Coach Steve Richards of South Eugene welcomed alumni and current high school athletes to a Saturday run through the streets of Eugene. After the Fairmont Loop run (which runs near Pre's Rock and by Hayward Field), Coach Richards served up Kenyan tea to athletes and alumni. South Eugene has a strong tradition of distance running in the state of Oregon. As the South Eugene athletes gather at the school track for their daily practices, it is common to have world class athletes practice on their track during the many meets held at famed Hayward Field. Coach Richards shared not only tea with us, but information about the South Eugene Axeman:
How often does South Eugene practice in the summer?
This varies over the summer. June we only meet (freshmen only) for the last week to orient newcomers. July we have two to three organized runs each week and also encourage the team to factor into smaller groups and do self-guided training a bit. The last week of July is the OSAA moratorium so we don't meet at all, but the athletes often self-organize and do some training. August we will move more to a five to six days/week schedule with an occasional double in there.
Does South Eugene go to a team camp?
We do our own camp which has a rich tradition. The past few years have seen that trend change with COVID and smoke issues. Our goal is to get back to a "camp week" where part of that is overnight and in the woods for the team members who have contributed to our fundraising, participated, and engaged over the summer. The rest of that week is available to all team members. In that way, we reward summer engagement, but encourage all to attend the parts that define our team for the season (goals, charter, etc).
What is the secret to South Eugene's success?
Keep running fun. Care for one another first. Earn the success. Every team member contributes by actions, words, and intention.
How does South Eugene create a team culture?
We fundraise as a group. We meet for optional summer runs as a group. We volunteer at the all-comers meets as a group, and we slide into training hard as a group over summer. This builds our culture and we cement that with specific team-building and goal setting as we approach the competitive season.
Check out the gallery of the South Eugene's practice HERE
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