In this week's MileSplit LA Coaches Corner, we visit with Brother Martin head cross country coach Drew Haro, who is beginning his seventh year as the Crusaders' head coach.
MileSplit LA: How did you get into coaching?
Coach Haro:I had great teachers and coaches in high school, and I began considering a career in education. Working as a running camp counselor through college encouraged me to continue down the path of teaching and coaching as well. My first coaching job was as a volunteer with Coach Pete Boudreaux at Catholic High in Baton Rouge for a semester. Learning of from one of the best was an awesome way to start my career. From there, I continued to build my coaching philosophy over the next few years as an assistant at Clarke Central High School in Athens, GA. I moved back to New Orleans after that to begin my teaching and coaching career at Brother Martin High School.
MileSplit LA: What is something you know now that you wish you knew when you started coaching?
Coach Haro: Coaches can only provide so much motivation to athletes. Don't get so frustrated when high school kids aren't as motivated as the adult coach wants them to be. Be more patient.
MileSplit LA: What is your team doing this summer to prepare for the upcoming cross country season?
Coach Haro: We're fortunate to have a solid group of guys training consistently together Monday through Friday for most of the summer. A number of guys will attend running camp for a change of scenery and to meet some athletes from other parts of the country. This should put us in a good place to start the season in September.
MileSplit LA:Who is an athlete on your team who doesn't get much recognition, but is an invaluable member of the team, and why are they deserving of recognition?
Coach Haro: Eyan Calico. Eyan is a senior this year who led our team as a sophomore. He was on pace to really turn some heads last year, but he had a couple of injury setbacks that forced him to reset his training a couple of times. He's healthy now and continues to be a positive leading energy on the team for the older and younger members of the team. Keep your fingers crossed that we get to see the runner that reflects his efforts and attitudes!
MileSplit LA: How has the level of coaching across the state changed since you began coaching?
Coach Haro: I certainly think the level of coaching has increased in the last 10 years. You just have to look at the variety of athletes running really well on a year-to-year basis. Add the ever-improving shoe technology to well-trained athletes and performances continue to rise. Also, social media has connected athletes and their workouts across states which has flooded the sport with good perspective on what it takes to succeed as a distance runner.
All this being said, the increased level of coaching seems to largely be in the private coaching realm. Paying for private coaching is helping individuals thrive, but I don't see it helping the team aspect of cross country. I would love to see more of these coaches take on the task of leading school teams. This would help increase the parity among team competition across the state. When more teams are competitive, the state becomes deeper faster.
MileSplit LA: What are the core values of your program that you stress to your team?
Coach Haro: We stress three things in our program: Camaraderie. Process. Victory. Basically, focus on doing things for each other, trust what you're doing, and enjoy the results.
MileSplit LA: As a whole, what is the outlook for your team this season?
Coach Haro: Improvement on last season.
MileSplit LA: What accomplishments are you most proud of in your coaching career?
Coach Haro: Promoting a training culture that is positive and challenges young athletes to excel at the high school level and hopefully beyond that. I get just as excited for the runner who PRs in a junior varsity meet as I do for a varsity athlete who places high in a championship meet. When consistent training success becomes contagious, that's when coaching is its most fun and rewarding.
MileSplit LA: In ten years from now, when you think back on the great performances by your athletes, is there one performance in particular you think will stick out?
Coach Haro: That's hard to say. Every ten years, there seems to be a new "legend" among our team. The current team knows the success of Hunter Appleton who ran 9:01 (before super shoes) and went on to run at Colorado, but in the next ten years, I wouldn't be surprised if the next group of young guys are talking about someone else. That's the hope at least. If so, that means the program continues to grow!
MileSplit LA: Who have been some of the biggest influences in your coaching career?
Coach Haro: That's a great question. I've learned so much from so many coaches and athletes over the years. Dennis Panepinto was my high school coach and really taught me how to value team camaraderie and how to respect a program's history. Mark Elliott, my coach at LSU, challenged me as an athlete in ways that I hadn't been challenged before. The years competing at LSU as well as post college along with the people I've met through my time working the Gulf States Distance Running Camp and training with the Power Miler Track Club helped broaden my horizons to understand what real competitive training and racing is supposed to look like. I'm grateful for the diverse perspectives I've gained toward this sport over the years and look forward to what I'll learn in the years ahead.
MileSplit LA: What goals do you have for your team this season?
Coach Haro: My goals for the team this season are only as good as the team's goals for the season. While I'd love to see our seniors build on the season they had last year, I'd be most pleased if their legacy is setting up the athletes behind them for great success in the years to come. That said, this team is very motivated and very competitive, and I know they'd love to win a few quality meets over the course of the season and find ways to build on where they ended last season.