In order to get some representation from all corners of the US, I invited a few outstanding coaches to volunteer as regional contributors for Coaching Distance.
Meet Coach Doug Petrick from the Northeast. Coach Petrick is a creative coaching mind and has provided many valuable posts sharing information on what's worked for his squads. You can follow Coach Petrick on Coaching Distance here.
Get to Know Coach Petrick
The three most memorable performances your athletes/teams have produced?
In no particular order...
2019 Cross Country Season: Entire girls team advances to the Cross Country State Meet for the first time in Upper St. Clair Cross Country History and finish 5th overall at state in the AAA Girls Team Race. Two individual boys advance to the Cross Country State Meet also.
Post Season Cross Country 2017: Savannah Shaw advances to Foot Locker Nationals and finishes 16th overall in California at the FL Nationals Meet.
2019 Boys & Girls Spring Track & Field Season: 3 Athletes advance to the State Meet after having 4 individuals medal and 3 relay teams medal at our district championships.
What would you do differently as a first-year coach?
Valued a weekly long run for my athletes.
Split them up in groups and made that a weekly thing that progresses; done by minutes
(I did a lot of things wrong, so hard to pick one thing. All the stuff I do wrong helps me learn and grow.)
Best advice you’ve ever received, read, heard, etc.
Don't be afraid to share & learn from others. The best and most successful coaches will happily share their methods and philosophy with you. Miles or minutes?
Minutes.
A memorable track or cross country photo.
Girls expressing their joy after winning Hoodies at the Red White Blue Invite in September 2019 for a stellar team performance.
A quote.
Everything is a progression, so be patient and use professional judgement, feedback, and data to help you evolve as a coach.
A book.
Smarter, Faster, Better: The Secrets of Being Productive in Life & Business by Charles Duhigg- Great book that help you improve in all areas of your life.
A movie.
The Thing by John Carpenter (1982)- How can you go wrong with Kurt Russell acting and John Carpenter directing?