coaching

First talk to them and if that doesn't work cut them, remove the cancer now. It will be tough in the short term but good for the future of your team. You need to send a message of what is expected of your athletes. No one is above the team.

I hate to agree, but it's 100% true. You wouldn't hesitate for a second if it was your #11 and #12 guys, why would it be acceptable for your #1 and #2...

runnr wrote:

I have a tremendous amount of talent

No, Jack Daniels has a tremendous amount of talent.

You are a new coach with a few good runners that you don't know how to coach.

You almost sound like a troll.

I can't believe turds like you actually waste time on here posting crap like that.

Thanks to you first few guys that responded. That does make sense, sadly.

Welcome to high school coaching and in many cases college coaching, where the athletes think they know everything and more than you.

Like another poster said, talk to them again and if they don't conform, cut em'. It is more enjoyable to work with kids who want to run and who want to listen, than dealing with a few talented knuckle heads.

Also, I agree with talk to them about their behavior, how it affects them and the team. Then if they do not comply, cut them. I have taken over several college programs where I had to cut All-Americans from the team. In the short term it hurt, but in the long term it helped. Every athlete on the team worked harder and cared more, and future athletes new the expectations. Hope it helps

You sound like a moron. Try parsing his sentence differently. He is saying that he is a coach. He has a tremendous amount of Talent. Like, his athletes are talented. But the most talented don't show.He is asking for advice on how to manage and motivate high school kids.To the OP: read How to Win Friends and Influence People. It has great management advice.Think before you type.

No, Jack Daniels has a tremendous amount of talent.

You are a new coach with a few good runners that you don't know how to coach.

You almost sound like a troll.

runnr wrote:

I am a new coach. I have a tremendous amount of talent

And still you can't even motivate people to come to practice, make believe coaches like you crack me up.

Here's what I do. We just started practicing this week. During the first week, I keep track of attendence; but, it doesn't really count against them if they miss. When they do miss, I let them know if they had an acceptable excuse or not. If it's something unacceptable that they plan on also having to miss practice for in the future (work, rec sports practice), I tell them they have the rest of the week to straighten it out to where it doesn't interfere with cross country practice. If they can't straighten it out, they either have to quit cross country or quit the other activity. Starting the second week, every missed practice counts against them. I usually give them 2-3 unexcused absences for the rest of the season before giving them the boot.

I do work out different practice schedules with my runners who are on the school swim team, participate in band and other after school activities, and leave school early to go take college courses.

I usually don't make any compromises for non school related activities.

runnerr wrote:

runnr wrote:

I am a new coach. I have a tremendous amount of talent

And still you can't even motivate people to come to practice, make believe coaches like you crack me up.

I believe he means a tremendous amount of talent among his runners, not that he's a tremendously talented coach.