Meet the Coaches: Coach Tate

Next up in our Meet the Coaches series is EDT founder and head coach, Coach Tate!

Coach Tate might best be described as each athlete’s own personal one-man hype squad. Animated, enthusiastic, and rarely quiet, his energy is infectious. But underneath all that energy is a coach who pays incredibly close attention to the individual and the details.

He has a knack for seeing an athlete’s strengths and weaknesses, figuring out what makes them tick, and meeting them exactly where they are. His feedback is honest, his expectations are high, and he works hard to make sure every athlete feels seen, heard, and valued. Whether it is analyzing splits, building workouts, planning the smallest logistical details, or celebrating an athlete like they just won the Olympics, Coach Tate pours his heart and soul into EDT and his coaching.

His passion for running and coaching are pretty hard to separate. He still loves training and racing himself and hopes that, along with helping kids chase their goals today, he can show them what a lifelong love of running can look like.

Like every coach in this series, Coach Tate was given the exact same questionnaire. Same questions. Very different answers. Here’s what he had to say!

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

It makes me feel alive and gives me purpose. I am beyond passionate about running, and being able to share that passion and the knowledge I’ve gained over the years is the ultimate gift.

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

Work hard and be honest. Everything else tends to take care of itself.

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

Practices what they preach.

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

I’m pretty animated, so people generally know the things I love! But I genuinely love analyzing data, planning workouts, and building training programs. Yes, I’m a nerd.

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

Believe in yourself and bet on yourself!

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

Turn Down For What! - Lil Jon

What were you like as a kid and young athlete?

As a young kid, I was very shy and unsure of myself. As I found running, I became more confident and enthusiastic. Running really helped me find myself.

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

I collect vintage G.I. Joes from the ’80s and early ’90s. I have a pretty fun collection that I am super proud of!

P.S. Ahem... great coach gift. :)

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

I’m ignoring the format here. Give me an early-morning long threshold session as the sun comes up. 2 x 10 minutes, 5/4/3/2/1, something like that. That’s my happy place.

What’s the funniest thing you’ve ever heard an athlete say during practice or a race?

“Preedom... Junk.”

You had to be there.

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

Spending time with my family, boating, or running myself.

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

What you permit, you promote. NEVER SKIP THE DETAILS!

P.S. Don’t expect more energy from your kids than you bring as a coach!

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?

Being self-driven. Not needing to be reminded or harped on to do all the little extra things required to be successful.

What’s your perfect post-race meal after a long day of coaching and running all over a cross country course?

Panda Express. Because I love it, it tastes good, and I earned it. Don’t judge me!

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

I simply can’t name just one. Every time I’ve cried with one of my athletes in celebration, I remember it. Every single one of those moments is uniquely special to me.

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

How much I loved them. Not just as runners, but as people.

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

-Angelo Aragon, my high school coach. Never having had a father, he filled the role of strong male role model for me. I was constantly striving to make him proud.

-Pete Julian, my college coach. Taught me the true meaning of high expectations and how to push to limits.

-Greg Weich, a colleague and mentor. From running against his team when I was a high school freshman, to spending years coaching against him in my adult life, I always saw him as the gold standard, and someone I have modeled much of my style after. Hyper animated, confident, and genuine. I'm sure he doesn't know how much he impacted me, but I hope this makes it to him!

All three are amazing men who I saw first hand love with their entire hearts, put people before performances, and were unapologetic about what they believed in. Those are all things I’ve strived to become as a coach.

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

Receiving a letter from a young woman 10 years after I coached her. She reached out to say thank you and share the impact I had made on her life. That was incredibly unexpected and special. We don't always know the impact we have on people, so when they take time down the road to share, its amazing.

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

A love for the journey. Lessons about striving for excellence, and an understanding of the value of hard work and taking a lesson from every experience.