October 14, 2024 • 48 mins
Put on the headphones and jump into the world of Girls Varsity Cross Country, as we sit down with Coach Kyle Barnes and 2022 State Champion and Notre Dame bound athlete/runner, Helen Sachs.
Team togetherness is crucial in athletics, and this episode unravels how shared goals and mutual respect can fuel great accomplishment.
Rigorous training, recovery and strength training are essential components of the program. Kyle highlights how prioritizing recovery techniques like foam rolling, ice baths, and proper nutrition are integral to the team's success. These practices not only aid in physical adaptation but also enhance team cohesion and spirit.
The episode also touches on preparing athletes for real-world challenges beyond high school. The discussion explores how the skills and discipline acquired through cross country can have a positive impact on mental health and prepare athletes for life's challenges. Coach Barnes shares his experiences and personal growth, reflecting on the lessons learned from his time at Grand Valley and the evolution of his coaching approach.
Helen reflects on past adversities, the joy of returning to competition with a fresh perspective, and the relentless pursuit of goals exemplified by the team’s unwavering commitment to training.
Finally, the episode brings listeners into the thrilling final stretch of the cross-country season, highlighting the team's objectives of winning Conference, Regional, and State Championships.
And hey. You gotta get on that bus.
This episode was recorded on October 8, 2024.
Podcasts now dropping at 5pm every Sunday evening for that late weekend chill, or listen Monday AM during that morning commute or workout. Please like, follow, subscribe, or leave a review. Even share with someone who might like to listen. Thanks for taking the time to get to know each other a little bit better. The people who make West Ottawa Athletics what it is. Go WO!
Special thanks to Laura Veldhof Photography.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
you can't have a successful team without kind of
the chemistry and the goodrelationships between everyone
because you want to be able todo the hard work for people
around you, because running,like is an individual sport but
it's not like you're doing it asa team and like you need to
respect the others around youand like want to do it for them,
like the shared suffering.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Hey everybody, this is rodney valingaa with the West
Ottawa High School AthleticProgram, and you're listening to
the 29.1 Podcast 29 sports, oneteam, the show that brings you
into the lives ofstudent-athletes, coaches and
other faces in the Panthersports community, bringing you
(00:40):
the stories you might otherwisenever hear.
Join myself and AthleticDirector Bill Kennedy as we dive
in with you to get to know eachother a little bit better.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Every once in a while , you get the perfect storm.
Generational talent andexceptional coaching come
together to reach maximumpotential.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
Today we sit down with Coach Kyle Barnes and one
of the most decorated athletesto ever walk the halls at West
Ottawa Senior Helen Sachs totalk about Panther cross country
, the season so far and whatlies ahead.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
This is a great listen to one of the most
admired athletes in West Ottawahistory.
Speaker 4 (01:21):
Coach Kyle Barnes, senior Helen Sachs coming up
next on the 29-1 podcast.
Let's get it well, heyeverybody.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Welcome back to the 29-1 podcast.
It is a really crisp fall dayon the lake shore today.
It's's really really nice.
I have about 65.
Great for that fall jacket Isee our guests both have on
their hoodies and this weatheris really nice for the back end
of fall cross-country season.
Today we sit down with two ofthe most successful people in
(02:03):
West Ottawa cross-countryhistory and their respective
roles as coach and runner.
Who is it Coach?
Kyle Barnes.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
And athlete runner Helen Sachs.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
Awesome.
So, helen, real quick, kind ofgo back through your resume,
which is starting to get prettylengthy at this point.
2022 state champ Gatorade,runner of the year in 22,.
Three-time All-State Am Icorrect there?
Speaker 1 (02:26):
It's more than that with track but three all state
and cross country um, and then2024 state champion, the four by
eight.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
Uh, last spring, kyle , you and I go all the way back
to the very beginning of yourtime here at west ottawa,
because I was the ad that waslucky enough to to find a guy
that wanted to coach and whosedoctoral thesis was labeled the
cardiovascular load of thecross-country runner, something
along that.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Not a bad start.
Oh, you might just want to lookat this, yeah Right.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
That's pretty good.
Yeah, that was one of the moreimpressive resumes.
Rodney and I were kind oftalking earlier about how that
connection was even made reallythrough.
Rayann Hart, who was ourprevious cross country coach,
and she competed with Danielleback in the day and that was
really kind of the connection,so pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
It's a really cool story in the background and just
from a personal point of view,it's a real like honor to sit
down with you guys, like Ireally appreciate it.
You're both are veryaccomplished here, but with all
people that are driven, youstill have a lot to do, right?
We don't ever rest on laurels,but does that crisp fall weather
kind of let you know what timeof year it is?
(03:33):
Helen?
Speaker 1 (03:34):
Oh yeah, it's really fun, it's really exciting.
We had a run yesterday and weall kind of felt it.
We were like this is the timeBecause we've been used to
training in the heat and reallyreally hot.
This is the time because, like,we've been just used used to
training, like in the heat andreally really hot, and you can,
like you can tell when the timeschange and the fall and the air
gets colder and you can justtell yeah, and it's been a very
warm september.
Yeah yeah, it's been hot.
I think we had a hotter workoutlast week, two weeks ago, than
(03:57):
we did the whole summer yeah,kind of yeah at the.
Speaker 5 (04:01):
It was hot once that temperature drops drops, we
start running fast Right.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
It's a mindset change when that temperature hits.
Let's get to know you guys alittle bit.
Kyle, I've known you, of course, because my daughter, claire,
ran for you for four years, so Igot to know you.
I learned about your hanglansdeformity and you know we get to
trade scar stories, so we justdid it out in the hallway before
we got started.
You're also at GVSU.
You're a professor there ofyour PhD in exercise science,
(04:30):
exercise physiology.
I was able to say both of thosewithout a hitch, so I'm happy
about that.
How long have you been at GrandValley?
