Ritz has huge issues and knows very well that he ruined the majority of his team with injuries and burn out. Having said that OAC needs new blood desperately if they want to stay competitive. Get rid of deadbeats like Andrews, Morgan, Vissa who will never be up there in any major international competition. Same with Sage although at least she’s been improving a bit. He needs to recruit the stars from NCAA and preferably more Americans.
I keep thinking of the insane amount of resources poured into that group and a majority are overtrained/injured. Obiri and Nuguse are the outliers, but also just insanely talented. Why is OAC worth it to ON, why is Ritz?
Easy to hate on Ritz, but in reality there is a lot of good and bad here. He's done a good job in getting his global athletes on Olympic teams. That's great for the brand. He also has the team out there racing and performing relatively well in all seasons of the year. That means consistent high quality performances all year long for the brand, and makes it easier for the global athletes to make teams as they often are required to hit a fast time and show they are in form.
He's also not really figured out how to peak athletes to maximize their performance through rounds. His US athletes that are not locks to make the team have struggled with the Trials, and his global athletes (outside of Yared) have struggled with rounds in global championships. Ritz, based on his own athletic history, is not going to be the coach that knows when to pull you back and keep you from getting injured. Athletes will need to have the maturity to deal with that themselves, and it will make the team a bad fit for a lot of athletes.
That said, in team sports, you can't win the title if you don't make the playoffs. Ritz seems to be focused on that adage with OAC and maximizing the number of athletes at global championships, then hoping for the best. It isn't the worst strategy. If he can continue through future Olympic cycles with the same level of success, the team will continue to be something On can tout as a success.
On a side note, the Coffee Club Bros had a terrible Olympics. No need to recap their performances here. But they really are spectacular ambassadors for the brand. They give a behind the scene view into the life of a professional runner, talk about how great the brand is treating them, and hype the products that are new and exciting to a niche group of consumers (high school and college runners as well as former competitive runners). This is a market of athletes possibly willing to try something new next time they are buying a pair of shoes. On obviously thinks the show is good for business, and they guys have done a great job of adding value to their role with the brand by running the show. My guess is that On sees their investment in Morgan, Ollie and George to be worthwhile even though none of them made an Olympic final.
I keep thinking of the insane amount of resources poured into that group and a majority are overtrained/injured. Obiri and Nuguse are the outliers, but also just insanely talented. Why is OAC worth it to ON, why is Ritz?
Easy to hate on Ritz, but in reality there is a lot of good and bad here. He's done a good job in getting his global athletes on Olympic teams. That's great for the brand. He also has the team out there racing and performing relatively well in all seasons of the year. That means consistent high quality performances all year long for the brand, and makes it easier for the global athletes to make teams as they often are required to hit a fast time and show they are in form.
He's also not really figured out how to peak athletes to maximize their performance through rounds. His US athletes that are not locks to make the team have struggled with the Trials, and his global athletes (outside of Yared) have struggled with rounds in global championships. Ritz, based on his own athletic history, is not going to be the coach that knows when to pull you back and keep you from getting injured. Athletes will need to have the maturity to deal with that themselves, and it will make the team a bad fit for a lot of athletes.
That said, in team sports, you can't win the title if you don't make the playoffs. Ritz seems to be focused on that adage with OAC and maximizing the number of athletes at global championships, then hoping for the best. It isn't the worst strategy. If he can continue through future Olympic cycles with the same level of success, the team will continue to be something On can tout as a success.
On a side note, the Coffee Club Bros had a terrible Olympics. No need to recap their performances here. But they really are spectacular ambassadors for the brand. They give a behind the scene view into the life of a professional runner, talk about how great the brand is treating them, and hype the products that are new and exciting to a niche group of consumers (high school and college runners as well as former competitive runners). This is a market of athletes possibly willing to try something new next time they are buying a pair of shoes. On obviously thinks the show is good for business, and they guys have done a great job of adding value to their role with the brand by running the show. My guess is that On sees their investment in Morgan, Ollie and George to be worthwhile even though none of them made an Olympic final.
I was a big fan of Ritz during his career but haven't followed his coaching closely.
Curious what examples there are of him overtraining his athletes? Other than outsiders inferring that's what's happening based on recent injuries?
If he is indeed a bad coach, then Yared's talent level must be insane. Like, he should already have the 1500m world record and have won gold in Paris by several strides.
Yet he sure put in a hell of a performance, so something must be going right. And Hellen Obiri has won NYC and Boston marathons under Ritz, right?
Olivia Markezich is an interesting test case for the "Ritz overtrains his athletes" take. The ND alum was near indestructable in college--a three-season competitor, perennial AA--and posted faster times and higher race placings from frosh to sr. Many expect her to have Nuguse-level success over the next 3-4 years. If her smooth, upward trajectory is interrupted anytime soon, coaching questions may arise.
