AN ODE TO MY COACH

Coach Erik Cross

Like most people, I wanted to be the best. I was always competitive nature, wanting to be the best at whatever I did. Whether that be Soccer, Baseball, or Basketball, I strove to be the greatest, and worked hard to hone my craft. Around 5th grade I found running, and worked hard to become a good runner on my middle school team.

I worked hard, did all the workouts I was asked, and ran until I was tired, part time. The rest? I was sitting down playing video games, eating junk food, and wouldn't run on weekends or during my off seasons.

Freshmen year, I did the same thing. I didn't train during the summer leading up to the season, and came in out of shape. I still worked hard, and impressed some of my fellow runners with decent times for an incoming freshmen.

2 years later, I became a Varsity caliber runner on my state-qualifying team. How? My coach.

It started my Freshmen off season. I realized that I needed to work harder to give myself a chance at being a top 7 varsity runner. Our team that year had qualified for the first time in 8 years to compete at state, and having been able to witness that, I became determined to experience it myself. This meant I needed to begin running in the off season. I ran everyday that winter training with varsity doing a modified version of there workouts. A fellow freshmen decided to do this too, and along with some returning varsity runners, became the largest off season group my coach ever had.

After a track season with some Pr's and disappointments, I was hungry for Cross Country. My Cross Country coach would often have to split time with hurdlers, as well as being the head Track meaning less chance to learn or talk to him. That summer, I continued working hard, running faster than I ever had in my life. For the first time, I was able to clip at a pace of 6:30's to close long runs, a feat I could barely manage to achieve in races the previous season. This work lead to a great opening race, a smile from my coach, and a varsity qualifying time.

That couldn't have lasted though, with me suffering from a combination of fear, anxiety, stress, and burn out leading to a sudden drop-off. I went from running sub 19:00's to running 19:13 and 19:30 my last two races. While other runners were improving, I slowly faded into irrelevance. That year, the varsity team would again qualify for state, a team I was no longer on. Anger began to rise, as I expressed my feelings towards certain runners who I felt didn't work as hard as I. I believed that my hard work should've translated to a state berth, over an obnoxious runner and one who never ran during the off season. I expressed the discontent on twitter, which my coach happened to see.

He pulled me aside and gave me a good, long talk. He explained how he had been in the same spot during his basketball playing days, being overlooked by colleges to teammates who worked no where near as hard as he had. He also told me how inappropriate my attitude had been. I, at the time didn't necessarily understand still why I didn't get a chance to compete, and still quite angry, but did agree I may have been acting wrong.

I thank him for that, as I realize I was being very immature with my behavior and was not prepared to handle a complete season or race at a state level meet.

The following year I continued working hard for Track, but got a lung infection and was unable to train or race most of the season, and when I did I was nowhere near where I could've been. This, along with returning 3 of the top 5 runners gave the cross country team another great shot at state, and after missing out the previous year, I was determined to make it.

My coach pushed me this season. He knew each of his athletes, and coached based on our personalities. For example, he knew I was easily stressed and decided not to talk about goals and such to avoid adding pressure. During the season, he'd encourage me and pull me aside and have talks with me about race plans, staying relaxed, and trusting the training. He'll explain each workout, and talk about how they'd improve my times. Again, during a meet I ran a poor time and was told I would be pulled from the varsity team, and trust me I was pissed. I expressed this to my coach, and he told me exactly what I needed to hear. The next race, I ran angry and hard, and it resulted in me gaining my spot back. He expressed he was proud and impressed, and from that point I ran each race like I was on the fence (which, I happened to actually be). Flash forward to Districts, I had missed the previous meet (which was on our District course) due to a nagging knee injury, and watched JV athletes who were also on the fence, run times better than my previous PR. This worried me, because prior history had shown he would take his top 7, rather than those who worked hardest (and rightfully, you want your top 7 fastest runners competing for any chance to do well). I talked to him 3 days before my race, and he explained how our District was extremely close and we may not even make the state qualification. Our team had the times able to be in the top 3 teams, but with inconsistency and athletes dropping out midrace. Yet, if was healthy, he'd put faith in me and I would be the #7 on our team for the varsity race. That week, I ran through the nagging pain, controlled with ibuprofen, and came into the District race hurt by determined to compete. The day prior, my coach gave us an encouraging pep-talk, explaining how every runner matters, 1-7, and we must run the best race we can. Our best would be good enough.

That race, I played that talk through my head, over and over. I thought about all I sacrificed into the sport, and how much my coach cared about us and pushed us to be the best athletes and people we could. I ran all out, coming in as the #5 runner, passing another runner at the line.

Our team won by 1 point.

It was the first win in 25 years, and was an emotional one for all of us. For me, it was proof that my hard work and dedication had paid off. To qualify for state during my best friends last year (he's a senior) and win for my coach was enough to have me in tears.

My coach doesn't get enough credit, ever. What he puts into our program grants no respect. He turned this program around, and created a consistent threat to make state. He spoke wisdom to all athletes, and those who listened learned how to become great. He pushed those who took the sport seriously. He studied the sport, learned the best coaching methods, and used them to craft each athlete, keeping us healthy and constantly improving.

Our Swimming just got interviewed for turning there program around. It talks about the coach having an impact on the program, going from 30 athletes to 80 within a couple years. They have a shot at placing top 3 in District for the first time in a while...

That's great for them.

One quote from the article was "At Silverton, every other sport has gotten more recognition than swimming"

They forget us.

During our pep assemblies, we got a quick mention. After winning Districts, we got a mention that was overshadowed by the clapping for our girl's soccer team (2nd in district) and football team (3rd in district) making playoffs.

It sucks for us, being forgotten, but it's a shame for my coach.

A man who took a small program with very little funding, and created a competitive program with over 70 athletes, brought home a district title, has qualified for state 3 years straight, and has given kids a family-like atmosphere within the sport and program.

People like to say coaches don't matter. They don't run the races, the athletes do. A program can be turned around by an influx of talent. That's not the whole truth though. Without our coach, we never would've been able to win. We were talented, but raw. He taught us to work and come together as a team, and turned a program of 14 to 70 within 10 years. That's all the coach, not talent.

[Erik]Coach Cross, you're the best coach I've ever had, a second dad of sorts. Thank you for all you've done to the program, athletes, and me personally. You deserve recognition, much more then this. The impact you've had is unmatched, and cannot be put into words. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

- @_wwright5 ( will )