Heathwood Hall coach Willis Ware talks about his competitive days of running and coaching at a SCISA school.
Name: Willis Ware
School: Heathwood Hall
Years coaching: 26
Hobbies: Traveling, golf, hiking
Event PRs: 800=1:51; 1500=3:45; mile run (indoors)=4:06; 1600 = 4:03; 3200 (indoors)=8:55; 5K=14:02; 10K=31:04; Half-Marathon= 1 hr. 9 min.
How and when did you get involved in coaching?
I began coaching cross country as a graduate assistant at the University of Missouri after I completed my NCAA eligibility.
The number 5 runner: Heathwood Hall coach Willis Ware
Did you run and what level?
Yes, I began running competitively during my freshmen year in high school, earned a varsity spot as a freshmen on the University of Missouri cross country team (which finished the season ranked 18th in the nation), and earned all conference recognition both my junior and senior years at Mizzou. I also served as team captain my junior and senior years at Mizzou.
Are you still running today? Please explain.
Yes, I still run, but not as much as I would like. I only get in about 15-20 miles a week.
What experience did you have from being on a team and how do you feel that helps you be a coach?
I had a very positive experience on both my high school and college cross country teams. I was fortunate to be a part of a high school team that was built from the ground up. We started out placing near the bottom of our conference and became conference champions and one of the state’s top teams my senior year. The hard work, patience, and understanding of team dynamics that keyed our success back then, all play a part in my role as a cross country coach now.
What subject or subjects do you teach and at what level?
Social Studies: Global Issues for 11th & 12th graders and Multicultural Studies for ninth and 10th graders.
How do you find athletes to join the cross country team?
Mainly by word of mouth.
Photo left, courtesy of Pam Haines via Willis Ware
What kind of pre race tradition do you prefer?
Nothing out of the ordinary. We have team warm up, a team huddle, and then line up and race.
What challenges do you have as a coach?
One of my biggest challenges is consistently filling the shoes of my senior runners in a small independent school. We do not have a large pool of students to pull from.
How do you balance life responsibilities?
I have to separate the important things in life from the urgent things. Sometimes what seems really “urgent” trumps the things that are really important.I have to prioritize.
What do you see your team doing this season?
I see our team being very competitive, as we’ve been each of the past four seasons.
What kind of coaching style do you have?
Some would call it an “athlete-centered” coaching style. I try to remember that it’s not about me, but the student-athlete having as positive of an experience as possible.
Is there one moment you will not forget from coaching?
There have been so many, it’s hard to single out one moment.
What do you hope each runner gets out of being on the team and the sport?
What have learned from your athletes? I hope that my runners learn the value of struggle. That sometimes only through struggle can we become better. And secondly, that sacrifice (for team and self) can pay huge dividends in the long run. We live in a society that wants instant success, and the reality is that oftentimes, real success takes time.