WHS XC 2023 DIAA STATES and a Season in Retro :)

How did WHS XC do at states? –

“When I started running we did nit have more than three of us, yet, here we are and we have a team three years later and I am a senior. The full circle moment today was that year when I found myself walking at this trail at Brandywine, a girl came running up to me and grabbed me and saiid “You are running with me” and we did!” Today, towards the finish, a girl ran up to me and said we’re running together!- and we did. It was full circle for me as an athlete and an senior.” Having this conversation with an amazing young runner from Indian River, who always went out of her way to come to our team and talk to us, and tell us she thought we were the nicest team, she ALWAYS made her way to our tent and included us in her day. It solidified for me, what makes a team is the individuals, no matter how many, and how they represent your team and school as a while.

Kudos to the WHS XC team – VERY pleased with the results from the first year for many of these runners.

First goal was to show gains from where they started. ALL showed major gains from the first day they set their steps on the trail to currently, ALL improved which is our first goal.

Second goal was to grow together and support each other as a team on and off the course – which they have done well.

Third goal was and is to grow together and mature in how they conduct themselves in front of others as an athlete, how they converse about the sport, among their athletes, etc.

They have come a long way in doing this and though there are still areas for improvement, the veterans continue to model this for the new runners. The new runners have begun to take in qualities of responsibility, humbleness, and believing in themselves. There is still areas for improvement as mentioned, for some on the latter two moreso, but this will develop, the future is bright.

The fourth goal was/is to not focus on the number of athletes but the quality of their presence at practices (to take them seriously as a meet), to be in the present and look for opportunities for improving their technique and running strategically at practice and at a meet, and finally to find every practice, every meet, a chance to push their teammates into a zone they have not broken yet. This is again, something that began to grow at practices and needs to be focused on moreso, but the gains made show in the times of the individual athletes ability to do the times they are putting in. I have seen athlete’s PR’s fall more and more in a season when they follow these above guidelines.

When oblivious of anything but themselves, times and success stagnate.

At the state meet, all athletes devoted themselves to the run, did not take the competition or meet lightly, and held themselves accountable for their performance. They did a GREAT job at what consider (and well as I) the toughest XC course in the state.

I hold myself and the athletes to a higher standard than winning with material awards, but how I feel as a runner among other runners, how I treat others as I want to be treated, striving to trade being humble and equating that to success, and representing the XC sport in its best light.

I can say at the state meet, I am proud of the way our athletes conducted themselves on and off the course, never blaming anything on anyone else, taking ownership of their run, and showing that XC is about commitment, celebrating the chance to share time and moments with others, and putting their own ego on the shelf to do their very best.

I always have been told, take the EGO aside, and put the “I go” attitude with others along the way, and you will be the most successful runner ever.

When we stop along the way of the season to eat together, heal together (despite feeling sick or getting sick, our runners often still participate) and instead of making excuses, the goal is for all team members to remove blame, remove negative comments about themselves and others, remove negative thought, and make space for one simple thing.

Run your best race as if there will not be another. This is the ultimate goal of passing down experience from our veteran runners to newer runners, and hence, will make the WHS XC team a better team.

I am so proud of the WHS XC team at the DIAA states, for many reasons that would normally go unnoticed and look forward to what they did right to carry on into their future years – still much to learn, but they have learned and done so much with the one season they have had.

Has there been frustration as coaches with a new dynamic of runners, ABSOLUTELY. We often hear among coaches the same frustrations, more time needed to focus on the task at hand, listen more, do not speak over me when I am talking, inappropriate words/conversations/focus (they are teens, so if you are not ready for that you are probably in the wrong line of work), more time management of running on their own, more time management and attention to grades, how they represent themselves in the classroom, how thew represent the team, how they represent themselves as an athlete/student/young man, young woman, putting regrets on the shelf and taking advantage of the PRESENT, putting the phrase “I am the best” aside and uplifting the phrase “I am better when my teammates are pushing me”, and maybe 25 more checklist items?

Yet, as a coach, unless we are willing to first magnify what athletes are doing RIGHT- to uplift them, and add one or two items along the way that they can improve, on, I fail as a coach.

I have MUCH more to aim for as a coach in areas of improvement, to not get frustrated and correct an athlete that does not cause them to feel bad; I want them to feel good about learning something – so again, I have much to improve on as a coach. What I do know is I am better for each athlete’s willingness to step forward, take a risk, and not worry about not having enough numbers and just bringing their best effort to the line. When they have bad days we deal with it, but we do not hold grudges, we resolve to learn and have a better day. Grudges create smudges, we do not need them.

The days when athletes told me “I can’t” and I reassure them they CAN – and they DO- hopefully this remains with them. I am more of a coach that wants them to come across these realizations themselves like a light bulb, with some light prodding in that direction, and I realize at times that a push is more needed, and so be it. I am still learning as well. But the success of any team is the ability to take the above 5 pieces of advice (and probably alot more) – and work with them and keep them in front of us every day.

Representing yourself as an athlete AND a student, representing your team, your county, AND your state is a HUGE ask for many runners than come into the program with alot of insecurities, trials of the magnitude we can only IMAGINE outside of school, as well as asking them to have faith in a unit of people they have never placed faith in before, let alone one or two people as coaches. And yet, setting that expectation is necessary for all to grow, as painful as it is along the way.

I am proud of the gains every single person, as well as the team, made on our team this year and am proud of what is possible when we consider, from coaches, to athletes, what we are capable of. This is something that is unique in Cross Country that not many sports have, We try to capitalize on taking time to walk and enjoy the surroundings we find ourselves in, eating ice cream, stopping for food and sometimes selfish rewards of sno cones, but all of that becomes even more valuable when we hold ourselves accountable top down, for the way we represent our lives –

Well done WHS XC, you grew and continue to grow as a team and individuals, and you have MUCH to be proud of!