Building a Championship Program from the Ground Up

Denver Stone Kaufman High SchoolEmail: dstone@kaufmanisd.net

My Coaching Background

• 2000-Began coaching at Eustace Junior High (started JH program)

• 2002-First Year Head Cross Country, Eustace High School• 2002-2007-Head Cross Country, Eustace High School• 2007-Present-Head Cross Country, Kaufman High School• 11 years-Head Cross Country Coaching Experience

Coaching Results

• District Championships: 19 out of 22 possible(boys and girls)• Regional Championships: 5• Top 10 Regional Individuals: 20• State Qualifying Teams: 14 (7 at each school)• Top 10 State Individuals: 6• State Championships: 1

Every Coaches DreamTwo of the Four seniors on this team started running with me in the junior high, my first year at Kaufman in 2007. They were eighth graders with talent, but zero clue about running.

Keys to Building Your ProgramI. Develop your program’s philosophyII. RecruitIII. Create a competitive environmentIV. Staple workoutsV. Summer trainingVI. Promote your programVII. Strength trainingVIII. Educate your athletes and parents about

running

Develop Your Program’s Philosophy

• You have to decide what type of program you want– Coach-centered, athlete-centered, or a mixture– High-mileage (41-up), mid-mileage (25-40) or low-mileage

(25 or less) – Build a network with other coaches to discuss training and

philosophical ideas (coaches clinic)– Set your program’s goals– Have a code of conduct in place– You are the CEO of the program

Recruit

• Find kids who have some running ability• Look at the state picture

– Where?• School employees’ kids• Pre-junior high • Junior high• High school

– How?• Build rapport with other coaches on staff• Get your current athletes to bring a buddy to practice

Create A Competitive Environment

• Team– Time trial averages– 200m relays on the track (teams of 3)– Meet (total time of top five runners)

• Individual– Burnout sets in the weight room– Gut check 400m after weight room– Get athletes fighting for those top seven spots

Workout Cycles

• Three-four week cycles• The first 4 weeks are basically gathering data, with the four

time trials, and letting the kids get used to the different types of workouts described below. Adding mileage at 10% per week depending on time in the program.

• The second four weeks are fun, because the kids are looking forward to bettering themselves on each time trial.

• The third cycle is where you start honing in on the championship season heading into district. These time trials are blistering.

• The last 3 weeks (post district) are all about priming and reducing mileage and increasing race pace specific training.

Staple Workouts(Speed)– Quarters

• Implementation: 8x400 1-4 seconds faster than current mile time trial with 1 minute recovery • Objective: Increase lactate threshold/tolerance• Frequency: Every other week

– 200s• Implementation: 12x200s with a jog diagonally across the field.

– Pace is at mile pace for 400m minus 6 seconds• Objective: Speed development, increase lactate tolerance, and mental toughness• Frequency: Every other week

– Time Trials• Implementation: Mile, 2-Mile, 3-Mile, 4-Mile

– After the first cycle is when the fun begins, because you get to watch the kids make huge improvements and then they are sold.

• Objective: Our “constant” during XC to show improvement. Individual and team goals– Every meet is different: hilly, measurement, muddy, etc.

• Frequency: Every Monday we time

Staple Workouts (Distance)– Progressive Runs

• Implementation: 4-10 miles at 2:00 slower (first mile) than current mile time trial– 1-2:00, 2-1:55, 3-1:50, 4-1:45, 5-1:40, 6-1:35, 7-1:30, 8-1:25, 9-1:20, 10-1:15– 7-10 mile range I keep the pace the same. 4-6 mile range I will drop the pace per mile 10 seconds

• Objective: Building aerobic capacity• Frequency: Weekly adding a mile every two weeks

– Fartlek• Implementation: On the turf football field. Shoes off.

– 1 minute on/ 1 minute off for 20 to 30 minutes– 5,4,3,2,1 on with 5,4,3,2,1 off

• Objective: Speed play, aerobic/lactate threshold, strengthening lower leg and foot muscles• Frequency: Every other week

– Negative Runs• Implementation: Usually, four miles on the track.

