As many of you know, I coach High School Cross Country. And today, I think I proved that I could capably fill in as the Middle School coach as well.

And some of the skeptics out there might think, “What exactly does a Cross Country coach do?”

“Hey kids, run faster!”

“Keep running, guys! It’s faster than walking!”

“See that line labeled ‘FINISH?’ Try to get there in the least amount of time!”

Well, there might be a little more to it than that, but honestly, my best “coaching” today involved waiting a few extra minutes for one of the Middle School girls. The bus was scheduled to leave, and the driver was getting antsy. However, I convinced the driver to give this kid (no idea who she was) a few more minutes while I drank my coffee.

And as the kid came running across the parking lot, her silky stride suggested that delaying the departure had been a quality coaching decision.

And then this girl went out and won the race by 38 seconds!

See? Great coaching!

But honestly, we coaches are just blessed to be a part of these kids’ lives, and ultimately, it’s not about us. Great athletes can make coaches look pretty good, and although we do the best we can to motivate, inspire, and facilitate success, it’s all about the athletes. And I’m really proud of these kids.

Grab some coffee and pray that you get some fast runners. I’ve heard that’s what the great coaches do