Three Of Florida's Most Successful Coaches Weigh In On How They See The Rest Of Summer, Fall Season

By Todd Grasley of DyeStat

The status of fall sports is currently in limbo due to the COVID-19 and that ranges from the NCAA level down through high school. With the cross country season in Florida slated to begin next month many programs have already started training. What about their usual summer camps?  How are coaches preparing their teams? 

I talked to several of the top coaches in the state, Belen Jesuit’s Frankie Ruiz, Seffner Christian’s Andrew Holmes, and The Bolles School’s Tony Ryan to find out how they see the fall cross country season rolling out in a matter of weeks.

How are you and your team preparing for the upcoming season?

Ruiz (Belen Jesuit): The team is prepping with as much fervor and focus as we typically do every summer at this time. We are anxious to get things going after having track cut short. I would venture to say that the guys are further along now than they have been in years past.

Ryan (The Bolles School): Our girls did virtual training from mid-March to mid-May, took a two-week break, and they are now in the fourth week of summer conditioning -- which essentially is just steady mileage, gradually building up and adding more miles each week.   

Holmes (Seffner Christian): I have had about six guys that trained until mid-May as if there was still a track season. Everyone else was off April 15 and started training again easily on May 1 for about a month. 

Are you all training or working out in person, or virtually?

FR: Currently we are meeting regularly for summer conditioning while following all the required guidelines along with having a few virtual runs as well. It is certainly a different challenge, but I think high school runners are well-prepped for these kinds of times. They understand doing things on their own is part of the game. As a coach, I long for the day when I can have all 50 runners present sitting side by side for a team meeting but for now we will work with what we are allowed to do.

TR: We are training in groups of 10, although with some girls out of town or unable to attend on some days it’s usually in groups ranging from five to eight. We meet four mornings a week.    

AH: We officially started on June 1 having organized practice. The kids are working hard for the upcoming season. Nothing has changed for us. We meet in person five days a week at different locations. Those that don’t are pretty faithful to do the workout on their own. 

Are you plan on doing a summer XC camp?

FR: Yes, we are planning on doing our summer training trip. We are aware that it may be modified in length or time, size of group, and proximity of location.

TR: At this time we have no plans for attending a cross country camp.

AH: We had planned on Warrior Running Camp, but not sure if that will happen yet.

What do you think the season will look like?

FR: I want to stick with the most optimistic view of what it will look like. It should look very much like what XC has always looked like. Team of driven students getting healthier through training and safely competing regularly. As adults, we need to figure out how to operate our season in the safest manner possible. The kids deserve a regular season. They don't get to do over their years in school. 

TR: I have absolutely no idea if we will have a cross country season, if it will be a shortened season, if it will only consist of dual meets, and if it's an adjusted state series. We are not going to worry about things over which we have no control.

AH: I think it may look different. Some counties will be able to do events that others cannot. I do think some fall sports like swimming, golf, cross country and bowling may be ready to go earlier. It’s such a fluid situation. I think if school on campuses is in person in some form or fashion then sports should be allowed to compete.

Do you think it will be confined to dual meets with neighboring schools?

FR: If that's what it takes, we will do our best to compete in that format. After all, I grew up competing in dual meets all the time. Do I think it is the most enjoyable form? No. But again the point here should be to have a safety-led season that resembles a normal competitive XC season.

AH: I don’t think necessarily more duals. Schedules are set, and meet directors can modify their meets as needed. You may see some pop-up.

Will there be travel?

FR: I am planning on it. It is a cornerstone of our program to travel around the state since most schools north of Palm Beach County don't like to run in South Florida. Our method of travel may need modifications but if we plan appropriately and put our heads together we can make it work for the kids.

AH: Travel will most likely be based on individual school districts. You may see less bus travel to meets. Our county public schools do not get bus transportation to invitationals, so it wouldn’t affect them a whole lot.

What about large invitationals?

FR: I don't think XC is the same without large invites. With certain modifications such as wave starts or wider start lines, it can be done. I organize mass participation road races and those events are restricted by road reopening timelines. Most XC races take place inside of parks, therefore, races can take longer to clear start chutes and so forth. I think team tent cities will be a no-go. I think finish line chutes will need to be widened and lengthened as well. Again, if we truly have our kids' interests at heart we can find solutions to mitigate the risks and make it happen.

AH: In reading the latest NFHS guidelines, staggered starts (wave races) are recommended but not mandated. I do think large invitationals can happen. I’ve put a lot of thought into what our meet may look like, as we have about 45 schools registered right now. May have to have wave races for large invitationals.

Do you think it will be a shortened season and go right to the state series?

FR: I hope not but I do ask the FHSAA to do their best to hold out on their decisions as long as they can. I also encourage them to gather feedback from the coaches, parents and various park departments to better make those decisions. 

AH: I do not think it will be shortened. After being on a recent webinar, I believe the four referenced fall sports will start on time in some fashion with possible modifications and probably volleyball and football as well with individual school districts making decisions.

What are you telling your kids?

FR: I am telling my guys to 'Expect the Unexpected' and to operate their daily lives in the safest way possible. Abiding by all of the guidelines and taking extra precautions between workouts to stay healthy. They are to think of others when making decisions about their own health and safety. I will do my best to continue to project to my runners that the most important thing they can do is control what they can control. Right now that is our bodies and how those bodies are trained.

TR: I am telling our runners that regardless of what lies ahead as far as a cross country season goes, it's still important to run over the summer.  All running is cumulative and the benefits of aerobic running will still pay off, even if it's not until next track season, next cross country season in 2021, college running, or lifelong running. Right now, we tell our girls to run because you love to run and because you want to get better, not because you are aiming for a certain race that may or may not happen this fall.

AH: I’m telling the kids to keep training hard, keeping things positive, proceeding as normal.