PHOENIX This story was going to be different.

If Monty Williams had decided to disappear, to head for the hills after the fatal car accident on that February night in Oklahoma City had taken his wife, Ingrid, and nearly wrecked their whole family for good, this conversation would have happened somewhere in Wyoming. No more coaching. No more basketball. No more spotlight.

The love of his life, the 44-year-old mother of their five children, the woman who had been there for him from the Notre Dame days to his pro playing career and beyond, was gone. So maybe he would succumb to the sadness, just pack up their kids and run toward the sanctity and solitude of the great wide open. And who could blame him?

I was done, Williams, who was an assistant with the Oklahoma City Thunder at the time, toldThe Athletic last week in Phoenix, where hes five months into this return to the head coaching ranks. I was just gonna go. I was going to take my kids...

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'I still have unbelievable, tough moments:' Monty Williams on love, death, coaching and the chance to do it... - The Athletic

Theres a merge happening which may puta new spin into the fitness routine of many in the tri-city area. Earlier thismonth, fitness coach Kaycee Moeckel and spin instructor/business ownerStephanie Western joined forces.

Western first opened Surge CyclingStudio in the fall of 2018. Earlier this fall she approached Moeckel with aproposition. Motivated by her ability to lead a class as well as her passionand energy, Western offered Moeckel the opportunity to join her as a spininstructor.

Moeckel shared while she was flatteredby the proposition, it was not one which spoke to her heart. While she lovedWesterns energy and the way she worked with her classes the fitness coach sawherself more as a student than a teacher.

The proposition, however, was notwithout purpose and reason, as Moeckel found herself without work in anindustry shes long loved in early October. With a husband out of work, while caringfor his father and a six-month-old baby on her hip, the fun loving coach foundherself fighting off depression.

After my week of great depression, Iput my big girl panties on and I moved forward and it started small, Moeckelsaid of her resurrection and the beginning of her business Grace and Grit.

Pretty much explains my situation, shesaid of her life currently. 2019, the only great thing that came out of it wasthe birth of my son. Everything else was horrible ... on top of, on top of, ontop of. Thats where the grit comes in. It doesnt get to define me. Lifecircumstances are going to come and go. It doesnt get to define who I am orhow I handle things.

Moeckel spent four years of her lifecoaching clients from the Oakdale, Riverbank and Escalon areas in a boot campenvironment. An environment which she first entered into as a client and hadsuch a passion for she was offered a job. In early October the doors closed andthe job ended, but her clients remained, many offering to hire her for personaltraining, while others offered to invest in her as a business venture.

They see something in me. Just as I sawsomething in them and I love them for that, the coach said. We didnt justcreate a gym, we created a family. I want to open that opportunity to thosepeople that are out there afraid, in letting life determine their path.

The fitness enthusiast, with a passionfor people shared personally speaking shes aware some might raise an eyebrowat first meeting. Since the birth of her son, she too has struggled withreturning to her once fit body. The process now a bit different and morechallenging than it once was before and shes okay with that.

Now I get to look at my clientele in awhole different light, she said. The struggle is real. Its not coming easyright now. Its a new learning experience. The grace part of it comes from thefact of being kind to myself in the process and to others.

In the interim between relocating andopening Grace and Grit at the current Surge Cycle Studio at 122 N. Sierra,Oakdale, Moeckel set up shop in a home gym of a client who generously offeredthe space until something else came through. A transition spot she shared shewas grateful for, yet was thrilled when Western approached her a second timeand offered to share the space with her.

The two businesses will now operateunder one roof, offering two services for one flat fee. Three days a weekclients can pump iron and strength train with Moeckel and the other three get theircardio up spinning with Western. A monthly fee of $100 offers clients unlimitedaccess. Theres also a drop in fee, as well as a punch card for thoseinterested in limited visits.

You literally get everything and yourbody is going to respond in ways, most bodies ... our bodies havent worked outlike this before, Moeckel said of merging the two workout opportunities.

My motto has always been and alwayswill be, that Im going to give you the best 45 minutes of your day. Thatdoesnt include my stuff, the coach said. Thats always what Ive been trueto.

As she looks to the new space andpartnership, the coach shared shes excited not just for the business opportunitybut the ability to continue to touch lives. While some clients have stayed withher through the changes, others have found new paths and for her thats okay.

Go embrace other peoples worlds too,she said of her words to clients. The best part about what I do and the reasonwhy I love what I do, is because its like doing crafts with glitter. You cantjust get the glitter on the craft, you get it everywhere else too and you findit forever.

If they dont come back to me thatsokay, because theyre touching lives, she continued. Spread my sparkle.

If I was only doing this for the money,Id be personal training, she stated.

Grace and Grit and Surge Cycle Studioare open six days a week. For additional information visit their Facebook pageor call (209) 272-6802.

Right now I have an option to touchlives, Moeckel added. Thats why Im doing what I do. I want to be the bestpart of somebodys day.

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Spinning Fitness To A Level Of Grace And Grit - Riverbank News

The news was not entirely unexpected, but the future is now in Toronto, where Sheldon Keefe has replaced Mike Babcock as coach of the Maple Leafs. The spotlight will be searing on the 39-year-old, so who is Keefe? Talking to both friends and foes of the former AHL Marlies coach, hes a guy that players want to win with.

