Kids In The Hall: Patrick Cromwell, Mount Tabor NC

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Patrick Cromwell of Mount Tabor High in Winston-Salem, N.C., is one of the top coaches in North Carolina. He first appeared on my radar five years ago when I wrote about the amazing Kayla Montgomery. That same season there was a boy in the program who made it to Foot Locker nationals named Ian Milder. 

This is the story of where Milder came from, in coach Cromwell's own words (edited for clarity):

Ian Milder was first recruited by the wrestling coach, as he said, "He could go to states as a 103-pound weight class freshman."

He might have had to gain a couple pounds to get there! Ian wasn't interested in wrestling so he came out for outdoor track by default. In his time trial he ran somewhere north of 13:30 for 3,200 meters. So slow I didn't record it.

He had a friend doing pole vault, so I agreed it would be best if he go to that group and I wouldn't have to worry about him getting lost or hold up a workout. With a month left in that season he broke his finger in P.E. class.

The pole vault coach said: "You have to take him back now. That kid is driving me crazy!"

He finished the season with me in the distance group and ran 12:24 for the 3,200. He did not train all summer and showed up for cross country season -- for some reason -- in the fall. He wasn't into running yet, but managed a 17:42 5K as a sophomore.

I do remember talking with him after that race and gave him some profound coaching advice, like: "With hardly any effort you did pretty well this year. If you actually start training I think you could be very good."

He did start training and trying after that. The rest is history.

Ian did things in races I have never seen any other athlete do, and I have been blessed to have some really good ones through the years. He closed 120 meters on a sub-9:00 guy in the final 700 of a race where he ran his first sub-9 3,200 meters (8:53:99 at the Raleigh Relays). He qualified for Foot Locker. In 2014, at our state championship, he split a 1:50 anchoring our 4x800 relay for the win and had more left if needed. He came back and won the 1,600 in 4:15. Ninety minutes later he held off a fresh sub-9 runner to win the 3,200 in 9:08. With 25 minutes rest, and a fresh sprinter waiting, we needed to score well in the 4x400 relay to win the state team title. I gave him the option of sitting out and he said, "No way. Give me the stick!"

I gave him the stick!  He held off everyone behind him to finish second, split 50 flat, and we won the team state title.

Ian made me realize I was good at something. He opened the flood gates for others on our team to see what the national stage looks like and what it takes. We have had two more sub-9 guys and a 4:04 miler since.

Ian chose to pursue other things in college and seems happy. I don't think it is a waste or a failure that he didn't keep going in college. As a teacher and coach we went through a process together of what it takes to achieve excellence in something. He will apply those lessons again one day in his life, and it will be just as exciting.