Looking back at the history of this program, what was the "turning point" that moved it from a standard high school team to what it is today?
- North Gwinnett's program has always been top notch, going back to Coach Rowland, Coach Sitton, and Coach Karen (to name a few). I was just lucky enough to get a job here.
How do you honor the traditions or past top athletes and teams while still pushing the current roster to carve their own path?
- Honestly, that is not a strength of mine. I could do a much better job bringing back former athletes and creating some meaningful traditions for those kids. It's definitely an area in which I need to improve.
What has been the most memorable race, championship, or milestone achievement of your coaching career so far?
- Lots of great memories for me. When I was the girls coach at Brookwood, I vividly remember the first time we won County. That and 2016 where we finished 2nd at State are two of my favorites while I was there. Our JV girls took 5 of the top 6 spots at FSU several years ago and got interviewed by Milesplit after. That was pretty cool. Winning State in 2012 is up there, of course. At North Gwinnett, my very first race as a coach here with Coach Rowland, 2021 NEGA in Athens, is a favorite, as was winning County with him that year. The North Gwinnett girls finishing 2nd at State in 2024 was awesome. The boys finishing 2nd at County the last few years has been memorable, as well.
Beyond podium finishes and state titles, how do you define a truly successful season for your runners?
- When they put in the work over the Summer, get their long runs in, follow the training plan, and work hard, that's a successful season, no matter how we place.
Team Culture
Cross country is unique in that a team's success often relies heavily on the 4th and 5th runners. How do you cultivate a "pack mentality" and ensure every runner feels their finish matters?
- I'm always excited when we have good depth, and you can't have that without making sure every kid knows they matter. I heard a coach tell me that the caboose can drive the engine, and I believe that can be true on most teams. Cross country kids are pretty smart, and they figure out that a team can have a few really good kids, but the team won't win trophies unless we have depth. Plus, most of our kids are friends regardless of whether they're varsity or JV. So, they naturally cheer for each other and get excited when the team does well.
You manage a wide range of athletes, from elite front-runners to developing JV runners. How do you foster a sense of "one team" when everyone is doing such different work and running at different paces?
- All of the kids get excited when their buddies PR. Just because an elite kid trains differently than a JV kid doesn't mean they're not good friends. So, it's not hard to get the elite kids excited about JV performances and vice versa when they're all friends. Plus, hard work fosters camaraderie. So, when they're all out there working hard, the natural consequence of that is a one-team mentality where they genuinely get excited when their teammates run well.
If you had to describe the "vibe" of a regular afternoon practice in only a few words, what would they be?
Our practices are pretty relaxed and positive. These kids have enough stressors in their lives. Cross country doesn't need to be one. They can work hard, meet our standards, and still have fun.
What is the "non-negotiable" rule in your program that every athlete, regardless of talent level, must follow?
Attendance. The only way to get better is to be at practice. I heard a coaching friend say "If your presence doesn't matter, your absence won't either." If they don't come to practice, they won't be on the team.
Summer base training is the foundation of a successful fall. How do you keep athletes connected and accountable when they are logging miles away from the team?
We try to explain to them why it's important. If they want to run well in November, they have to run when they're out of town. Running is one of the few sports you can do anywhere, anytime. So, there is almost no reason they can't get their mileage in while travelling. Having said that, there are some instances where it's not safe or smart to run while out of town, and that's okay as long as they do their best. I don't want these kids to be monks or hermits, where they have to give up their whole lives to run.
Who is the "unsung hero" (or heroes) on this year's roster-the athlete who might not be winning medals but is the glue of the team?
This year it is undoubtedly Leo Armstrong and his family. Unfortunately, Leo passed away right before the season started. Even though he's not physically with us, Leo is our guy this year.
Coaching Philosophy and Workouts
In the era of super-shoes and advanced data, how much of your coaching is "art" (intuition/feel) versus "science" (splits/physiology)?
My first few years, it was neither. Really just a combination of luck and ignorance. After that, you could definitely say it was more science. However, the last few years I'm trending more towards art based in science. There is almost too much information out there now. So, I feel like I'm taking what's out there and applying it to that year's team and their unique make up. There is a very successful coaching friend of mine who told me that he does not plan a whole season's workouts for his team. He likes to see how his team is racing and plan workouts based on what he thinks they need at that moment. I like that and now try to do that myself.
What is your favorite staple workout that tells you the team is physically and mentally ready for a championship race?
I don't know that we do anything different from anybody else: fartlek, tempo, hills, intervals. Each team is different. How they approach workouts and feel about their performance is more telling than any specific workout, I think. Generally, if they've put in the work consistently, they'll be ready.
How do you handle the "mental side" of the sport, particularly for high-pressure meets like Sectionals or State?
If they consistently put in the hard work, the mental side takes care of itself. I'm lucky one of my good friends is a sports psychologist. He talked to the team last year when he was in town and told the kids to not worry about things they can't control, visualize good races, take deep breaths, and think positively. We try to remind them to do those things.
What is your approach to tapering and ensuring your runners peak at the exact right time at the end of the season?
Every time I think I've got tapering figured out, I'm shown that I don't. But, generally trying to reduce their workload, sometimes through volume, sometimes through intensity, sometimes both. I think peaking is more of a mental thing than a physical thing. If they think they are ready, they are usually ready.
How do you balance pushing athletes to their limits in workouts while preventing overuse injuries or mid-season burnout?
Whether they can work hard and stay healthy largely depends on what they're doing outside of practice: sleep, nutrition, hydration, not doing extra stuff outside of practice, and time management. So, we really focus on that and that usually results in fewer injuries.