Im ecstatic for Keefer, said Marlies right winger Jeremy Bracco. He groomed me and gave me a chance to blossom in this league and I like to give a lot of credit for the things Ive accomplished to him. Hes a guy you want to play for and you go through a wall for a guy like that. Hes honest, hes got his players backs and hes a lot of fun to be around at the rink.

For the past four seasons, Keefe has been helming the Marlies and helped turn them into a force. Toronto won the Calder Cup championship in 2018 with a fast roster that included future Maple Leafs such as Andreas Johnsson (MVP of the playoffs), Travis Dermott, Frederik Gauthier, Trevor Moore, Dmytro Timashov and Pierre Engvall, not to mention Carl Grundstrom, who now plays for Los Angeles. The Marlies made the conference final again last year before falling to the eventual champs from Charlotte and this year, Toronto was once again one of the top teams in the league, sitting atop the North Division when Keefe left.

Replacing him temporarily are Marlies assistants A.J. MacLean and Rob Davison. MacLean did media duties after Wednesday nights overtime win over Laval and was effusive in his praise for Keefe, whom he also worked with in Sault Ste. Marie with the OHLs Greyhounds.

For me personally, he means everything to my career, MacLean said. Along with my father and Kyle Dubas, theyre the people who groomed me to be what I am. Once I got done playing, they took a chance on me in the Soo and every step of the way hes been an incredible mentor and basically a big brother to me through life and coaching.

Keefe and Dubas who has now been Keefes boss in the NHL, AHL and OHL obviously have great history together and current Greyhounds GM Kyle Raftis (who worked with Keefe in his final year with the Hounds) sees kindred spirits in the Maple Leafs GM and his new bench boss.

They see the game the same way, Raftis said. They speak the same language and there is a lot of trust between the two of them.

Leafs fans will also like the idea of Keefes flexibility. While the coach obviously has his systems, Raftis noted that Keefe was great at making in-game adjustments and could adapt to different situations, depending on the opponent.

In an ideal world, Keefes strategies will unleash Torontos top-end stars.

Sheldon likes to play fast, said Marlies center Adam Brooks. And with the skill they have up there, I think theyll do great with him as coach.

But dont just take his friends word for it. I also asked a pro scout from another NHL team what he thought of Keefe and he loved the hire. He saw Keefes Marlies as a team where the defensemen could really push the puck forward and because of that, the scout anticipates that a player such as Tyson Barrie will really take a step forward under the new regime.

Puck possession will be important and that might even mean a step up for a player such as Timashov. Perhaps most importantly, however, is that the scout believed that Torontos stars Auston Matthews and William Nylander, for example will flourish under a new voice that wont favor older players the way Babcock did. Babcock was also tough to play for and Keefes personality may help the stars, too. His Marlies saw that: Keefe keeps things light, while also getting the job done.

You know where you stand, Bracco said. You know where you are in the lineup, you know what you need to do to contribute and he expects you to get better in the areas that youre not so good at. Hes very easy to talk to about life, not even hockey. Hes always been there, open-door policy, and I think theyll appreciate that up there.

MacLean has seen Keefes handiwork up front for years now and he sees a man who knows the key to success:

Details, he said. Hes a very detailed guy; he demands it. Hes well-pronounced when he explains what he wants to see and every detail matters. No stone goes unturned.

For a market that has been craving another Stanley Cup since 1967, thats a good thing to hear.

He genuinely cares about every player that has come through here, MacLean said. He puts the time and effort in to make sure each and every player has the opportunity to reach their maximum potential. The guys go through a wall for him here.

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Ryan Kennedy

Ryan Kennedy is the associate senior writer and draft/prospect expert at The Hockey News. He has been with the publication since 2005 and in that span, Don Cherry, Lil Jon and The Rock have all called his house. He lives in Toronto with his wife and kids where he listens to loud music and collects NCAA pennants.

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How will Sheldon Keefe change the Maple Leafs? Friends and foes weigh in - The Hockey News

CALGARY Orlando Steinauer, Grey Cup coach, leader of men, never knew his father.

He grew up just outside Seattle as an only child of a drug-addicted single mom of little education: being alone was a daily part of his childhood.

Often he would wake up for school in an empty home, feed himself whatever there was to eat, return to that same kind of emptiness after school, usually after a sporting practice of some kind. He was, in his own words a latchkey kid partly bringing himself up, partly with the help of his grandfather.

And now, at the age of 46, a head football coach, a husband, a father of three. And now, not just a dad but a superdad. And now, having won the Grey Cup as a player in both Hamilton and Toronto, having won as an assistant coach with the Argos, this has been his first year as a head coach: The Tiger-Cats have a 16-3 record heading into Sundays Grey Cup game against Winnipeg.

His father would be proud of him if he had any idea who his father was.

Steinauer is different from almost any football coach youll find anywhere. Hes consumed the way coaches generally are consumed. Hes ambitious the way most coaches are ambitious. Hes driven the way most football coaches seem to be driven.