Speaker 5 (04:37):
This is year 12 for me.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
This is year 12.
Speaker 5 (04:39):
How old are you?
40.
Yep, so right.
Out of my PhD.
40.
Yep, so right on my PhD.
I was looking for jobs andGrand Valley was the best
opportunity at the time and sostarted working there and you
know, in that time like I'vebeen coaching, you know various
spots since college and my first, my first coaching job was here
at West Ottawa.
(05:00):
I volunteered with Craig Kingmafor for a year before I went on
to graduate school, and so thenI was at Colorado State
volunteer coach there.
When I could, through mymaster's degree, went to New
Zealand to do my PhD.
That's long story short.
I worked with like their highperformance program in New
Zealand and worked with theirOlympic track and triathlon
(05:21):
programs leading up to theLondon Olympics, and then landed
at Grand Valley and coachedthere for six years while I was
teaching, and then here at WestOttawa for the last five, now
six years.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Yeah, that's really, what a resume.
That's really great.
I was thinking earlier and wetalked about this in the hall
just for a minute what does atypical day look like for you
during cross season, with beingat Grand Valley and doing here?
Give me like I'm gonna give you30 seconds to take me through a
day.
Speaker 5 (05:48):
just go, gotta go quick get my kids ready for
school, drop them off, get togrand valley, teach for
basically the whole morning,come home, try to get a workout
in if I have time and then, uh,practice for three, three and a
half hours and then whatever mykids have going on after
practice.
That's super fast, yeah andthat that's a.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
we were talking about that earlier, though, but when
you have a life where you'retrying to accomplish things,
it's always busy, right, like itdoesn't stop, so kudos to you
for that.
And you're, of course, marriedto Danielle, who's a counselor
here, and she used to be yourassistant coach, but she's a
very accomplished runner too,helen.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Yeah, no, yeah.
She's a great role model tokind of look after and have
someone in the back corner thatwe can always reach out to and
communicate with.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Yeah, and it's nice to have somebody that was up
there too, right, yeah, becauseyeah Most people don't in this
building, don't realize howaccomplished she's getting.
Speaker 5 (06:37):
She finished 13th in the world, and that's pretty
good, I mean, and that's prettygood.
I mean she's insane, that'sinsane.
Yeah, well, like I don't knowhow many time, multiple time
national champion in high schooland so like, for you know we've
been like helen or before,arianne.
Like usually you don't alwayshave athletes quite at their
caliber, correct, but you know,for to have danielle around to
(06:59):
like have that experience andbeen through it is really
valuable and like it's nothingthat like I'm not, I'm nowhere
near the talent or experience,those things.
On a coaching side I've haddifferent experiences, but not
as an athlete and it's just adifferent experience.
And so danielle can likedirectly relate and that's rare
to have have an athlete, to havesomebody so close to be able to
(07:22):
like bounce ideas off or toprepare them mentally for what
to expect.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
Yeah, it's almost like a perfect storm of good.
Yeah, really as a as an athlete, with these coaches and you
have, you have two young girlsright.
Speaker 5 (07:34):
What are their names?
Karen Quinn, five and a halfand coming up on eight and two
weeks.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
And they're always around the meets and stuff,
right?
Speaker 5 (07:39):
Yeah, they have been.
I mean, they just traveled theportage with us this past
weekend, rode the bus, and sothey're getting old enough where
they ride the bus a little bithere and there, and I mean
that's what they want.
They just want to ride the bus,that's all they really want.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Well, I saw them on a golf cart too, because when we
had the right away here.
Speaker 5 (07:52):
They love the golf cart.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
When we were here at the right away, I tried I golf
cart.
It was really funny.
Helen, you're a senior here atWest Ottawa.
Yeah, and to my delight, yes,to my delight, you are a very
good writer.
You wrote for the West Ottawain this past spring.
You wrote like five articles.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
I did, I did.
Yeah, it was.
That was a really funexperience.
I'm doing that again thissemester or next semester, so
watch out.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
You're a very good writer.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
What was one of your favorite stories that you did?
Speaker 1 (08:22):
My favorite one is probably Fed Up that I wrote
kind of about my struggles withnutrition and eating and the
sport.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
Was that with Ed?
Speaker 1 (08:31):
Yeah, yeah, yes, ed is the name I have given my
eating disorder.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
Yeah, Well, it's a very well done article.
Yeah, yeah.
And you wrote some other onestoo.
I think one was on Unified.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
The Unified Sports.
I love that program.
Right, that was a good one.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
Amazing program.
That's one of my favorite daysof the year is when I get to sit
behind the mic for UnifiedBasketball in the gym and give
them the full Bill.
Kennedy raspy voice announcerexperience.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
Get that old Chicago Bulls intro going For sure.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
That's really, really fun.
You have a family of fourparents for Paul and Lisa, who
don't run.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
No, I don't know where I came from.
I think they're my parents.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
You think you're their parents and you have a
little sister, Ruby.
What grade is she in?
She's in seventh.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
She's testing out all the sports.
She's actually in cross countryright now and she's really
enjoying it.
Speaker 3 (09:27):
So what is it like for you to go to some of her
races and really experiencethings from kind of the
beginning?
It must be like a littleinnocent type of place to go to.
What's that like?
Speaker 1 (09:37):
It's really nostalgic .
It's kind of fun to go back tothose races and like they're all
just doing it for fun.
Like Ruby's kind of said before, she's like I'm like I want to
talk with my friends and it'slike it's kind of this social
sport and like in sixth gradethat's how I joined it.
I joined it as a fun sport tobe with my friends and kind of
just test out sports and likesee where I liked to be when
(09:58):
like the sports dimension andlike it ended up I ended up
loving cross and so I stayed.
But like Ruby is still kind oftesting everything out.
So right now she's kind of justhaving fun and she's liking it.
Speaker 4 (10:09):
So Cause she's played some tennis too.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
Yeah, she's probably done every sport under the sun,
Like I don't know.
