July 16th 2015

Purely for selfish reasons, I’m not the biggest fan of summer. Primarily, it has to do with the fact that my time isn’t revolving around runs, workouts, meets, or just the general camaraderie of 30+ young men. I experience the summer like a sailor who is yearning for home but is stuck in the doldrums. Each day the sailor sits at the bow in the hot sun and watches the boat move agonizingly slowly across the water, inching ever so slightly to shore. Then one morning, the sailor awakes to stiff sails, water lapping against the hull and it’s full steam ahead. That day for me comes in late August when I can hear in the hallway the banter of my athletes as they approach my office for our first team meeting of the season. But before I can bask in that holy day, I have to survive the doldrums.

Fortunately, the beginning of my summer was delayed a few weeks as the spring season was extended by strong team performances throughout the last portion of outdoor. This championship success began with sophomore Kevin Connors, who put up a PR practically every time he stepped on track this spring, transitioning from a 4:22 miler to an impressive 4:12 miler (3:52.6 1500). And it culminated with talented first-year Mohamed Hussein and his incredibly gutsy 10K performance at NCAAs, picking up his second All-American honors with a seventh-place finish. I would also be amiss to exclude the contributions and dedication of two graduating seniors, Greg Turissini and Romey Sklar. In my two years at Amherst, I have not only watched these two achieve individual PRs and strong performances, but seen them elevate the program to a completely new level of expectation and success. That is something that could have only been possible with sincere dedication to a collective idea and to the relationships they fostered among teammates. It’s hard to imagine these two not toeing the line in the months to come.

All good things must come to an end and, as the last of my athletes headed off to home or summer jobs, the reality of summer’s arrival began to set in. The summer is an interesting time for NCAA coaches, especially young ones with only a few years of experience in the system. More often than not, the summer months are filled with a frenzy of coaches going after the job postings for positions. Though, as many will tell you when it comes to applying for these jobs, your resume, cover letter or even career accomplishments are often not considered. Instead it appears, more often than not, the selection process boils down to who you know and whether or not your personality and coaching style will be the necessary fit for the respective team. That can be frustrating and hard to understand for some, but doesn’t always mean you’re out of luck; establishing relationships with fellow coaches is an integral part of the job. Season after season, you’re standing next to each other for hours on end every weekend. It’s a shame and quite silly when coaches view fellow coaches as rivals or enemies. While you don’t have to love every coach in your league, conference, and division, as a young coach it has meant a great deal to me to go up against other coaches who have shown nothing but kindness and respect.

When not pursuing jobs, the summer is a relatively quiet time for coaches. That doesn’t mean it can’t still be filled with a little running or track & field action. Throughout the summer there are a handful of cross country and track camps every week across the country. Yes, some may not be particularly interested in spending an extended amount of time with high school athletes, but they’re still kids with a passion for running and are eager to soak up anything you may have to say about the sport. Dedicating a week or even a day at a high school running camp is an excellent way to get a breath of fresh air, stay grounded, and learn something. Another possible option for learning and evolving as a coach during the typically slow summer months is to attend coaching clinics and seminars put on by some of the country’s best coaches. Of course, it can be expensive to travel to such affairs, but in the end I can guarantee that you’ll walk away with new valuable information and perhaps a few new friends.