But three years ago, when he left the CFL to coach at Fresno State, as an assistant to former Hamilton quarterback Jeff Tedford, he was on the fast track. He was one of those names on the move. About to become the next great somebody. In his first year in U.S. college football, he was up for the prestigious assistant coach of the year award. He was a phone call away from getting a big-time college job.

But two different calls came instead. One from Marc Trestman, then with the Argos, who wanted him on his staff in Toronto. The other from Scott Mitchell, president of the Ticats, who made an offer Steinauer couldnt in the end refuse. He wanted Steinauer to return to Hamilton, work on a staff with former NFL stalwarts June Jones and Jerry Glanville, then transition into being the head coach of the Ticats.

So think about this: Hes living in California coaching at Fresno. He bought a house. Hes doing great. The three girls are in school. And he had the chance to return to Hamilton in the CFL of all places?

And he said yes?

Who picks Hamilton over California?

Steinauer did, almost entirely for family reasons. Coaching in the NFL, the ultimate goal for so many, is a 16-hour day, 360-day, sleep in the office kind of job. You live football. You breath football.

Its pretty much all you know.

Steinauer loves football and loves family. The CFL gave him that better life he couldnt find elsewhere. The league is not all year round. The days may be long during the season but you have an off-season, you have time to watch your oldest daughter play NCAA basketball or be involved in whatever endeavours your younger two daughters happen to be engaged with.

Long before this happened, back in 2003, while playing in the CFL he and his wife made a decision. They would find a place to live. One place. This would be home. They would become Canadian citizens. They wouldnt live the life of sporting nomads.

In football, not only are you year to year, youre game to game and I didnt want it to end abruptly so we worked hard to become landed.

His daughters Taeya and Rheyna were born in Canada. This is home, he said of Canada. I never wanted to be one of these guys on the move all the time. It was important to be stable. I think growing up without a dad, I thought about that a lot as I got older. And it made me think a lot about what kind of parent I wanted to be.

Football isnt who I am, its what I do, said Steinauer. I know for others its different. Its not for me to judge them. But I know what matters to me and our family. I want to see my kids. I want to be a part of their lives. This jobs allows me to be that.

Football matters so much to me. It gave me a life. It gave me a career. The CFL has afforded me a certain lifestyle that works for me.

And now, Sunday. The opportunity to win his first Grey Cup in his first season as a head coach. The Ticats first possible Grey Cup win in 20 years. He starred on that team two decades now. This championship means the world to him. But so does his family for a kid who grew up with next to no family.

When you grow up without something, you feel it, its with you, said Steinauer. When I became a dad, I didnt just want to be a parent. I wanted to great at it. I wanted to be there. Thats who I am. This (the game, his family) means the world to me.

ssimmons@postmedia.com

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SIMMONS: The dad coach Steinauer never knew would be proud of his son - Toronto Sun

I probably wouldnt be in football if it wasnt for this, no. I was so disillusioned with the game, says Tony McNally, as he reflects on how his life has changed in the last nine months.

At the start of the year, he was left jobless on the outside of a coaching world he had dedicated his entire adult life to. But now he has found a reprieve in the unlikeliest of places: Ytterhogdal, a picturesque Swedish town of 530 people where he trains a fourth-tier side that is unique in more ways than one.

Its a place where the nearest airport is a two-hour drive away, the snow can be six-foot deep and temperatures fluctuate between 38C and -38C. It is extremely isolated but on a street called Skolvagen, there is a British community. While there more out of necessity than choice, and harbouring desires to return home, its this community that is investing their lives into making a success of Ytterhogdals IK.

It is a place that...

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From Clyde to Ytterhogdal - meet the Scottish coach spreading his wings in the Swedish fourth tier - The Athletic

Its 6:30 a.m. The sun hasnt risen. The birds arent chirping. But head coach Jeff Stiles and the Washington University cross country team are already running around a strip mall in Appleton, Wis.

Cross country head coach Jeff Stiles sits at his desk in the Athletic Complex. Stiles, the head coach since 2001, has led the Bears to two national championships and 24 UAA championships.

The Midwest Regionals start in four hours. Expectations are high for the countrys eighth-ranked mens team and second-ranked womens team. So naturally, Stiles starts to sing.

Oh what a beautiful he begins, his voice tapering off as a cue to the rest of the team. mornin, they finish. The runners are still groggy, anxious and cold. A beautiful morning? Its 35 degrees outside and theyre running around a JC Penny and a Target. Its the opposite of a beautiful morning, senior captain Nick Matteucci says.

But Stiles keeps performing the famous song from the play Oklahoma! until the morning seems a little bit more beautiful. Oh what a beautiful morning. Oh, what a beautiful day, Ive got a wonderful feeling, everythings going my way, the team sings sing together.

By this point, the team knows to expect the song. Stiles has sung it since his freshman year at North Central College, where he was a five-time national champion runner. He brought the traditions with him to Wash. U., where he has captured two more national cross country championship trophies over his 19 years as head coach.

Stiles admits hes not much of a singer. He even says he is tone-deaf. But Stiles still tries to hit the high notes in Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin. He expects his runners to do the same.

I want participation because it at least forces you to be stupid, Stiles says.