She's done softball, tennis,soccer, like karate.
She did volleyball for a littlebit.
I think she, like, was reallycommitted to tennis and thought
she was going to be a tennisplayer.
But then I think I think it waslike the other week or last
night or a few nights ago shewas like, yeah, no, I'm doing
soccer now, like I don't careabout tennis.
(10:33):
I'm like, okay, so now soccer.
And then I'm like, well, you'redoing soccer track in the
spring, because that's the sametime for middle school, and she
goes, well, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
So I really don't know with her anymore.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
So she's enjoying cross right now.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
Yeah, jumping from sports to sports is something.
Did you do that at all when youwere a little?
No, I said smaller.
When I was small, when you wereyounger.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
I mean a little bit Like obviously I did like little
like testing out of what I kindof liked.
Like kindergarten I did soccerand like the kind of the only
like other major sport I did wasdance, which my mom was very
happy about because she majoredin dance or minored in dance in
college.
So she always thought she'dhave dancers.
So I tried that out for a hotsecond and that was not my thing
.
I'm not very coordinated, so itwas dancer running and so
(11:15):
running kind of running top ofthat.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
So that's awesome.
I love that at the middleschool level we still have
students who are trying tofigure out what their path is
going to be and we're able tooffer so many different things
to them to kind of try thingsout.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
Yeah, the opportunities are endless, for
sure, yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
You say you're not coordinated, but on your shared
suffering Instagram page youguys always have those fun
pictures from your photo shoot.
So if somebody sets like arecord time, it's like this or
somebody's got sunglasses onHelen, what was it like to do
that photo shoot?
Tell us about that day.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
It was fun.
It was really fun.
Media day every year is likesuper fun, especially like going
more on these like officialvisits and getting kind of the
more formalized media.
It's kind of similar things.
But the vibe with the team,like doing it by yourself at an
official, is very different thandoing it with the team here.
So it was really.
It's really fun doing it withthe team and like all the props
and I know last year there was alot of glitter that we had all
(12:11):
over um everywhere, so that wasfun.
But yeah, it's always a reallyreally fun experience just doing
the media day with everyone andfinding fun poses.
Speaker 4 (12:20):
And Kyle, that's something that you've kind of
done since you've been coachinghere is really to, I guess, add
a layer to your program andreally promote your program
through social media.
Who's doing all of that for you?
Speaker 5 (12:33):
I know the answer, but I want people to understand
you know, yeah, I mean I'm kindof a one-man show right now with
everything.
It's just it.
Like cross-country running'snot easy, distance running's not
easy, and so, like I've learnedin my cross-country journey,
especially like I've onlycoached girls and which is like
(12:54):
I don't know, I just kind offound my niche.
I enjoy coaching women, that,like it.
It just balances things out,like the athletes and I'm maybe
guys do too, but like I'mfocused on the women's team,
like they enjoy those types ofthings that you know, like it
helps promote our program andour sport.
Promotes the individuals too,cause, like all of them from
(13:14):
Helen, who's one of the best inAmerica, to people that are just
there for participation, justwant to have fun with it, but
they try hard, like they're partof our, our program, our
culture, and like they continueto improve, like they deserve
shout outs too.
Um, you know, and now socialmedia is the way that we, we, we
do that and you do a great jobon it.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
I always look forward to when I pull up my phone I
see that shared suffering circleat the top.
I'm like oh.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
I'm on that right away.
Graphics and edits are crazy.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
Yeah, no doubt about it.
Let's get into the team alittle bit.
Every year brings in newrunners, new challenges.
You've had a really great yearso far, winning most of your
meets.
You've been ranked as high asnumber two in the state and then
, I believe, even 11thnationally right that was last
week.
Helen, can you talk about someof the top girls on your team
right now that are making thisyear something special?
(14:03):
Who are some?
Speaker 1 (14:06):
To name off probably be Ava Porras, emma Gunnett,
colette Weirks, jane Alney,julia Frampton, ella Weirks.
Speaker 4 (14:17):
There's so much depth on this.
Tell me about those girls.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
What's it like being around them, having them being
on your team.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
It's amazing.
The atmosphere is really really, really great, like especially
coming in with Claire's class,your oldest daughter, my
freshman year, their seniorclass was very focused and I
always like they were more ofkind of work, work, work and we
got the job done every day andjust wasn't as much kind of like
(14:44):
laughter and joking around andright now, and the team we're at
now, it's it's really reallydifferent, but we always, we
always get the work done, butwe're definitely more of a
playful team, which I think isreally, really fun that's
healthy.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
It's not unhealthy.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
No, exactly so, like doing like obviously we do
really hard things and likedoing all of that this year and
like all of the meets we'vecompeted at, and like workouts
we're doing like they're allhard but just kind of that
playful, kind of fun aspect thatwe've kind of cultured right
now is really, really beneficial, I think, for everyone a lot of
you girls have been together inthe program now for a long
(15:16):
period of time right Like.
Speaker 4 (15:18):
I mean, the senior class isn't massive, but there
are some big pieces of it.
And then kind of new people addin, but you get the work
sisters who are coming in from atrack perspective and um,
what's that like kind of as thenew people kind of inject
themselves into the program?
What's that like from a studentathlete perspective, from a
coach's perspective?
Speaker 5 (15:39):
I the the hardest thing is like like again,
everything we do is is hard,like it's not easy and like,
quite honestly, a lot of newpeople that start out don't make
it very long.
It's just like, if it's toohard or a lot of, I think a lot
of kids just don't give itenough time.
Like it like with anything,especially like endurance type
of sports, like it takes two,three, four weeks just for your
(16:01):
body to adapt to like being ableto do easy runs on a regular
and it not being just hard everyday for you.
