astro wrote:
I think the issue with Palmer is not just that he was getting Kenyan runners, but runners who came in at 22 years of age. The ability to get runners to the line healthy is certainly commendable, although Alabama suffered the usual share of injuries. But is very hard to credit him for developing any of the Kenyan runners. Does not mean he is a bad coach, just a bit untested. Can he recruit and develop local talent?
With Henes she has handled Tuohy and Chmiel brilliantly, and Tuohy especially given the history of blue chip recruits in the sport, the pressure and the injuries she was dealing with coming into college. Plus she has handled other athletes very intelligently (Hays, Steelman, Moreno, etc) and runners have developed well in her program. With Henes it was always a matter of getting the talent. but once she got it she hit it out of the park.
This is exactly the double standard I was addressing. Getting Kenyans to the line is 'commendable', but getting Tuohy and Chmiel to the line is 'brilliant'. Chmiel was also just as blue chip as Tuohy, KC class of '19 US#1 vs KT class of '20 US#1.
Tyynismaa is local talent from Alabama high school w prs 2:13 4:56 10:32,
developed to 4:09 1500, 8:52 3000, 15:33 5000, 3rd '21 NCAA xc
Moreno class of '17 at least now 24, Hays & Steelman were both grad students 23+.
Kenyans also have to deal with school, training, the long meet schedule and pressure to perform to keep scholarship, all in second language.