Stiles wants to make running fun, to have his runners to connect with each other. He wants these athletes, doing a seemingly individual activity to become a team. Maybe theyll win some championships along the way. Theyll definitely learn the lyrics to Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin.

I arrive at the Wash. U. Athletics Complex at 6:15 a.m. Jeff Stiles had already been on campus for 30 minutes. He set his alarm for five in the morning, he told me, but woke up at 4:58. Practice starts at 6:30.

Its late October, almost a month before the Midwest Regionals. Stiles stands in the spacious Athletics Complex lobby as his runners stride in the door. He is about 6 feet, 2 inches tall, slender and almost goofy looking. Hes prepared for the cold weather, a puffy black coat reaching down to his ankles. A stopwatch hangs from his neck. His winter hat is tilted slightly sideways. His gray shoes are plastered with mud.

He welcomes the runners with a no-look fist bump. He always seems to be having a conversation with someone. Anyone. The runners rub their eyes and return a soft fist bump.

Stiles has been running early morning cross country practices five times a week for 19 years. Hes 44 years old now, but was just 26 when he was hired as Wash. U.s cross country head coach in 2001. Back then, he didnt even know the school existed. All he knew was that it needed a new cross country head coach.

Were nearing the start time when a runner on the womens team notices she forgot her pants. Pants are a team requirement in anything below 60 degrees. Other coaches may punish her for forgettingsome extra laps or push-ups. But the problem is solved in just a few minutes, with another runner saying, You can just get tights from the locker room. Thats good enough for Stiles. He heads back to the fist bumps. Theres no mention of it the rest of the morning.

Minutes later, Stiles gathers the teamall 61 runners, 29 men and 32 women. But he doesnt really need to. They know what theyre doing. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, the tougher workouts, Stiles sends out individualized plans for each runner the day before.

When they break the huddle, the runners leave the complex in small groups. There is little supervision from Stiles. This could all be a mess. The runners are moving in different directions. Their loud voices fill the lobby. Some are off in the corner flinging their legs into the air as they stretch. Its unclear to me when and how they are supposed to leave. Stiles is off conversing with individual runners, going over strategy and looking over the practice schedule. But the machine runs itself. It all works perfectly. The players start to cycle out in small groups until theres no one left for Stiles to talk to. He is the opposite of micromanaging, his assistant coach and former runner Kelli Blake says.

Jeff Stiles was that kid in PE class who took the mile run too seriously. He remembers it today. Seventh grade. Ames, Iowa. Thad Grebasch. It was Grebasch who beat him by just one step. Stiles ran a 6:07 mile. Grebasch ran a 6:06 mile. A year later, they met again. But as Grebasch put on weight for football, Stiles stayed lean and skinny. Stiles left everyone in the dust with a 5:20 minute mile. He still says it with pride.

It was that kind of natural speed that caught the attention of legendary North Central College coach Al Carius. The 19-time national champion only recruited the best of the best, the kinds of runners that other Division III schools couldnt touchhigh-level Division I talent. Stiles was one of those runners.

[My high school coach] was very much about hard work, not necessarily about having fun, Stiles said. And Als focus was on enjoying it. That was like a breath of fresh air. It was like Wow, running can be fun?[Before college] it was always about running to compete and to run a faster time. In college, I learned running could be enjoyable in itself, apart from running well.

Stiles lived to be a runner at North Central. When the clock hit 9 or 10 p.m., he went to bed, even if his homework wasnt finished. He spent an hour each and every day in Carius office. Carius showed Stiles that team and running could fit in the same sentence.

Stiles brought those same methods to Wash. U., his first (and so far only) head coaching gig. It was his dream job. He could coach cross country and serve as an assistant track coach. (He is now the head track coach.) He wanted to raise his three kids in the Midwest, with just enough backyard space to build the chicken coop his wife always wanted.

With his runners, he wanted to build a team. A family. Thats what he pitched to recruits. Even though at first he had little record to show for it, recruits bought in. Theres definitely an authenticity to him. It didnt feel like a sales pitch, said Blake, who ran for Stiles from 2007 to 2011 and is in her fourth season as a full-time assistant coach. Stiles has been able to attract runners like Matteucci, who had interest from Division I programs like University of Illinois and Purdue University.

For basketball or baseball players, college sports are a means to compete at the professional level. Without similar professional systems, college cross country is often the peak for these runners. Other coaches tout how good their runners can become. Stiles touts how much they will remember their days at Wash. U.

We want you to want to run for the rest of your lifeWe want running to be fun. We dont want to just squeeze every ounce out of you, Stiles said. We want you to leave more in love with the sport than when you came here.

As much thought as Stiles puts into the team, some players still fall through the cracks. With a team of 60 runners, it is inevitable. One of those people is junior Nathan Ostdiek.

In high school, Ostdiek was a three-sport athlete. In soccer, he won a state championship. In basketball, he was the school record holder in assists. In cross country, he earned All-State honors three times and set five school records. But he wasnt playing basketball and soccer in college. He was only running cross country and track. Five days a week, at least. Every morning at 6:30 from mid-August to early May.

Still, he wasnt close to cracking the top seven. For the first time in his life, he wasnt one of the best runners on his team. The repetition of running everyday started to alienate Ostdiek. An injury set him back during winter break of his freshman year, and he did little to run or get back in shape. He finished the year running track, as many cross country runners do. But by that point, he was burnt out.