That's on top of all theancillary stuff that we do, and
so I think the vibe of the, theteam, has helped that
everybody's accepting of eachother on the, on the team and
like the people that are therework hard and it's been, it's
(16:23):
been great to to have likecertainly everybody has, like
their people and whatnot, butlike everybody I think,
recognizes like everybody'sworking hard.
Speaker 3 (16:33):
You've had a lot of runners this year hit that sub
20 all time list.
What's that been like, helen,to see your teammates being able
to pull some of this stuff off.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
It's been super fun and like kind of exciting for
what our potential is and wehave some big goals, and kind of
seeing everyone else kind ofprosper and achieve those goals
has been really reallyencouraging throughout the time.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
Yeah, I was going through the Instagram I think it
was this morning.
I was looking at that top 20.
It's like red name, red name,red name, 2024.
It was pretty impressive.
It's a lot, and that's a lot oftop 20 all times for one year.
Let's put it that way.
Speaker 5 (17:06):
Yeah, I'm trying to think how many do we have?
Seven, eight or nine?
Speaker 3 (17:08):
It's a lot Nine girls yeah.
Speaker 5 (17:10):
We had seven girls break, 18 minutes at or 19
minutes, excuse me, at otsego,which I don't think we've ever
had five girls break 19 in thesame race.
Here we have 10 or 11 girlsthat have broke 20 minutes right
this year and I think there's acouple more that could do it.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
Yeah, it's really deep.
It's deep part of the part ofthat news kind of spoke.
That is a great team chemistry.
You guys did four days up atshanty creek, uh pre-season yes
what does that do for the teamnumber one?
But then, secondly, what kindof payoff is that providing?
Speaker 1 (17:42):
now, maybe, helen, you want to speak to that yeah,
it kind of just solidifies ourrelationship that we've kind of
built throughout the summer andkind of just and like a rule
with team camp is like you cancome if you've been training all
summer and so people that arethere have a mutual respect for
all the hard work we've put inand like the hours we've kind of
dedicated throughout the summerand so kind of going to that
camp just kind of solidifies therelationships that we've built
(18:04):
and kind of gets us excited forwhat's to come and builds those
really strong connections thatwe need to have a high
performing team.
Like you can't have asuccessful team without kind of
the chemistry and the goodrelationships between everyone
because you want to be able todo the hard work for people
around you, because running likeis an individual sport but it's
not like you're doing it as ateam and like you need to
(18:27):
respect the others around youand like want to do it for them,
like the shared suffering, kindof essentially.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
Oh yeah, for sure you .
You had mentioned kind of whenyou came in, that senior class
had an effect on you.
That is been part of yourbehavior, though, as you've done
this, you do some runs out atPigeon Creek, which is a great
place to run by the way.
Yes, love it, but you drive thefreshmen back and forth a
little bit.
You don't have to do that.
Why do you do that?
Speaker 1 (19:00):
I received a lot of help from the senior class my
freshman year and even thesenior class my sophomore year,
and so I was always reallygrateful for like all of the
rides.
And I know like the time thatwe spend at practice is a long
time and like parents have jobsand obligations and like I'm
asking to be picked up at thistime each day and dropped off at
this time and like especiallyduring the summer it gets busy,
and so I kind of relied on thoseupperclassmen my first few
(19:21):
years to drive, like drive mewhen I didn't have rides.
And so I always kind of hadthis like unsaid thing in the
back of my head.
I was like when I can drive, Iwill be driving anyone that
needs a ride, um, and so I'vekind of continued to pursue that
and like I just want to makesure everyone's getting where
they need to be and like are youmomming them?
I, I am, I'm actually, I'm themom I call, I'm called like
(19:43):
there's a few mom bands on theteam, um, but I acquired the
first mom van, so I have thesame car.
That claire that your daughteroh, you did I have.
I have a white um chryslerminivan oh, let's go.
Speaker 3 (19:53):
Yeah, is it rusty on the sides?
Yeah, oh, yeah, oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
Yeah, she's cute.
So that's my mom van that I buseveryone around in.
And then Emma Gunnett hasanother, she has a nicer, she
has a more bougie minivan.
But that's okay, no competitionhere.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
Kyle, what does that do for your team when your top
runner is doing things like that?
Speaker 5 (20:22):
I think it's just, like Danielle calls it, just
throwing the rope over the fenceto to, like, the next group,
you know, trying to bring themalong and like a lot of this
stuff has kind of happened, Iguess, kind of by accident, just
kind of organically as aprogram, which has been great in
the sense of like, likefamilies, athletes.
There's a lot of people behindthe scenes of this program that
make a lot of sacrifices for usto be successful and, um, you
(20:42):
know, and some of that is theupperclassmen that have driver's
license to, you know, get otherathletes to practice home from
practice.
So because we do practice forso long, or like we drive out of
town to to get on hills or intrails and stuff like that, that
and to keep our athleteshealthy, like that's like just
little things that we, that wethink about and like it's just
(21:05):
kind of giving back to the nextgeneration and giving back to
the, you know, the next, youknow the future of the program,
which is the freshmen and thesophomores or eventually, you
know, the middle schoolers, andthat's what we're kind of do.
It's kind of re reload, yeah,tradition doesn't graduate Right
Right.
Speaker 4 (21:22):
One of the things that, as I, if I start to think
back to, like your earliest dayshere at West Ottawa, one of the
things that we started tonotice right away is the amount
of time that you spend in yourprogram spends on recovery and
post-practice work.
I remember the first daywalking in and at this point you
(21:43):
guys were using the area rightin front of the athletic office
a lot of times for foam rollingand Theraguns.
I remember Karen saying to me Idon't know what they're doing,
but it looks awesome.
Talk to us a little bit aboutthat emphasis that is placed on
the recovery.
I mean, of all the teams,there's one team that ice baths
(22:06):
more than anyone else Foamrolling.
Your post-practice, yourpost-race regimen is super
important to the success thatwe're having.
