Know Why You Coach
Coach Dave Montgomery is known for his blunt, old-school, yet empowering style as a distance coach who focuses on the basics, takes no nonsense, and prioritizes team unity above anything else. Like many other coaches he's built his runners on the principals of Arthur Lydiard and Bill Bowerman, but he spoke extensively about the culture of camaraderie that makes the athletes buy into each other. "Your character is who you are. Your reputation is who you think you are." When I heard that, I thought 'Kids don't know anything about Arthur Lydiard, Jack Daniels or Bill Bowerman. They don't care what kind of system you use or how many awards you won with 'such-and-such' program. What will make them want to invest their energies and time in the sport is fortifying their relationships with others and knowing that a coach cares about fostering that.'