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PHHS CC practice @ Bristow

September 21, 2017 (Morning)

Exercise Type: Run

Weather: 60, "fake cold"/overcast

Comments:
Dispensing my fear of rejection, I texted Beth last night about attending practice, since it's been nearly a month and I finally have a free afternoon.

We had a weird text exchange. I offered to help if any kids were banged up, an she immediately replied, "Who did you have in mind" (my read: defensive). I said, "No one, just offering".

Then, tick-tock, no reply til two hours later, when she wrote, "Feel free to join us" (my read: come if you want, I guess)

So I did.

Met at the HS. Kids were happy to see me, and the first words out of Maddy's mouth were of hip pain. We talked about it (same shit as the spring: left anterior-lateral hip from a right hip and knee that aren't doing their share). After some milling around, all the kids piled into cars to drive 5mi to Bristow SP.

Same deal as three weeks ago: warm-up mile+, drills, jog to the dam (2.2.5mi) some "hill repeats" then back. A few observations:

- Beth was SUPER-positive and energetic, again. I'm not sure if this is consistent or not (or just when I'm here), but regardless, it's a good thing.

- I jogged the warm-up out and back, chatting with some of the "JV" (but really not, they're the 5-6 girls - CRUCIAL team members, but they're not really "a part" of the varsity 4 in training or socially).

- I noticed a new freshman boy, Preston, whose super freshman awkward but has a GREAT stride.

- Hunter and Callan ran on their own. By themselves. Again.

- Kyler was late.

After we jogged the warm-up, I noticed that Sam Ellis was walking. While I was working with Maddy, she talked to me. Right knee pain. Actually locked up. Got that moving with some stretching (swivz), and I wrapped them both up by the time it was time to run.

- Beth got weirdly (unnecessarily) defensive about both Sam and Maddy. About Sam: "...had she TOLD me it was sore last week, we would've done something about it". That's Sam's MO: strong & silent. She won't say anything unless you ask...OR until YOU ask. It's not her fault. With Maddy, she harped on her to "do all her exercises" -- but it was as if Beth thought she, herself, should know exactly what's going on and what to do (No, you don't - it's complicated).

- After some light walking, I jogged easy with Maddy and Sam. They told me about last week's meet - and some GREAT team running amongst the four of them (Maddy, Sam, Jaesa, Daelyn). Not only was that great, but the fact that thes two -- one from each "rival duo" -- were running and socializing together!

- Even BETTER: Daelyn and Jaesa were also running and chatting! It appears maybe their Beef is finally squashed?

- Jogged to the hill. Maddy and Sam didn't do reps, and turned back. I ran ahead and linked up with some of the JV kids, eventually hooking up with Preston. Again, he's not fast (yet) but he's got a GREAT stride.

- I'm not sure there's anything more important than supporting and affirming these freshman kids. I introduced myself, told him about how nice his stride looks, then we ran back to the parking lot together. I just asked a bunch of questions about him, and offered some bits of advice (like running easy on easy days, etc). Really good kid.

- Once I got back to the parking lot, I was pretty cashed from my AM workout, so I stopped. But the rest of the kids do this thing called "Satellite-ing" -- the fastest kids get to the "end", then double back 'til they find the slowest group...then turn and run back. This is cool, and a good way to keep everyone together. However, what can happen is, the faster (or even mid pack) kids end up running quite a bit more. A six miler can turn into 9. Even worse, they wind up grinding (and even sprinting) the end of their runs -- like today, which is supposed to be easy and recovery. I'm not sure who they were even running back to: it might've simply been Beth and Michelle, who (for some reason) were only walking.

Regardless, it's not *bad*, but another example of lack of training oversight and discipline. You can't run Medium every day.

- Once back, it was time for "8 minute abs". Just really sloppy and of poor utility: a lot of "squirming", and of little benefit. The push-ups: 6 sets of ten FULL (and fast) push-ups? They were really bad. Poor form, and a lot of arm, shoulder and neck stress.

- I talked to Beth about volunteering at the meet on Saturday. I figure that's a good thing to do, and the requisite "reciprocity" for being allowed to come to practice. I'll do something that'll allow me to spectate-cheer during the races.

So, all-in-all, it's "Fine". But there's a lot of deficits:

A.)Lacking discipline in a number of areas:

1. Kids still come and go without consequence. Still haven't seen Ethan and Angi (though I know those kids are "special needs"; the former needs to be there and have that accountability as part of his "co-curricular education"), or kids like Sam Scheutz (where's he?).

2. No pace discipline. This seems to be the case with both easy and hard days (where there's a lack of pace prescription).

3. Poor discipline on execution of warm-up (drills) and strength.

B.) Deficient leadership expectations: I'm pretty disappointed here. Although I've only been to two practices, I've yet to see Hunter, Kyler or Callan say a single word to any kid -- or run with any other kid -- than themselves. That's grossly deficient in what you need from your best and senior runners. The underclassmen run by themselves.

The girls have been better - at interacting amongst themselves - but the issue is the same: I'm seeing no interaction between the senior girls (Sam, Daelyn) and the younger (or non track) girls like Julia and Rachel.

It's not that they're NOT great leaders. They are. But there's no expectation or structure for them to do so (other than leading the drills and elements of strength).

It's a HUGE performance and development issue, because both these teams essentially are only a single kid (or on the boys' side, two) from being a championship (district, if not state) contender. But you have to develop that ability, through confidence, and that requires a lot of affirmation, support and trust. And it's not there.

All that said...it's "Fine". Disappointing for sure, but fine.