Speaker 5 (22:16):
Yeah, I mean we spend more time with posts, run posts
, workout, whatever stuff thatwe do actually running, you know
, and I mean that's just.
I think that's important interms of building a strong body.
But you know, I just like Italked to the girls last week
like we had an amazing week oftraining last week and that's
great, but it doesn't meananything if we can't recover
(22:37):
from it and so you're not goingto get the physiological
adaptation that we want if youdon't recover from it.
So, like the stuff that we doat practice, if it's mobility
and stretching and but also thenutrition, ice bathing, I mean
we, we spend as a program,probably thousands of dollars a
year on recovery, like not anexaggeration.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
Do you have the ice bath right out the back there?
Speaker 5 (23:03):
Outside the training room.
Outside the training room.
Right, yeah, yeah.
But it's also like the girls.
I think they do a lot ofbonding.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
You talk about shared suffering.
At least for what?
Two minutes, and then you don'tfeel it anymore.
Or is it longer than that?
Speaker 1 (23:17):
They complain a lot longer than that.
Yeah, and we're pretty loud.
Speaker 5 (23:22):
But it's doing things the right way too.
I mean, I think recovery issuper important.
I think that's part of thereason why we're as good as we
are is because lots of teamstrain hard too, but they don't
recover, so they cannot get in.
If you're only getting 50% ofthe benefit from the, all the
work you just put in like it'skind of a waste might as well
(23:43):
just do 50% less work and ahundred percent more recovery.
And so we're doing a lot ofwork and a lot of recovery and
hopefully we're getting bigbenefits from it too.
Speaker 4 (23:54):
Another thing that you're getting big benefits from
and we recently talked withFrank Lurchin and Kyle McKenzie
from the Panther Strength GroupYou're not afraid to get in the
weight room.
Helen, what's your reactionwhen coach says we're going to
get up early in the morning andwe're going to go down to Otsego
and we're going to run thisrace and then we're going to
(24:14):
come back and we're going to geta lift in?
Speaker 1 (24:17):
You just described the perfect day, perfect fall
day.
Right there, whenever he waslike, when he kind of gave us
the option he's like, well, wecould lift after I take off, I
was like sold, like I lovegetting in the weight room.
It's kind of I think we allkind of do enjoy it, like yes,
it's hard, but it's a really.
It's also a good bondingexperience and we're getting
that strength in and kind ofthose vital key components to
(24:41):
running mechanics and juststrengthening all the little
muscles that you wouldn't thinkabout and you can't kind of
target without weights and kindof the specific tools that the
weight room provides.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
I loved when we had Frank and Kyle on.
They talked about the muscles.
You don't see, yeah, it's likeyeah when you start thinking
about that, when you can takecare of that in the weight room
that's awesome, really awesometoo yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 5 (25:04):
Everything with running is like has nothing to
do with, like, the outerappearance.
You know, there's a lot of alot of successful runners that
have very different body typessure and it's all about 90
percent like the physiologicaladaptations inside the body.
Everything you can't see andthat's the hard thing for a lot
of athletes to understand is youcan't actually see the changes.
(25:25):
Usually you do see bodyadaptations from all the
athletes.
They look stronger and fitterand all these things, but it's
really what's happening on theinside of the body that matters,
not getting bigger muscles oranything like that I want to
circle back to something wetouched on just briefly earlier.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
On the inside of the body that matters, not getting
bigger muscles or anything likethat.
I want to circle back tosomething we touched on just
briefly earlier.
With all the success thatyou've had, only five of seven
runners count in varsity racesWith a team of 24, that means
majority of the people going inaren't going to count for this
race.
Bill and I have really beenencouraged that you celebrate
runners at all levels and valuetheir contribution.
(26:01):
I guess one why is thisimportant in educational
athletics?
Number one we'll do that andthen maybe you can both speak
kind of a little bit about theshining star of that was our
recent graduate, chloe Rooks.
Can you guys maybe just speakto that as part of the team and
what that means to you?
Speaker 1 (26:20):
yeah, I think it's been really nice just to kind of
have that whole group of people, ranging from all from, like,
the fastest and then to one ofsome of the slower people, and
like we all have that mutualrespect.
But I feel like having allthose people on the team is just
really valuable.
And yeah, in the end only fivekind of, and like at state we'll
run seven and five will score,but like at state, when we go on
(26:42):
the podium or anytime we'vegone on the podium, like
everyone comes up there with us,like it wasn't just the five
that like the five scored thepoints or scored the least
amount of points, um, but wewere all.
We've all been doing the workand so there's kind of always a
shared experience that we've allthese kind of prioritized in
the program.
Like when we win a conferencetitle, when we win a regional
title, state title, likeeveryone will be on the podium
(27:04):
with us because they've all kindof worked to get there and like
Chloe was a greatrepresentation of that and kind
of showing that you can stillrun at the next level, even you
don't have to, there's nolimitations, and one of the
popular kind of guys who followsuh, cross country in michigan
kind of um highlighted that,highlighted her on her on his
(27:24):
story, just with her committingto grcc as the runner that she
was in high school and just kindof showing that like nothing is
impossible and like that gave alot of athletes some courage
and encouragement for like goingforward, which I thought was
helpful yeah, I mean like thereality is, like not everybody
can go run at at Notre Dame,like like Helen's going to do,
but like there, like there canbe a place for just about
(27:48):
anybody that wants to run at thenext level it may be.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
And life too, right, I mean running when we're older.
She's going to be doing thisrest of her life.
Yeah, it's really cool.
Speaker 5 (27:57):
But I think, for from a coaching standpoint, from a
high school athletics standpoint, like these are life changing
moments.
You know, and I'm I mean I hopea lot of athletes walk away from
the program with a having a hada positive experience with it.
You know, and like running issomething you can do the rest of
(28:18):
your life.
You know, like, with the mentalhealth struggles that we have
right now, I'm hoping, like,like what we're doing is more
positive than the negative, eventhough, like it is high
pressure, and like we work hard.
