Guiding Principles:

"I coach to inspire all athletes to display integrity, respect, hard work, and to remember that, "to give anything less then your best is to sacrifice the gift."

This is the guiding quote/principle of Proctor Boys Track.  The core values of this program at Integrity, Respect and Working Hard.

No matter what is going on, how you feel, you can always give your best that day. You can always demonstrate and display integrity and respect. This applies to coaches and athletes.  Strive for excellence.  Sometimes we all come up short, there will be another day and another opportunity.  Focus on your effort right now.

All athletes are valued and have a place in the program - this is a team/family where everyone has a place.  Coaches job is to help the athletes achieve their individual goals in a team concept and to help athletes to display integrity, respect and to give their all, to work hard. These core values will translate way beyond the track or the field. They are life skills.

Guiding Questions for Coaches:

Why do I Coach?

Coaching is a gift.  Everyone focuses on the winning and losing of coaching.  Wanting to win is important and of course I want my athletes to perform at their best.  However, my focus as a coach is more of a focus of a teacher.  Yes I am teaching the events and skills of track and field.  I want to constantly get better at coaching track and field.  I want to be the best prepared I can be to help my athletes.  Constant searching for better and innovative ways of coaching and this needs to be a priority.  Track and Field is constantly changing, I never want to be behind.

More importantly as a coach I am a teacher.  These skills and the lessons that are learned in track and field translate to life.  Not every track and field athlete is going to win their event, score points for the team or go to state.  BUT EVERY athlete brings value to the team.  EVERY athlete can be successful.  EVERY athlete can learn the skills of hard work, teamwork, dedication, grace in victory, grace in defeat, humility, honesty and integrity, respect as well as being part of a community and the responsibility and joy that comes with being part of the track and field community and family.

"I coach to inspire all athletes to display integrity, respect, hard work, and to remember that, "to give anything less then your best is to sacrifice the gift."

Why do I Coach the way I do?

Every athlete has value and brings value to the team.  It is my job to make sure that they work to achieve their goals and help them to achieve their goals.  Whatever those goals are they have value.  

The question I constantly ask myself is if this was my son, how would I coach him?  Or put another way, if this athlete was going to join my family, how would I treat that athlete.

Coaching is NOT about me.  I don’t run the races.  I don’t perform.  The athletes do this.  It is my job to work as hard as I can to help them to achieve their goals.  There are “rules” and policies that the athletes have to follow to be part of this team/family that they must follow.  They need to be held accountable.

In the big picture as a coach my job is to help the athletes to strive for and achieve their goals all the while teaching life lessons.  Athletes and coaches will succeed and fail, but in the long run the sun comes up tomorrow and there is another day.  I want my athletes to leave the program at the end knowing that they have done everything that they could have to put themselves in a position to achieve their goals.  I want them to feel like they are part of the Proctor Boys Track family/community and that they never leave this group. Athletes will leave this program knowing what integrity is and how to embody it, how to respect others at all times and will know the value of working hard in all things.

What does it feel like to be coached by me?

Athletes will know that they have someone in their corner who is going to fight for them, who is going to put in the work to help them, the coach is going to celebrate their successes with them, and be there during the times of failure.  They will know they will be held accountable but in a respectful manner.  Athletes will know there will be times of really hard work but there will be times for fun.  Athletes will feel they are part of a team, a family. They will know that their coaches are men and women of integrity, who show respect to all and who work hard everyday to be there for the athlete(s) and the program.

How do I define and measure success?

Success often is determined by conference titles, state qualifiers and tangible results that can be pointed to.  These are important.  These are things that are admirable goals.  

Some success is often overlooked and ignored and I would argue more important.  In track and field there are athletes who will never score a point for the team, will never win a race and never be recognized by the paper.  They may finish dead last but PR by 5 seconds.  That is a success and needs to and will be celebrated.  A medal does not necessarily mean success and lack of medal doesn’t necessarily mean failure.

Success to me is the athlete working hard, giving their best at all times.  In learning life lessons and skills through the medium of track and field. Success is when the athletes are respectful to all and show integrity in all that they do.

Measuring success then gets difficult if it can’t be pointed to.  However, if the athletes feel like they are getting better, that they have a coach who advocates for them, who displays integrity, respect and who works hard for them and they feel like they are part of something greater than themselves then this is a successful program.

Rules/Policies For Coaches

Be prepared to coach your event(s) at all times

Have a training plan for your event(s) - know the plan and execute the plan

Stay educated, learn new ways of coaching your event(s)

Treat every athlete as if they were a member of your family.  Remember each athlete is someone’s son

Treat every athlete fairly at all times

Know what the goals of your athlete(s) are and help them to work to achieve those goals

Understand that some athletes are going for championships and others simply want to get better.  All have value and deserve to be coached

Be a positive example to the athletes - in behavior, speech and conduct at all times - display integrity, respect for all and work hard for your athletes.

Be willing to share your expertise, be willing to question and discuss the training plans and be ready to add to the construction of the training plans

Represent Proctor Track and Field, Proctor Public Schools and Community in a positive manner at all times

Rules/Policies For Athletes

Be respectful of your coaches, teammates, and teachers at all times

Be on time

Work hard - do your best every day

Take care of the classroom - you are a student FIRST

Represent yourself, family, school, team and community in a positive manner

No cursing

Make Proctor track a priority - BE AT PRACTICE

Follow the workout plan/schedule as designed by your coaches

Ride to and from events with your team

Follow and adhere to MSHSL policies including but not limited to the hazing policy, Substance policy and academic eligibility policies

Rules and Policies for Parents/Guardians

Respect your athletes coaches

Be a cheerleader for your athlete and his team mates

Respect the rules and policies for Athletes listed above

Follow school policies in relation to asking questions of coaches

Cheer for Proctor in the stands but in a respectful manner

Be an advocate and partner to Proctor Men's Track and Field