2. Organization and Inspiration in Cross Country Tips and Tales on Getting Your Program to the Next Level

3. Introduction Can a Clinic Presentation Really Make a Difference in Your Program? (Yes, but a few disclaimers first!) I. Organization: A few concrete, practical and specific tools that you can take home and try with your kids. (handouts and samples available on the web at: www2.sluh.org/sluhxc/2007season.html) II. Inspiration: A few stories and ideas to create enthusiasm on your team, recharge your batteries and help you remember the most important part of coaching.

4. I. Organization

5. Workouts and Training Plans Paul Enke’s presentation tomorrow Paul Enke’s presentation tomorrow Handout: A loose recipe approach: Handout: A loose recipe approach: Key ingredients Key ingredients Draft the season Draft the season Get feeback Get feeback Adapt as you go Adapt as you go

6. Daily Practice Automatic Starts Automatic Starts Team Bulletin Board Team Bulletin Board Announcements for day/week Announcements for day/week Attendance Attendance Excuse notes/mailbox Excuse notes/mailbox Athlete reports (samples in a moment) Athlete reports (samples in a moment) Today’s workout w/ specific instructions Today’s workout w/ specific instructions Captains take over Captains take over Formal Finishes Formal Finishes Finish with structure, habit, accountability Finish with structure, habit, accountability Strides, cal, jog, stretch with leaders to the end Strides, cal, jog, stretch with leaders to the end Ice, food, shower Ice, food, shower

7. Work Groups Handout: Workout data sheet samples Handout: Workout data sheet samples Groups by volume (off season miles, age) Groups by volume (off season miles, age) Groups by pace (tied to race goal pace) Groups by pace (tied to race goal pace) Finally, groups by rank Finally, groups by rank Makes individually targeted workouts possible Makes individually targeted workouts possible Kids must know their groups and what it means Kids must know their groups and what it means Complex practices can be managed and reviewed Complex practices can be managed and reviewed

8. Injury and Recovery Of course, PREVENTION must come first! Of course, PREVENTION must come first! Shoes. grass loops, proper work group, warm-up, cool down, preventative icing, “life is not fair” speeches Shoes. grass loops, proper work group, warm-up, cool down, preventative icing, “life is not fair” speeches Accurate diagnosis Accurate diagnosis Kids and parents must take initiative! Kids and parents must take initiative! Recovering Runner Reports (handout sample) Recovering Runner Reports (handout sample) Filled out every day before practice Filled out every day before practice On my way out, I grab them from mailbox and review On my way out, I grab them from mailbox and review Keep on file Keep on file Most important function of form: teaching the athlete to take a positive, active role in his/her health Most important function of form: teaching the athlete to take a positive, active role in his/her health Cross Training Reports (handout sample) Cross Training Reports (handout sample) Initial consult w/ coach Initial consult w/ coach Athlete and parents run program when we can’t Athlete and parents run program when we can’t

9. Individual Training Plans Quick review of handout Quick review of handout

10. Drills and Routines Workouts and miles come first but… Workouts and miles come first but… Steady, habitual drill can make a big impact on young runners Steady, habitual drill can make a big impact on young runners Review: Drill and Routines handout Review: Drill and Routines handout

11. Running Form A few disclaimers: A few disclaimers: Not magic; we’ll take talent and heart over form anytime! Not magic; we’ll take talent and heart over form anytime! Many good coaches and great runners will tell you it is a waste of time… and they have a point! But… Many good coaches and great runners will tell you it is a waste of time… and they have a point! But… You can improve a kid’s form if you support it and structure it You can improve a kid’s form if you support it and structure it Good form can make kids faster and help prevent injury Good form can make kids faster and help prevent injury And, there are some HUGE “hidden” benefits to focusing on form. The mental “spiral”effect And, there are some HUGE “hidden” benefits to focusing on form. The mental “spiral”effect Two tools you might want to adapt (handouts) Two tools you might want to adapt (handouts)

12. Websites and Web Resources The tremendous potential (and tremendous demands) of a team web site The tremendous potential (and tremendous demands) of a team web site One site that may help you to encourage off-season training, communication, team building and making runners students and fans of the sport One site that may help you to encourage off-season training, communication, team building and making runners students and fans of the sport

14. The Study Group Brief review of a handout you may want to adapt for your young people Brief review of a handout you may want to adapt for your young people Can be a great “conversation starter” for troubled kids Can be a great “conversation starter” for troubled kids

15. Winter and Summer Training In terms of training, this is the single most that helped our program get to the next level. In terms of training, this is the single most that helped our program get to the next level. THEY have to do it, but we can provide the structure THEY have to do it, but we can provide the structure Quick review of some of the material we use Quick review of some of the material we use

16. II. Inspiration

17. A Team Philosophy Put your heart on your sleeve right there next to the rules Put your heart on your sleeve right there next to the rules Spend time trying to capture it, post it everywhere Spend time trying to capture it, post it everywhere Even if they still don’t read it, your attention to it will come through and they will get it Even if they still don’t read it, your attention to it will come through and they will get it A few excerpts from SLUH document A few excerpts from SLUH document A compliment to a Hall of Fame Coach A compliment to a Hall of Fame Coach

18. “3 to 1” Discipline A very simple concept… A very simple concept… ….very powerful results with young people, ….very powerful results with young people, …but sometimes very tough to do when you most need to do it! …but sometimes very tough to do when you most need to do it!

19. Telling Stories The season is a story…tell it! The season is a story…tell it! The program is a story (history, tradition), tell it! The program is a story (history, tradition), tell it! Every athlete’s journey is a story. Let him know you are following it. You may have to tell him the story! Every athlete’s journey is a story. Let him know you are following it. You may have to tell him the story! Behind every drill, face, course, workout, you’ll find you’ve got stories. TELL THEM! Stories WORK like nothing else. Behind every drill, face, course, workout, you’ll find you’ve got stories. TELL THEM! Stories WORK like nothing else. Two State stories we tell, one good, one not so good, both instructive. Two State stories we tell, one good, one not so good, both instructive.

20. The Power of “Stuff”

21. Fanfares for the Common Man or Woman

22. Everyone a Champion Get EVERYBODY on board with some version of EVERYTHING you’ve got to offer Get EVERYBODY on board with some version of EVERYTHING you’ve got to offer

23. When Things Fall Apart Seven-week entropy Seven-week entropy “Summer in the fall” practice days “Summer in the fall” practice days Only when you really have to, make “the speech.” Only when you really have to, make “the speech.” Constantly reinforce the importance of “the details,” even the tiny ones. Constantly reinforce the importance of “the details,” even the tiny ones. Actively go after the “behind the scenes”conflicts and get groups and individuals to reconcile Actively go after the “behind the scenes”conflicts and get groups and individuals to reconcile

24. Lessons I Learned the Hard Way The importance of recovery! The importance of recovery! Acne medications Acne medications Low iron Low iron Giving blood Giving blood Getting kids too keyed-up for big races Getting kids too keyed-up for big races To much worrying about “peaking” To much worrying about “peaking”

25. “Another Day At the Office”

26. Our REAL Work as Coaches A DEDICATION …. A DEDICATION ….

27. A Dedication Automatic Starts Automatic Starts Formal Finishes Formal Finishes