Often times, top teams can be seen from a mile away when doing pre-season analysis of who the top teams are going to be. If you look at the numbers the young men of Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville, Illinois put up last spring, you'll see just how good they can be this fall. However, track success does not necessarily equal cross country success. Led by one of the top seniors in Chris Derrick and being closely followed by top junior Danny Pawola, this team has a 1-2 punch nearly no one can match. However, it is a combination of these top two, followed by a fantastic pack of young studs that makes this team so dangerous.
Please enjoy our first of many Q&A pieces with coaches from the top teams around the land, as they give their analysis of how this season should go. Today's coach: Paul Vandersteen.
MileSplit (MS): There is a lot of excitement around your squad this year. The team had an amazing spring and seems to have had a great summer as well. How is the team looking right now as you head into the season?
Paul Vandersteen (PV): We are happy with our progress. It is hard to say right now if we have developed the complete seven guys we will need to be real competitive this fall. I have been around too long to think that five guys will get us on the trophy stand this year. We need seven healthy guys who can run sub 15:15 for three miles.
MS: How did your summer training go? What did the training program look like in terms of a week in the life of Neuqua Valley?
PV: Our summer training has gone well. We have put more emphasis on establishing a strong base and have stayed away from the intervals. We do a lot of up-tempo runs, lactate threshold 1200m's, and run a longer run on Saturdays where we pick up the pace the last 20 minutes. One can view all of our workouts at http://www.nvxc.net/ if they are interested.
MS: Coming into the season, who is looking like your varsity runners currently? What type of PR's are they bringing to the table?
PV: It is obvious as to who our top three are, but after that, it is really hard to say. Chris Derrick, Sr., 8:54/14:22; Danny Pawola, Jr., 9:16; and Jimmy Riddle, Sr., 14:44 make up our top three. Jimmy was hurt this past spring and ran a 9:42 time trial in late March. Others contending for our top seven are: Kevin Grady, Sr., 15:42; Josh Budnik, Sr., 15:39; Mike Ruff, Sr., 15:29; Bryan Winek, Jr., 9:58; Connor Shields, Jr., 9:55; Luke Verbus, So., 10:06; Aaron Beattie, So., 9:58; Carlton Folster, So., played soccer last fall. Others who may contribute based on workouts are Robert James, Jr; David Wing, So.; and Brian Griffith, Jr.
MS: Last year the team started the season off with a bang and really came out of the gates flying. It seemed as the year went on though that some of the guys got a bit tired and by state you went from being a top three favorite to finishing ninth. What did you attribute to the stumble last year and how have you changed this year's training to make sure it doesn't happen again?
PV: First of all, I don't think we were ever a top 3 team last fall or ran well enough to deserve that distinction. If I remember correctly, no poll ranked us higher than 7th or 8th all season. Credit goes to the teams that vastly improved as the season unfolded. We hope to be that team this fall with a year more of experience. We ran with all underclassmen last year and it showed to an extent. Sometimes, people
focus on the top runners and forget cross country teams need seven to make a TEAM. I have seen numerous times where teams have three great guys but finish 4th, 9th, or whatever. We had depth last year but our 8th - 14th guys were all around 16:20. This year, our 'depth average' should be much lower so if a guy gets sick or hurt, others will be able to replace them without much of a loss.
focus on the top runners and forget cross country teams need seven to make a TEAM. I have seen numerous times where teams have three great guys but finish 4th, 9th, or whatever. We had depth last year but our 8th - 14th guys were all around 16:20. This year, our 'depth average' should be much lower so if a guy gets sick or hurt, others will be able to replace them without much of a loss.
MS: You have a couple big time runners in senior Chris Derrick and junior Danny Pawola, and perhaps a third star in Jim Riddle. Have these guys taken that next step in their training this summer and what do you expect for them to do this fall?
PV: All three of these guys have had great summers. Jimmy ran on his own the whole month of June but came back in good shape to train with us. Chris and Danny have trained consistently for a long time now and if they stay healthy, they will compete well this fall. Chris has reached a level that I have never seen before. He is running aerobically at around 5:10 pace and it will be interesting to see how fast he goes this year.
MS: On paper, this is one of the deepest years in Illinois boys cross country history. There are around ten teams that could finish in the top three spots. Obviously the pressure with being one of the top teams this year in the state and nation will weigh on the team a bit. What does the team do to become more mentally prepared for the year and all the expectations it will bring?
PV: I agree that Illinois as a state will be very good this year. I think it is awesome to see so many great teams represent our state. We are looking forward to the season and we will focus on doing what we need to do to get ready. We don't focus on rankings or even really talk about them. We are more confident this year and I think this will help.
MS: What are the teams goals for this year?
PV: Our team goals are all based on the process of training, staying healthy, and having fun. We know if we train moderately and consistently, eat right and get our sleep, and not take ourselves too seriously, the times and places will take care of themselves. Obviously, we would like to get our first trophy and qualify for NTN's.
MS: How would you explain your coaching style?
PV: I have high expectations and ask that my guys balance running, family, school, and their faith. I am relatively laid back. I laugh and joke around with the athletes and the assistant coaches a lot. My style is very similar to Chris Quick [Palatine H.S.], Al Carius [North Central College], Andy Preuss [Glenbard South H.S.], or Wendell McRaven [University of Illinois]. I shake most athlete's hand every day. We have a culture on the team of striving for excellence. This has taken awhile and has been led more by the athletes than me. I remember Joe Newton [York H.S.] explaining how fortunate he was to have dedicated athletes when he first started coaching. I always thought that Mr. Newton was being humble. I now know the importance of having those special kids that lead by example. When I first started coaching, I had hard-working athletes but they did not fully invest themselves into running consistently. I credit the 2003 seniors for setting that tone. Our
sophomore group may be the best class we have ever had and I believe it is largely attributed to the model work ethic of our top juniors and seniors. I once heard a coach say that if your best athlete is not your hardest worker, you are in trouble. We don't have that problem. I consider myself very lucky to have such great men to work with.
sophomore group may be the best class we have ever had and I believe it is largely attributed to the model work ethic of our top juniors and seniors. I once heard a coach say that if your best athlete is not your hardest worker, you are in trouble. We don't have that problem. I consider myself very lucky to have such great men to work with.
Thanks coach, and good luck to you and your guys this season!