He quit the cross country team towards the end of his freshman year.

It wasnt something that Stiles could have fixed. Stiles was understanding. He wanted to know how he could help Ostdiek transition into the next phase of his life.Its hard not to like the guy, Ostdiek clarifies. But nothing could stop the grueling nature of cross country. The burning lungs and aching joints. The alienation of running over and over and over again with little variation.

The grind kind of gets to you, Ostdiek says.

It reminds me of a quote Josh Clark, a former All-American runner from 2012 to 2016, told me. [Running] will chew you up and spit you out. 100%, he said.

Jeff Stiles stands in Forest Park and waits for his runners. He slowly paces back and forth, eager but patient.

Forest Park, just minutes away from Wash. U., is one of the largest city parks in the country. Theres a zoo, three nine-hole golf courses, a boathouse, a tennis center, multiple museums, a skating rink and too many fountains. The park is filled with lakes, trees, hills and endless paths for cross country runners.

Of the hundreds of paths in the park, Stiles knows exactly the one he wants. The surface is hard, but not too hard. Its soft, but not too soft. Its just right. Running on concrete or similar surfaces can lead to injury. Running on ground that is too soft can make the workout needlessly challenging, with players exerting too much energy digging through the ground.

Stiles likes running a course that his runners are familiar with, but not too familiar with. All of these details about topography give him a barometer to judge accurate times, while also making it so that his runners have to adapt to new surfaces, just like in races. Cross country is all about finding that middle ground.

The drill theyre doing this morning is called 1880, as in 1880 meters. The thing is, the loop is shorter than 1880 meters. They modified the distance a few years ago, but left the name. The bottom line is that they are running, at most, six loops, each totaling a mile.

Runners take off in groups of six. Stiles plans out every little detail of practice. Few runners will do the same workout. Some didnt even make the trip to Forest Park. (If theyre stressed or have too much work, Stiles lets them do a shortened workouts at the athletic complex.) Some will only run three of the six miles. Some will run all six. Some will run two miles and then sprint up a hill. All of the runners are expected to get five to 15 seconds faster as the laps progressoddly specific numbers. It seems like a challenging task, one that would require careful and meticulous understanding of your running habits.

The rest of the workout depends on each runners progression throughout the season and what they need most. How many miles they ran in high school. How many miles they ran in the summer. What injuries theyve had. What will help them get faster without getting hurt.

A big focus for Stiles is recoveryHe really believes that programs will overtrain and work their athletes too hard. By the end of the season, theyre tired, theyre worn out, says Matteucci.

Seniors will get up to 100 miles in a week. Younger runners, who are getting used to the college level, will total just 40 miles a week.

Stiles sends out the workout plan the day before. Names, numbers and green highlights are scattered across the page. It creates a maze. (No faster than 5:12-5:03) Ridderhoff, Cera, Trimark, Bishnupuri, Gersch JR/TC 200-400-400 @ 30-31/61-63 w/ MQ Gersch/Prat/Noah @ 200-400-400 @32/64-65, it reads.

For a non-runner, the pages might as well be in a different language. 4 x 1600 @ CV w/ 90 sec jog (jog back to WashU) put on Spikes 200-400-400 @ goal mile w/ 2 min standing rest, another says. Even for a runner, it might as well be in a different language. Before arriving at Wash. U., Matteucci wouldnt have understood it either, he says, explaining that part of the learning curve involves getting used to reading Stiles.

Its clear that Stiles has a strategy. Its not just running in a straight line for 30 minutes. Every mile, every exercise is intentional and specific to each person on the team so they can continue progressing through the season without injury.

As the season nears its end, many college teams will stop practicing as an entire team. Thats because only seven runners from the mens and womens teams can compete at the Midwest Regionals and nationals, which are in Louisville, Ky., on Saturday. Only five can qualify for points. If someone finishes in 10th place, the team is given 10 points. At the end of the race, the top five scorers are added up. As in golf, the lowest scoring team wins. It makes it so all seven runners must pull their weight for a team to win.

For Wash. U., there are about 40 runners who cannot run in regionals or nationals. Still, Stiles continues to have everyone practice. He finds separate, nearby races for them to run. He creates intersquad competitions, like the Mile of the Century. This gives those who arent fast enough to run in nationals the same opportunity to compete, to show off the strides that theyve made throughout the season.

The runners fly by Stiles and every time Stiles asks, What did we hit? In the midst of heavy breaths and long strides, the runner take a quick peek at their watch. They spit out a 5:20 or a 6:10.

Machines! Stiles responds. Looking pristine! he says to another. But thats it. There is no stopping them. No correction of form. Within seconds, the runners have zipped back around the loop for another mile and that is the extent of Stiles interaction with them.

Sitting on a nearby bench, two injured runners jot down numbers in an Excel sheet. They mark the mile times for each runner. But Stiles wont keep the numbers on his computer. After practice, he will print out the Excel sheet and stick it in a binder. A binder full of thousands of papers. They look as thick as the dictionaries in a library. There is one for each season since his first in 2001. They are scattered across his office. Stiles stores every race, every workout, every mile time in his binders. Ive killed a lot of trees, he jokes.

