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Talking Track & Field with Coach Watts
Editor's Note: The Nevada Daily Mail reached out to NHS Track & Field Coach Ryan Watts with questions and below are his answers.
How did you get your start in coaching? And why track and field? What is your story?
I started coaching in 2007 as an assistant to my dad who was the head Cross Country and Track Coach at the time. Cross Country and Track were the two sports I had the most success with and enjoyed the most during my time competing and with my dad being the coach it seemed kind of like going into the family business. Distance running has always been something that I have enjoyed and has been a big part of my life for as long as I can remember, so being able to spread that passion and excitement for running has always seemed fitting.
Your dad was a coach at Nevada for the longest time. How much did he influence you to do what you do today, and how has he helped you get better at what you do?
He is definitely the primary influence on me pursuing coaching as a career. Growing up and seeing the impact that he had on his athletes and the difference he made in their lives was something that I still aspire to. He was a track and cross country coach before I was born and as a result I grew up watching and aspiring to be like him. Essentially everything I know about coaching, running and the like, I learned from him. Dad has forgotten more about coaching then I will ever know so being able to ask him questions or seek his advice has been invaluable over the years that I have coached.
What are some things as a coach that you look for in athletes? Would you rather have a student athlete with talent and no work ethic, or a student athlete with an amazing work ethic and no talent?
Being coachable, Dedication, Effort – not necessarily in that order, but those are three that are key for me. Having a coachable athlete who will do what is asked and makes an honest effort to meet the expectation or hit the prescribed time, or focus on a certain technique is so critical to seeing long term improvement. Dedication is key, athletes have to be dedicated on so many levels to have success – Dedication to your craft and wanting to do the things necessary to improve, Dedication to the coaches who are putting forth the effort to help athletes improve, Dedication to your teammates, the program/team, your high school and your community. Its easy to make things all about you, especially in today’s society – it takes a truly dedicated athlete to see the big picture and not to be selfish! Finally effort – athletes have to be willing to do what it takes! Things that are easy are easy for a reason – We value things we have to struggle for, things we have to pursue, and things that take effort! Athletes must be willing to put in the effort to have success and more often than not great effort produces great results – so give me the student athlete with an amazing work ethic!
What is your favorite event in track and field?
The 3200 – and I prefer the 5k in cross over all of it! The longer the better! I enjoy all aspects of track and field but distance running is my favorite…I like the gamesmanship and strategy that’s involved – pacing and planning moves within the race is exciting, the farther you go the more time you have to make in race adjustments and compete! In 3 miles the race can change countless times and it’s a constant problem you are trying to solve in real time!
Finally, what is one thing that most people don’t know about you?
I love to read, nearly as much as I love to run…in fact when most people see me running around town with headphones in they probably assume I’m listening to music- more often than not I am listening to an audiobook which is great and allows me to combine two of my favorite pastimes.