Meet the Coaches: Coach Andie

Next up in our Meet the Coaches series is Coach Andie!

Around EDT, Coach Andie is definitely the “team mom.” She is full of love, compassion, and understanding, and has a special way of creating lasting bonds with the athletes she coaches.

What makes Andie such a special coach is her ability to blend the X’s and O’s of training with never losing sight of the person behind the athlete. She sees kids as people first. She cares deeply, works tirelessly both in preparation and at practice, and pours an incredible amount of herself into all things EDT.

Her voice can light up a space, her athletes know she genuinely cares about them, and she is exactly the kind of role model we want our kids to have.

As a reminder, every coach in our Meet the Coaches series gets the exact same questionnaire. The fun part is seeing how differently each coach answers and how their personality, philosophy, and heart for coaching come through in their own way.

Here’s Coach Andie!

What’s your “why” for coaching? What keeps you coming back season after season?

I do it for the kids. I love being part of their running journey and knowing that, in some small way, I helped them grow into the best version of themselves.

What’s one thing you hope every athlete learns from you that has absolutely nothing to do with running?

Self-esteem and confidence in yourself are everything.

Finish this sentence: A great coach is someone who...

Sees you, hears you, and recognizes what makes you an individual.

What’s your favorite part of coaching that parents or athletes probably don’t realize you love?

Being silly and vulnerable with the kids. I love being able to laugh with them and just be myself.

If you could give every young runner one piece of advice and make sure they actually listened, what would it be?

Never give up.

You get the aux cord at practice. What song are you playing to get the team fired up?

“Pump Up the Jam” by Technotronic. A classic!

Pick your coaching superpower: unlimited patience, perfect weather every practice, athletes who always remember their watches, or the ability to instantly heal every little ache and pain?

Heal all the ouchies!

What were you like as a kid and young athlete?

Shy, quiet, and definitely a rule follower.

What’s one random thing about you that would probably surprise the EDT kids?

I have a 27-year-old son!

Rapid fire: Early-morning run or evening run? Track or XC? Hills or intervals? Hot or cold? Race day or practice day?

Early morning. XC. Intervals. Cold. Race day.

If you weren’t coaching, what would you probably be doing with all those extra hours?

Running or reading.

What’s one coaching hill you’re willing to die on, no matter what anyone else says?

No complaining. It spreads like a virus!

You can steal one trait from any athlete you’ve ever coached and give it to every kid on the team. What trait are you picking?

Grit.

What’s your perfect post-race meal?

Steak and mashed potatoes.

What’s your most embarrassing running or coaching moment that you’re willing to admit publicly?

Running the coaches relay at Englewood was not my finest moment. I clearly died.

What’s something you’re embarrassingly bad at that everyone assumes a functioning adult should know how to do?

Walking. I am not graceful and fall way more often than I should.

What’s a coaching moment you know you’ll remember for the rest of your life?

Watching EDT become a family that keeps getting bigger and better every year.

What do you hope your athletes remember about you years from now?

That I cared about and loved every one of them.

Who had the biggest impact on the person or coach you are today, and why?

Coach Tate. He taught me everything I know.

What’s a moment with an athlete that reminded you exactly why you chose to coach?

Watching an athlete who was unsure of themselves, slower, and didn’t even see themselves as a runner grow into a leader and become one of the most confident kids I know.

When your coaching days are eventually over, what do you hope you left behind in the athletes you worked with?

Confidence and self-love.