This way, he can monitor a players progress (or lack thereof) across a season. He can see what workout plans were most successful with specific players. He can look at the direction a player is headed. This could be stored on a computer, but Stiles has no intentions of changing.

Any undergrad at Wash. U. has seen Stiles runners push together multiple tables at dinner, the sounds of 60 voices drowning out the rest of the dining hall. We live together, we eat together, we run together. We jokingly call ourselves a cult, Matteucci says. The traditions are daily. Theyre weekly. Theyre yearly. Some are traditions that Stiles brought to the team. But most can be traced back to the players. Anything to make the constant repetition of running 70 miles a week more enjoyable.

Fridays, the most relaxing run of the week, are full of traditions. The womens team will usually dress up together for Friday runs. They will start by racing to Forsyth Boulevard to touch a nondescript sign. They then jog to the Delmar Loop. As they approach a nearby bank, the runners try to guess the temperatures on the side of the bank. It is rarely accurate. Everyone on the team blurts out their guesses. 10! 50! The game is called Mr. Temperature. Its something Stiles borrowed it from his time at North Central. Once they guess the temperature, the team will run through a Metro stop near campus. All while avoiding left turns.

It makes morning runs entertaining, so everyone wants to be there, Stiles said.

There are the less regular traditions, too, like twin day, when everyone will dress up as another person on the team.

Theres the eggnog run, which takes place between cross country and track season. The runners will drink eggnog, run four miles, and throw up beneath an underpass. Theres the pumpkin carving contest. Theres Bearsgiving.

In cross country and track, the sport becomes so individualizedA lot of coaches dont preach that team aspect as much, Clark says. One thing that Stiles says is that he wants people who want to be a part of something bigger than themselves.

Even as trophies started to add up, Stiles didnt point recruits to the shiny hardware lining the cabinets above his desk.Instead, he pointed recruits to a picture on his wall, hidden between drawings from his kids and tokens from his own running career. Its a photo from a race about a decade ago. Forty-three people are packed into the photo, Stiles says. But only a few had run in the race. Most made the multiple-hour drive across state lines just to watch.

The mens and womens cross country teams celebrate after a race. Head coach Jeff Stiles, known for his ebullient personality, has built a cross country dynasty at Washington University.

Watch is an understatement. It was cold and cloudy that morning, but the runners are decked in green and red body paint. Their spandex are polka dotted. Their mouths wide open, as if most had just about lost their voice from cheering the entire morning.

Is this a team you want to be a part of? A family you want to be a part of? Clark remembers Stiles asking him.

The picture still hangs in his office. But Stiles hasnt pointed recruits to the picture in recent years. Hes not sure why. Maybe its because the culture speaks for itself.

Dressing up and traveling as an entire team to regionals and nationals has been tradition since 2007, when the team shaved their heads into mullets and wore flannel jackets and jean shorts. Their outfits may change, but the tradition hasnt.

This years nationals will take place in Louisville. Not one player from the team is from the city, but Matteucci still expects 100 peoplefrom the cross country and track and field teamsto make the four-hour trip to watch the 14 Wash. U. runners. Even former members, like Ostdiek, will be there body-painted and hollering nonstop. Not another teameven the local teamswill reach the size or decibel level of the Wash. U. fan section.

Saturdays forecast calls for rain and a high of 44. It wont matter. Stiles will sprint from spot to spot on the course. He will yell updates on time and placement to his runners. He will probably tell them they look pristine. That is, if he can be heard over the other 100 screaming voices.

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Jeff Stiles and the construction of a cross country dynasty - Student Life

Paula Radcliffe is to become the new coaching adviser for a former Nike Oregon Project runner just weeks after drawing criticism over her response to the Alberto Salazar ban.

Britains former marathon world record holder who is sponsored by Nike had faced scrutiny after suggesting the US Anti-Doping Agency was trying maybe to regain a little bit of face by throwing Salazar out of athletics for four years following its failed pursuit of sprinter Christian Coleman.

In fact, the investigation into the coach had begun years before it emerged Coleman had missed three drugs tests. On Wednesday Jordan Hasay, 28, the second-fastest American woman over the marathon, announced on her Instagram page that she was excited and honoured to have Paula Radcliffe as my coaching adviser.

Hasay, who has left the disbanded Nike Oregon Project, added: I look forward to working with Paula, whose expertise in being the former world record holder in the marathon is unparalleled. I have always looked up to Paula as a pioneer for what is possible in the marathon, and most importantly in being a kind and inspiring person in life. I hope to follow in her footsteps as I continue my journey in the sport.

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Paula Radcliffe takes on coaching role with former Oregon Project runner Jordan Hasay - The Telegraph

A year ago, a group of boys arrived in Paisley, having fled the horrors of conflict in Syria.

Theyd lost brothers, sisters and countless family members in the ongoing atrocity.

Their lives had been torn apart and their hometown brought to its knees.

They escaped and travelled to Scotland with their families, starting new lives in Renfrewshire.

And now, one year on, the boys lives have been transformed through the power of football.

For the past year, the children have been playing at St Peters Football and Netball Club under the watchful eye of award-winning coach John Kinnaird.