But you know the West house, wewant to be college, career and
life ready and like I feel likethat's part of our program as
well as like preparing them forthe real world and like like I
(28:40):
don't hold back on them in termsof, like you know, if their
performance or more of theeffort isn't there, you know, if
you're not showing up to topractice, I mean, you're not
showing up to work, you're gonnaget fired Right, and so it's
just things like that, liketrying to prepare them for the
real world and I feel like, ifthey can handle or get through
our program, like they're goingto learn a lot and be prepared
for the real world, whether youknow that's military secondary
(29:03):
education work, whatever itmight be.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
And on this, on the same side of that we talked the
other day, and you're trying touh, uh, develop that empathetic
side, the Kyle Barnes side side.
Huh yeah, I work at that one.
Huh yeah, I mean, I just, I wasjust doing a lot better the.
Speaker 5 (29:20):
I mean I just told the girls the other day, like
you know, like coach kyle fouror five years ago would have
responded to how we do, ran someof our races differently than
than I did this weekend.
I really didn't have a greatperformance this this weekend,
but you know there's a number offactors that go into it and I,
like some, I can watch a raceand I know my athletes well
enough to know when there's alack of effort versus just not
(29:45):
having a good day yeah, well,you're a maturing coach right
now.
Speaker 3 (29:47):
Yeah, I mean from, you know, looking in from the
outside.
You know.
I asked you earlier how old areyou?
Well, you're 40 now.
Speaker 5 (29:53):
Yep, this isn't 28 year old kyle barnes sitting in
here now, you know and mean andI learned a lot from like being
at Grand Valley watching Jerrycoach and I mean I was there for
six years and I was there mostdays and he let me travel with
the team and like I got you knowbehind the scenes, in the scene
, like fully immersed experienceand I like I mean I think
(30:15):
Jerry's the arguably I meancertainly one of the best, if
not the best coaches in thecountry for distance running, I
mean in the program, despite itbeing D2, like I don't think
there's anybody better inMichigan than he is at any level
at any university anywhere.
You know, and I see how heresponds to things and we're
(30:36):
pretty similar in terms of ourpersonalities and stuff like
that.
And like then, when you takethe reins over as a head coach,
it's different.
You're the one that has to havethe hard talks with the
athletes if there's a lack ofeffort and like I've I've seen
him lay into athletes when theywhen they need it and be
empathetic when they need it andgive them a hug when they they
(30:59):
need it.
Listen to this guy, listen tokyle barnes oh yeah, certainly
trying to, to learn that andlike also, like working with
girls, compared to boys could be, can be different and what they
need, uh as well.
Well, well spoken well spoken.
I really enjoyed that figuringthis coaching thing out.
I guess I don't see gender whenit comes to that you see
(31:22):
athlete.
Yeah, and maybe how you have totreat the individual.
Speaker 3 (31:28):
That's like even human beings, though right.
Right.
Human beings need to be treateddifferently based on their
makeup and who they are and howthey handle things.
Speaker 5 (31:36):
Don't care skin color , don't care gender, just show
up and work hard.
And that's how I've approachedcoaching these girls for the
last five years, six years now.
Work hard, yeah, and and that'show I've approached coaching
you know these, these girls, forthe last five years, six years
now, I guess yeah.
Speaker 3 (31:48):
Well, after this fourth year this is your fourth
year, but this fourth year willcome to an end.
We're not going to get into thereflection part because you're
still here.
We're not doing that, but nextyear congratulations,
congratulations.
Speaker 1 (32:06):
This is the celebratory part of this podcast
.
Speaker 3 (32:08):
You are going to Notre Dame.
Yeah, super, super, superexcited for that.
Really, really excited, like socool it's Notre Dame, yeah,
yeah, you know what I'm saying.
Yeah, um, they're a number oneranked team in the Great Lakes
region.
Fourth place finish atnationals.
Last year, um, and under coachMatt uh Mattarks, they have been
a consistent top 10 or near top10 at nationals during his
tenure.
How are you feeling about thatopportunity that sits in front
(32:31):
of you next fall?
Speaker 1 (32:33):
I'm going to say excited again.
I'm just really, really justexcited to see what I can do at
Notre Dame and obviously he'shad a lot of success and which
is really encouraging and.
I really like his training styleand I know that it's I wanted
to go to a university that wouldpush me in both academics and
(32:54):
athletics and like I don't, I'mnot going to go to Notre Dame
and be the best on the team andI'm probably going to be pretty
low, which I'm excited for,which I'm looking forward to and
pretty low, which I'm excitedfor, which I'm looking forward
to, and like kind of having thatnot competition, but that
people pushing me around me atNotre Dame, which I'm really
yeah, really looking forward to.
Speaker 3 (33:12):
Yeah, and what are you going to pursue academically
?
I'm going to go pre-med, Idon't know what I'm majoring in.
Speaker 1 (33:17):
Yet I'm going to talk to some of my dad's friends who
are doctors.
But yeah, don't know what I'mmajoring, but pre-med.
Speaker 3 (33:23):
There was a lot of schools in the mix for you.
Yeah, colorado MSU, georgetownschools in North Carolina,
florida.
Speaker 1 (33:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:30):
What were maybe two or three of the factors that
really kind of put Notre Dame,you know, the one that you're
going to go to?
Speaker 1 (33:36):
Yeah, definitely the team culture and kind of just
their work ethic and just howthey kind of interacted with
each other.
At Notre Dame I took anofficial there pretty last
minute.
I think it was.
Sparks said it was the quickestofficial they've ever done,
before ever I think I called.
Speaker 3 (33:52):
Sometimes the last visit is the best visit.
Speaker 1 (33:54):
Yeah, he called me, I think it was a Thursday at like
two and he's like do you wantto come?
Speaker 3 (33:59):
down tonight.