I keep thinking of the insane amount of resources poured into that group and a majority are overtrained/injured. Obiri and Nuguse are the outliers, but also just insanely talented. Why is OAC worth it to ON, why is Ritz?
Easy to hate on Ritz, but in reality there is a lot of good and bad here. He's done a good job in getting his global athletes on Olympic teams. That's great for the brand. He also has the team out there racing and performing relatively well in all seasons of the year. That means consistent high quality performances all year long for the brand, and makes it easier for the global athletes to make teams as they often are required to hit a fast time and show they are in form.
He's also not really figured out how to peak athletes to maximize their performance through rounds. His US athletes that are not locks to make the team have struggled with the Trials, and his global athletes (outside of Yared) have struggled with rounds in global championships. Ritz, based on his own athletic history, is not going to be the coach that knows when to pull you back and keep you from getting injured. Athletes will need to have the maturity to deal with that themselves, and it will make the team a bad fit for a lot of athletes.
That said, in team sports, you can't win the title if you don't make the playoffs. Ritz seems to be focused on that adage with OAC and maximizing the number of athletes at global championships, then hoping for the best. It isn't the worst strategy. If he can continue through future Olympic cycles with the same level of success, the team will continue to be something On can tout as a success.
On a side note, the Coffee Club Bros had a terrible Olympics. No need to recap their performances here. But they really are spectacular ambassadors for the brand. They give a behind the scene view into the life of a professional runner, talk about how great the brand is treating them, and hype the products that are new and exciting to a niche group of consumers (high school and college runners as well as former competitive runners). This is a market of athletes possibly willing to try something new next time they are buying a pair of shoes. On obviously thinks the show is good for business, and they guys have done a great job of adding value to their role with the brand by running the show. My guess is that On sees their investment in Morgan, Ollie and George to be worthwhile even though none of them made an Olympic final.
Great point regarding Coffee Club being ambassadors for the sport and the On brand. They’ve created a great audience with their podcast and active presence at events like the Penn Relays. When did Bowerman or other training groups do anything similar? Bottom line - they are creating great value for the On brand and that in itself is worth sponsoring. Hopefully - they can get back on track and make the big finals are bring home more hardware!
Olivia Markezich is an interesting test case for the "Ritz overtrains his athletes" take. The ND alum was near indestructable in college--a three-season competitor, perennial AA--and posted faster times and higher race placings from frosh to sr. Many expect her to have Nuguse-level success over the next 3-4 years. If her smooth, upward trajectory is interrupted anytime soon, coaching questions may arise.
Are people really expecting Nuguse level success for Markezich out of the gate? He has been a pro for just over 2 years and has a global medal and holds an american record in the mile. Shes very talented but shes 17 seconds off the american record in the steeple and even setting a new american record wouldn't have medaled this year.
Ritz took a group that was starting from scratch and in year 1 had Olympians. Year 4 they have two Olympic bronze medals.
They are one of the most talked about groups. Great investment by On and gave them instant credibility. Hell before they got any medals in he NYTimes was saying they may be the best team in the world which was a pretty bad take but they are very good and relevant.
What do you want On to do ? Shutter its most successful group and have no medalists?
The Ritz haters are just jealous .
ON has a great guy doing their spikes. That's all I know
I keep thinking of the insane amount of resources poured into that group and a majority are overtrained/injured. Obiri and Nuguse are the outliers, but also just insanely talented. Why is OAC worth it to ON, why is Ritz?
Ritz is a way better coach then you are giving credit for.
If anything your argument is better for why OAC and Ritz should move on from some of their athletes that aren't succeeding with the high level of coaching and support they are receiving. OAC may be loyal to a fault to the athletes that got in early.
Ritz is too old school for his own good, and most importantly, the good of his athletes. Fisher has shown that the minimum effective dose is the way to go, especially after having built a giant base. Monson is ready for that switch but she will keep getting run into the ground. Dathan needs to review his build up for this cycle and realize that whatever he was trying to do was simply to ambitious and ultimately not worth it. There really is not excuse to get it this wrong.
This is another weird anti-OAC thread. The last one was about Sage Hurta-Klecker. I'm amazed someone has the patience and free time to manage 10-20 spam accounts for voting.
The pro-OAC posts above me haven't been down-voted yet. I wonder if OP is sleeping.
Since when being an Olympian been so easy? The countries you mentioned is even harder since not only you have to be top 3 but also a federation has a saying.
If you created a poll asking NCAA distance folks if having an opportunity, would they join OAC, no doubt most would.
Well Tuohy and Valby didn’t. And neither did Nico Young. Lots of mediocre runners would no doubt
OAC has had more success than any American-based group since it’s been operational. Mediocre runners don’t qualify group.