With some barely speaking English, the team has faced its difficulties, but one year on they have all discovered that football is an international language.

John, 52, from Paisley, says the experience has highlighted the impact football can have on young peoples lives.

He said: Its not just about giving them football.

These kids have lost so much before they came here.

Every one of the kids that comes to us has had family members who have died in the war in Syria.

I asked one of our boys if they would go back to their home in Damascus and he told me that there was nothing to go back to.

Every one of these kids has physical and emotional scars, but they dont appear that way as playing football gives them an outlet.

When you see what this gives them, it makes you realise just how important football is for them.

These people were forced to leave their homes and come here and start a new life.

Football has helped integrate them into life in Scotland.

Seeing their faces when they get their kit and feel like they are part of something is amazing.

A year on, it is so clear what a difference this has made in their lives.

Through the successful Paisley club, the young players have enjoyed fantastic opportunities, travelling around the country to watch the likes of Scotland, Celtic and St Mirren.

The boys train every week and play every matches on a Saturday.

The impact the team has had on the group of Syrian boys has prompted John and his partner, Lorna, 43, who is secretary for the club, to open the door to any child in Renfrewshire who wants to take up the sport.

The successful project now has six coaches on board, along with 21 kids on their 2005 team and 60 kids in the 2014 team.

Johns mission has proved such a success they now have a waiting list.

They offer a place to any child who has not had a chance to play, whether it be due to a disability or that their parents cant afford to pay the fees.

One player who comes along is 14 and has never been given an opportunity to be on a team.

His dad died four years ago and his mum is unable to drive him to coaching.

But, thanks to Johns team, he now has prospects of joining other successful clubs.

Another young boy who has thrived under Johns coaching has a number of physical and learning disabilities.

His mum didnt think he would be able to join any team. John took him on and now his teammates love when he comes to training every week.

John added: We want these kids to be able to enjoy playing and have a lifelong involvement in the sport.

Whether it be through playing or coming along and helping coach the teams.

We also want to improve out facilities so that we have no waiting lists and every child can play when they want to.

Johns own battles in life are what have spurred him on.

He was forced to retire from his job last year due to a heart condition.

He was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy over a decade ago and was told he would eventually never be able to work or exercise again.

But, in the years since, John met Lorna, who also has a heart condition, has taken part in the Great Scottish Swim, the London Triathlon and even cycled to John oGroats to Lands End.

His efforts at St Peters Football and Netball Club have been recognised by the Scottish Football Association and Renfrewshire Council.

He was also handed the regional and national McDonalds Grassroots Football Award for the community project.

He added: I retired just over a year ago as I have a heart condition.

Im lucky that, in retirement, I have found something that gives me so much.

What these boys have done is make me realise how football can change peoples lives.

That has made us want to make sure that anyone who wants to play football, but has been unable to for any reason, is given the opportunity.

More of the latest news from the PAISLEY DAILY EXPRESS

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The Paisley football coach transforming the lives of Syrian kids through sport - Daily Record

MANILA, PhilippinesAs he celebrated another UAAP men's basketball title, Ateneo head coach Tab Baldwin spared a thought for his rival, University of Santo Tomas coach Aldin Ayo.

Baldwin and Ayo have matched wits in three of the past UAAP finals, with Ayo steering La Salle past the Blue Eagles in Season 79. Baldwin got him back in Season 80, as Ateneo dethroned the Green Archers in what turned out to be Ayo's final year at Taft.

Ayo left for UST after 2017, and the Tigers endured a rebuilding year in 2018 while Baldwin led the Blue Eagles to another UAAP title. This year, however, the Growling Tigers surprised everyone by making a run to the Season 82 Finals, where they challenged a dominant Ateneo team that had won all 14 of their games in the elimination round.

The Growling Tigers put up a challenge, particularly in the second game of the series. After being routed, 91-77, in Game 1, UST kept it close in Game 2, even coming to within one point in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately for the Espaa cagers, Ateneo had too many options and too much firepower, pulling away late, and holding on for an 86-79 victory.

"It's very difficult in defeat," Baldwin acknowledged after the game. "I've been there plenty of times in my life."

"The players and coaching staff of UST . . . They don't wanna hear a lot right now. Theyre hurting," he added. "But I want it on the record of saying that the fight that they showed in this finals, I think it really flattered us."

"I think what they gave out there on the court, what they had to give, really flatters us. I appreciate all of them. I respect them also, much they know that, Ive told them that."

UST, more than any other team in the UAAP this year, had given Ateneo fits. The Blue Eagles escaped with a 71-70 victory in their first meeting, before earning a 66-52 triumph in their second round encounter.

A well-rested and well-prepared Ateneo team crushed UST in the first game of the finals, but the Tigers refused to go down easily in Game 2. UST never let Ateneo take complete control of the contest, rallying despite falling behind by 16 points in the first quarter.

They fell short in the end, and the Tigers can gain some comfort in knowing that they lost their games to Ateneo by an average of just nine points per game. The Blue Eagles' average winning margin this season was 16.5 points.

"It wasn't easy," said Baldwin. "It was extremely difficult, and I think I've said enough times Aldin and his team, they come at you hard. I think if you take it lightly, you lose. Simple as that."