Speaker 1 (33:59):
No way and I was like sure and so, and so, yeah, we
did an official bat day um forthat weekend.
But yeah, just meeting the teamand just kind of this super
last minute thing, they were allsuper, super welcoming and like
their whole work ethic was justsuper like really hard working
and kind of their trainingtraining style was amazing and
kind of fit with what my kind ofum ideal training is and just
(34:22):
incorporating the cross trainingand like individualized
training and yeah, the wholeteam culture is just amazing.
And coach sparks and hoskerwere super understanding and
patient with the whole crazyprocess that is the recruiting
process, especially for someonewho's obviously going through it
the first time but also doesn'thave like an older sibling or
something sure and thenobviously the academics of Notre
Dame which kind of sealed thatCause I obviously wanted to go
(34:46):
for to improve my athletics andmy education as well.
Speaker 4 (34:50):
So yeah, you join a as I was walking down to the
studio, here you walk down.
Speaker 3 (34:55):
Is that what we're calling it?
Speaker 4 (34:57):
Yeah, this is the studio.
Speaker 3 (34:58):
We've recorded every episode in this room.
Speaker 4 (35:00):
As you walk down the hallway you see Debon Afrik, who
is a multi-time state champhere at West Ottawa, swam at
Notre Dame.
You see Arianne Olsen up on thewall and now you join kind of
the trilogy triumvirate.
Speaker 1 (35:15):
What do we call that?
Speaker 4 (35:17):
The trio.
We'll call that the state champtrio that's off to Notre Dame
md state champ trio let's gopretty t-shirts yeah, let's go
get cracking t-shirts.
Speaker 3 (35:29):
Um hey, one thing I want to talk about too and your
mom told me about this and I'mtotally on board with this we
need to get people cheering fornotre dame across country oh
yeah right.
So you had this thing.
Your mom told me it's like ohyeah, people heard I'm going to
notre dame and now no one islike oh, I'm sorry, I'm a
Michigan fan, I can't cheer foryou at Notre Dame.
Speaker 1 (35:45):
No, I've had multiple people come up.
They're like I will.
Usually I don't cheer for Irish, but now I will cheer for Irish
, like they'll be.
Like this is the only time I'mgoing to say go Irish.
So I'm like no, we need to know?
Speaker 3 (36:00):
Yeah, we do, because you know our athletes graduate,
they go to these places andyou're not forgotten, but you're
remembered by a small number ofpeople who stay in touch with
you and keep up.
We can cheer for Michigan Statecross country because the
Bonamas are there, yeah, but I'mtotally into that.
So for all the Michigan fansand all these people who say to
you I'm not going to cheer foryou, we're not putting up with
(36:22):
that, it's over, no, no.
Speaker 1 (36:24):
I cheer for Notre Dame cross country.
Speaker 3 (36:27):
I've always personally have been a fan of
the athlete.
I'm notoriously known forbailing on teams when my
favorite athlete leaves, so it'snot hard for me.
Speaker 5 (36:36):
It's valid.
Speaker 3 (36:36):
Yeah, it's not hard for me to do.
It's great that you're going toNotre Dame next year, but it
was never guaranteed.
Yeah Right, you faced adversityduring your sophomore season.
You had to go through that andyou've been very, very open
about it.
Talk to us a little bit aboutlast fall when you ran, when you
weren't like the fastest runneryou've ever been, but you got
(36:57):
to run on this other spot andsee it maybe from a different
perspective.
Speaker 1 (37:00):
Yeah, it was definitely fun to kind of be at
like at a different angle in allthe races and kind of
experience something that I hadnever experienced before and
like at that point, like lastyear, I was just over the moon
excited to be running.
Like that was kind of the onlythe only thing I really worried
about.
I wasn't really caring abouttime, I wasn't caring about
place, Like in the end it justcame down to running the races
(37:23):
and I was just super, supergrateful to be healthy and
approved by all the doctors anddieticians and therapists and
everyone to be able to run, andso that was kind of yeah.
Speaker 3 (37:33):
Yeah, and your teammates kind of really enjoyed
that part of you last year,right, just having you back on
the team and doing that.
A lot of big smiles about thatfor sure that was super fun.
In the present day, right now,part of moving forward as an
athlete is you're able to managethat.
Now, right, you meet with atherapist regularly, you have a
dietician.
Can you like just share withpeople how important it is to
(37:56):
kind of be aware and keep doingthat, and how that's an
important part of maintaining ahealthy mind, a healthy body, as
you continue your career?
Speaker 1 (38:03):
Yeah, like throughout my whole career, everything's
always going to be kind of achallenge just balancing the
nutrition and the training, andwhat Kyle was kind of saying
previously was the training isthe hard.
Honestly, for me it's probablythe easiest part.
It's hard, but it's probably theeasiest part to do, but the
(38:24):
most benefit that you get out ofis probably in the recovery
side of things, and that's kindof one thing that I continue to
work on with everyone around meand I see value in continuing to
find all of the benefits of therecovery side of things and so,
like, yeah, moving forward inmy life, like I'm always going
to be leaning on theprofessionals around me that do
have the like, the informationand all of the degrees behind
(38:48):
them that can help guide me inthe right way.
Speaker 3 (38:51):
To like and how good is it Right?
I mean, how good is that?
Speaker 1 (38:55):
It's very, I'm very, it's so good, right yeah.
Speaker 3 (38:58):
Yeah, got people lean on, talk about things, get
something out of your system.
Yeah, really positive, reallyreally nice.
Well, we're getting to thestretch run, kids, we are
getting to the stretch run ofthe season.
It's all coming up.
You told me on the phonethere's five meets that are
important to you.
Can you walk us through itthere?
Speaker 5 (39:15):
Yeah, now that we move into championship season,
but for us as a cross-countryprogram, the For us as a
cross-country program, the maingoals win conference, win,
regionals, win a statechampionship.
