Give Them a Vision: Coaching With Purpose

One of the most important things we can give young athletes is a clear vision of where we are going.

What are we trying to accomplish this week? Where do we want to be a month from now? What are we ultimately working toward at the end of the season?

Those goals may change based on progress, and that is okay. Athletes develop differently, things happen, and sometimes the original plan needs to change. But the vision should always be clear.

An athlete should never be wondering what we are working toward, either individually or as a team.

Give Them Something to Chase

Every week is not about running a PR.

PRs are awesome, and they should absolutely be celebrated. But especially in cross country, there is so much more to racing than a time on the clock.

Maybe the goal is beating someone we have never beaten. Maybe it is closing a gap, moving up through the field, helping the team score, or simply competing better than we did the week before.

Give kids something to chase.

And it is okay for those goals to be lofty. Sometimes telling a young runner, “I think you can do this,” is exactly what helps them start believing they can too.

Do Your Homework

At EDT, we do our homework.

We know our athletes. We pay attention to their training, their strengths, what has worked for them before, and how they are progressing.

We also pay attention to the competition. Who are we racing? Where do we match up? What opportunities are in front of us?

Then we prepare the best we can and line up ready to go.

There are never guarantees in distance running. But when the work has been done and everyone understands the goal, athletes can step to the line knowing they are prepared to leave it all out there with no regrets.

Keep the Fun at the Front

Through all of this, fun and enjoyment still need to lead the way.

These are kids. They should look forward to practice, laugh with their teammates, make friends, compete, and create some great memories along the way.

Having big goals and having fun do not have to work against each other. We believe the best youth running environments have plenty of both.

Every season should have a vision. Every month should have a purpose. Every week should move us a little closer to where we want to go.

The destination may change along the way. That is part of coaching. But the kids should always know what we are chasing and why.

At EDT, the results we see from our athletes are not accidental. There is a lot of thought, preparation, and intention behind what we do and why we do it. We want kids to have an incredible experience, but we also want to help them discover just how good they can become.

Come see what makes Elevated Distance Training special, what drives the results our athletes continue to achieve, and experience it for yourself.

Come be part of EDT.