"And we didnt take them lightly. We prepared extremely hard," he added. "I'll leave it up to all of you to decide the fairness of the outcome but Aldin and his team fight hard."

"They are a good basketball team. They have a lot of weapons on that team. It was a battle. We thought it would be a battle and were just very pleased to come out as victors in the battle."

Baldwin was effusive in his praise of Ayo, noting that his teams are "really outstanding." He commended their toughness both physically and tactically, and pointed out that the Tigers have one thing that separates them from the rest of the pack when it comes to challenging Ateneo.

"They're probably the one team that tries to impose themselves on us," said Baldwin. "I think most of the other teams were trying to defend themselves from us imposing ourselves on them, particularly our defense."

Ayo's team, instead, "comes out to attack." "He makes no concessions to anything we might have achieved coming into the game," said Baldwin.

"You can tell that the team was not beaten when they came out to play today," he also said.

The final minute of the game typified the kind of fight that Baldwin has come to expect from UST this season. Ateneo was already ahead, 86-76, with 62 seconds to go after a layup by eventual finals MVP Thirdy Ravena.

Yet the Growling Tigers never stopped pressing. They forced consecutive turnovers against the Blue Eagles, and Rhenz Abando drew fouls against Adrian Wong and Thirdy Ravena to earn trips to the line. He made three of four charities for an 86-79 count with 34.2 ticks left, and UST got another stop when Wong was called for a five-second holding violation.

Their rally would fall short; the Blue Eagles' advantage was too big at that point. Yet the Growling Tigers' effort was not lost on their opponents, who praised them as worthy rivals afterward.

"We certainly know what kind of team theyll be next year. Theyre gonna be extremely difficult, extremely strong basketball team. Congratulations to them and I wish them well in the future," said Baldwin.

For more sports coverage, visit the ABS-CBN Sports website.

UAAP 82, UAAP Season 82, UAAP 82 finals, Ateneo de Manila University, Ateneo Blue Eagles, University of Santo Tomas, UST Growling Tigers, Tab Baldwin, Aldin Ayo

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UAAP 82: Coach Tab on Tigers' ferocity 'It really flattered us' - ABS-CBN News

The value of what Chuck Gismondi taught his players at California University as the head baseball coach for 17 years was not limited to the game.

Gismondi taught his Vulcans to have fun, work hard and go the extra mile in helping someone else find happiness and success.

He changed my life, said Don Hartman, who played at California and currently is the head softball coach at Frazier. When I was coming out of high school, I wasnt sure what I wanted to do. He offered me the opportunity to play baseball for him at Cal. That put me in the college environment and gave me a chance to have success.

Gismondi, 77, of Elco, passed away Saturday.

He earned a bachelors degree from Cal in 1964 and a masters degree from West Virginia University in 1968. He returned to Cal in 1969 to teach in the Speech Pathology department.

Gismondi is one of just four men to serve as Californias baseball coach since 1950. He succeeded Mitch Bailey (1960-79) and was followed by current Vulcans coach Mike Conte. Andy Sepsi (1950-59) is the other coach.

Gismondi finished with a 393-295-7 record with 14 winning seasons, six-postseason berths, five Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference final four appearances, three PSAC West Division championships, three PSAC runner-up finishes and an NCAA Division II tournament berth. He produced eight professional players.

One of them, Rick Krivda, who pitched in the major leagues and won an Olympic Gold medal with Team USA in 2000, said Gismondi made a huge impact.

He reminded me of my father, firm but fair, said Krivda. He is why I went to Cal. If you messed up, he would tell you about it. If you did well, hed tell you about that as well and he would help you.

He really emphasized going to class, staying out of trouble and that if you did that good things would happen.

Dion Jansante, who is the dean of Washington County high school baseball coaches at Bentworth, said he was always impressed with Gismondis coaching skills and personality.

I really enjoyed playing for him, said Jansante, who played at Cal in the early-to-mid 1980s. He taught me a lot about baseball.

A lot of what we do at Bentworth comes from him. Anytime I had an opportunity to be on campus, Id make it a point to stop in his office or just talk with him. The most fun I ever had was on our southern trips. He pushed us to work hard but when the games were over, the personal level took over. He would joke around with us. He was great to be around.

Skooter Roebuck, the baseball coach at Brownsville, started his collegiate career at Charleston Southern University in South Carolina. He wanted to move back to play in Western Pennsylvania.

Gismondi was there for him.

Chuck was the only guy I thought of calling, Roebuck said. I told him I wanted to come home and he said hed take care of everything and he did.

He did all the paperwork on the transfer. He did me a big favor. Hes meant a lot to me and a lot of people. As far as guys from our generation, we knew Chuck as a man who lived and breathed Cal baseball. He loved that university.

Gismondis No. 29 jersey was retired by then California president Dr. Angelo Armenti, Jr., in 1996.

In the last several years, former players came together to establish a 29er Club to honor Gismondi. Proceeds from the annual golf outing are distributed to the Vulcans baseball program.

He was the face of Cal U baseball for a long time, Hartman said. Chuck was a great guy.

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Gismondi was a game-changer and life-changer at Cal - Observer-Reporter