Jones is going to be blessed with her Olympic gold in the coming weeks because of her genuine heart.

Running is a Gift

As I get older and I continue to run to stay in shape and maintain a good weight, I appreciate being able to run even more now then I did when I was younger. When you are young you don't understand that it's a God given talent unless someone reminds you of that. I try as often as I can to teach our girls that running should become a part of your lifestyle. You should get to the point where you don't even feel right if you don't run. I always remind them that there are people who wish they could run like them and that having that ability is a blessing. Most of them really never understand until they are put in a position where they can't run due to injury. Then they later see that running is a gift.

Visions

Visions are the most amazing things. Everything that we want to accomplish or we want others who are close to us to accomplish starts with a vision. There is a mental practice handout that I give my kids every season. It talks about how you have to first see yourself as the kind of runner you want to be. That vision is planted in your mind and that vision is the thing that keeps you going. Visions, most importantly, can also be applied to your daily life. The kind of person you want to be and the kind of life you want for yourself starts with a vision.

Why I love XC

I mentioned in an earlier blog how I am excited about my new challenge of coaching a young team this year. This is something that I haven't done in years. Our XC team is going to be filled with a bunch of talented freshmen. They will be taught how to be a real team, how to count on each other and how to have faith in each other just like the previous teams. XC always excites me because it takes a certain level of mental toughness to focus for a 5K. Many people believe our black kids cannot concentrate for that long. But I think our HS program does a good job of teaching this kind of focus in our practice sessions. Focusing for 3.1 on running with correct form, correct hill running, pack running etc just doesn't happen at the meet. This has to be taught daily. Its tough but the great thing about it is it all transfers to the track.

What Live Life to the Fullest Really Means

Over the past year, their have been quite a few young people that have passed away. Many of these people I have known. Their sudden deaths made me take a closer look at my life and what it means to really live life to the fullest. The teens I teach think that this statement refers to doing alot of crazy, destructive stuff in your life until you can't do it anymore but I think they miss the point. You have an opportunity to follow the path that God has blessed you with. The best feeling in the world is knowing you have made a positive impact on someone. As young adults we have to take a stand and continue to do the right thing so that young people can see that its OK to do so. Then they understand that all that other crazy stuff doesn't even matter.

You can't be a good coach unless you are a good teacher

I am so blessed that God has put me in a position right now to use my talents of coaching and teaching to help others. You cant be a good coach unless you are good teacher. This past semester I was blessed to have gender based classes (All girls). In classes like that you can really work with the girls without the constant distractions from the boys. Don't get me wrong I have had some good boys in my classes over the years but I prefer gender base. In coaching girls over the years, God revealed somethings about me that has helped me improve in being a good motivator and improving my teaching cues. Most of the time by the end of the season I am tired and worn out, but I am really looking forward to the new challenge of having a young group this year and teaching them. God has placed a plan in my heart for my All-black XC team and I want to see that plan fulfilled.

With everything that has happened in our nation and the world, one cannot help but to take a look at their own life and re-evaluate their priorities and whats really important. I have learned that you are blessed when you work hard to do what is right and are faithful that God is going to take care of you. If we really open our eyes we are blessed everyday. I guarantee if we change our daily focus we will see those blessings we used to overlook. These are the things that give us hope in the midst of all the negativity around us.