– The first two miles are capped at a moderate pace, then it is a race on the last two miles.• Objective: I keep the first two mile cap the same all season long and chart their difference.• Every other week

– Tempo Runs• Implementation: four-seven miles at 1:30 slower than current mile time trial• Objective: Increase lactate threshold• Frequency: Weekly adding a mile every two weeks up to seven miles

Summer Training• First Ever THSCA Clinic

– Steve Telaneus said: “The summer is where you become great.”• 5Ks and 10Ks

– I set up four or five races that I suggest the kids go run.– Every race you compete in you learn something.

• Summer Workout Calendar– I give my athletes a calendar for them to log every mile– Mile Club T-Shirt incentive

• 100 Mile Club 150 Mile Club 200 Mile Club• Base work

– Going longer• The summer is about extending the athlete to new distances• You have 12 weeks starting August 5th to get their speed up

Promote Your Program• CEO

– Chief Executive Officer• In our profession it means we do everything!!!!

• Know and embrace your program’s history– If you know the history of your program, you are showing the kids you aren’t just about you.– It can be motivational for them to achieve things that haven't been achieved before.

• Email the entire school district about meet accomplishments– You’d be surprised how many actually like to hear about success.– If you don’t get the information out about your athletes, it may not get out

• Get to know your local newspaper’s sports reporter/editor– Email all results to the paper– Email pictures– Always make it easy for the media outlet

• Host a meet– You can make $$$ for your program.– It is a local meet that family, locals, and classmates can attend.

Strength Training• The Advantages– Improves muscular strength– Improves muscular endurance– Improves mental toughness– Creates confidence– Improves muscle tone– Results can be seen every day in the mirror– Improves flexibility– Aids in injury prevention– Improves body composition– Gives you a great coaching point

Strength Training• Weights

– Bench press, traditional squats, single leg squats, dumbbell curls, military press, calf raises, straight leg dead lift, dumbbell lunges, power cling• I put together a rotation and we use 3-5 different exercises from the above list.• Three sets of ten reps during the first cycle, 8, 6, 4 during the second cycle and 2 sets of 10 during the

3rd cycle• No leg weights during the championship weeks (Post district)

• Core– Ab Nation is what we call it in Kaufman

• 5-10 minutes of all different kinds of abdominal work• Every day except for Friday, we do some sort of ab workout

• Bleachers– Once a week

• Sprints and hops• Bungees

– Once a week– Partner resistance sprints– Good for form running and simulates hill work

Educate Your Athletes and Parents on Running

• Running is the sport with the most participation in America and so few know about it

• Nutrition– Cut out sodas– Lay off the fried foods– Drink water (pass a water fountain, take a drink)– Eat fruits and vegetables– Choose a salad or a wrap over the hamburger or chicken strips – Drink milk or take a calcium/potassium supplement

• Pacing– Make sure they understand how you want them to run a race, time trial,

practice.– I tell them the first 25% of the race may not win it for you, but it sure can lose

it.• First 25%: controlled speed (fast but not working to be fast, relaxed fast)• Next 50%: work to maintain your first 25% pace• Last 25%: the competitor in you will show itself in this phase of the race

Educate Your Athletes and Parents on Running

• Proper mileage increase– The golden rule is 10% a week

• You don’t have to increase every week.• The key is starting out each runner at the proper mileage to his/her level of fitness not

fastness.

• The hows and whys for your workouts– Give them an anatomy lesson as to how and why you’re doing each workout– The athletes who get what each workout is doing for them (not to them) are

the ones that take advantage of every workout. • Proper running shoes/socks/clothes

– Proper shoes are the first line of defense for injury prevention.– Moisture wicking socks will cut down on blisters and callouses from forming

• A blister can linger for weeks and really hamper training• Mole Skin

– Dri-fit clothing will cut down on skin chafing