Vast wasteland

I just want to expand my thoughts about the vast wasteland of middle distance running last track seasons. It was a vast wasteland. That's a fact. As a coach, I take full responsibility and blame for that. It's on me, not on the athletes.

When we graduated DeMarco, Bambi, Quinn, Carroll and all the other record-setting relay runners who made up our great long sprint and middle distance squad for many years, I failed to replenish that area of the team through recruiting and development. That's on me as a coach. So when I referred to that vast wasteland, that points to a failure of mine as a coach and not of the athletes.

Colin Johnson ran 1:59 for an open 800 and was our fastest open 800 runner indoors and outdoors last year. Chuck and I are extremely proud of this! Colin was a high school hockey player and a 2:10ish half-miler in high school. I did my best to dissuade him from running on the team (true story!), yet he kept coming back, kept showing up, kept working hard. I kept telling him he wouldn't make our travel squad. He kept showing up, kept working hard. And now he is a legit sub-2:00 800 guy, and should be a player on some of our relays this year. He deserves all the credit for how he has developed, and so does Chuck for sticking with him and working hard. I was able to work closely with him during the track seasons last year and I grew to realize what a great runner he is, to go along with being the great person we all knew he was all along.

Maynes did break 2:00 on relay splits and came agonizingly close to a sub-2:00 open 800 on too many occasions to mention. He will agree that this is a disappointment and it is a disappointment for me as a coach. It wasn't for a lack of trying on either of our parts, and he was a valued member of the team for 4 years.

I think B-Dix and T-Dix would agree that their senior seasons were up and down and somewhat disappointing as well. Again, not from a lack of trying. And again, it was great to have them on our squad for 4 years and they are missed as well.

Lastly, our 4x400 was just not good all year, indoors or outdoors.

Again, Chuck and I will do our best to change this for the 2009 track seasons.

I defend my choice of words (vast wasteland), and our mission it to change it this year. One step and one race at a time.

Off to the world of Mickey Mouse. I do not have a laptop so no blogging unless there is a public computer at the hotel. If I can, I will. If not, check www.goredfoxes.com for updates on the women's and men's team performances.

Blog on, brothers and sisters.