Country Coaches A Systematic Investigation of Commonalities Matthew T. Buns and Jason W. Harle
INTRODUCTION Being a successful cross country coach involves more than drawing a line in the dirt, sending athletes out for a run and winning races. Coaching is a complex and demanding profession involving far more than just training athletes to compete (Vallee & Bloom, 2005). It is about mentoring young men and women to become successful athletes, students and human beings. Many coaches are committed to teaching their athletes how to excel not only in athletics, but in life as well. And, despite cutbacks in funding for many athletic programs across the country, participation in sports has never been higher (Brown, 2009). With the impact that coaches can have on student-athletes’ lives, it is important to prepare and maintain quality individuals to serve in this challenging profession.
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