Those are always the goals thatwe have.
And so, on the way to win aconference championship, we have
two jamborees which are worth25% of the championship and then
(39:37):
a conference championship worththe last 50%.
So those two jamborees and theconference championship are
three of the meets our regionalchampionship and our state
championship.
I mean that and the reality,like those are the only meets
that actually matter towards ourteam goals, Like all the other
ones we do, like they're fun and, honestly, some of the other
meets are probably more fun Likethere's a better atmosphere, we
have music and there'sthousands of runners Under the
(39:58):
lights and fireworks yeah.
And we travel to Indianapolis orgo to the Port of Genvi, which
is one of the biggest meets inthe Midwest, Right away coming
across Kennedy Crossing and hearme yelling at people.
Speaker 3 (40:11):
Is it actually named Kennedy Crossing?
Speaker 4 (40:13):
Because I love that that's what the coaches have
started to call it.
Yeah, we'll have a sign.
Speaker 3 (40:18):
Don't worry, we'll have t-shirts.
He has one T-shirts.
Kennedy Crossing T-shirts.
He has one T-shirts Okay, good,kennedy Crossing.
Oh, that's killing.
Speaker 5 (40:24):
That's it.
Those are the five that matter.
And so what happened?
On Saturday, I told the teamall of our goals are still in
front of us.
Speaker 3 (40:31):
Yeah, this is the Portage Invitational, which
didn't go as planned.
We were talking about thisearlier and, helen, maybe you
can speak about this too.
Sometimes, when somethingdoesn't go your way, it's
actually a blessing in disguise.
Yeah, what's the mindset ofyour teammates after Portage?
You won Portage, but the nextfour was a bit rough right that
particular day.
(40:51):
Can you speak to that?
Like?
What's your mindset now, havingthat as a we'll call it a mini
disappointment?
But now you're moving to thispart of the season.
Speaker 1 (40:58):
It just kind of gives us, continues to kind of light,
that fire underneath us.
Speaker 3 (41:27):
no-transcript riverside park oh yeah, that's a
nice course, you guys likerunning that one it's pretty
flat right, yeah yeah, I lovethat venue, yeah pancake flat.
Speaker 5 (41:40):
Pancake flats usually fast.
Speaker 1 (41:41):
Pretty.
The girls like yeah, beautifulalong the river.
Yeah, it's yeah.
Speaker 3 (41:45):
So that's coming up.
Regionals 1026 Allendale Stateis in November.
Speaker 4 (41:51):
First weekend in November, mis.
I circle it on my calendarevery year.
Been very fortunate in my timeat West Ottawa, I get to MIS
every year.
It's always odd from a AD'sperspective.
You know, I'm sorry, helen, I'mnot going to be able to chase
you all over the course.
I'm not built for that.
So I see you typically at thestart and you run by and you
(42:12):
exit the track and then Ibeeline it over to the finish
line.
Speaker 3 (42:17):
See my buddies who gets there first?
Speaker 4 (42:19):
I get there first because I do have a little bit
of time to interact with mybuddies at the MHSAA that are
there.
But then I'm trying to get asclose to pit row there as I can
to see our girls as they'recoming across.
I yell like crazy.
I have no voice at the end ofthe day.
I'm not sure that you hear me,but I am there.
Speaker 5 (42:35):
It's a mad dash for sure.
Yeah, MIS is a next level.
Yeah, it's not spectatorfriendly, but it's a next level
experience still like.
I mean, there's tens ofthousands of people, they're all
the best teams for michigan andmichigan, notoriously, is one
of the best states in americafor cross-country as well.
Speaker 3 (42:54):
I think last year there's a statistic or whatever
we were in seventh, seventh,best state in america for
cross-country when you go intothis final stretch, who are the
teams that are going to presenta challenge for you as you try
and do everything that you cando to win conference, regional,
maybe state even in theconference.
Speaker 5 (43:13):
I mean like we're certainly the favorite for our
conference and region to to win,but like again nothing's handed
to you, like we got to show upand do our job and and then
hopefully we bring those titleshome.
But at the state level, romeois by far the I mean I think
they're a top 10 team in America.
Speaker 3 (43:30):
They had.
I was looking at their finishesat Portage they had.
I think everyone was under thetop four or at least under 20 or
less, I believe.
Speaker 5 (43:39):
Oh yeah, their top six were like 18, 30.
Speaker 3 (43:42):
Okay.
Speaker 5 (43:42):
They're loaded, okay, so they have an amazing group
of girls, yeah, and so they'rethe main one.
But I mean, celine and AnnArbor Pioneer beat us this past
Saturday.
Now that was without Avafinishing.
If she had finished, we wouldhave gotten.
Speaker 3 (43:58):
Second you told me about this.
Can you just tell the?
Speaker 5 (44:09):
I like this because she, like, went to the.
Well, right, I mean she went,yeah, I mean I didn't see it
happen, but about 400 meters togo, like she just, I think, just
black blacked out, justcollapsed and so yeah, she's
tell you what, I tell you what Igot a lot of respect for that
man, yeah she's I mean ton ofrespect, it's not a lot of
people can push them to to that,whether it's effort or heat or
a combination of the two.
But yeah, my girls give meeverything that they have.
Speaker 4 (44:29):
I remember being at the pit wall last year as Helen
crossed the finish line at thestate meet.
And I was like she emptied thebucket man.
Speaker 1 (44:39):
I'd only run over ground what six times before
that, so that was a little bitof a shock to the system for
sure so we'll have our handsfull but we'll give it a go.
Speaker 3 (44:49):
You guys have been really wonderful to sit down
with.
Thanks for taking the time.
I know it's the middle of theschool day and we're doing this
podcast, but you guys are greatshe's not missing class there
was no special thing that BillKennedy wrote.
Speaker 4 (45:02):
I did want to let you both know that while you're
here, because it just cameacross my desk earlier we have
been approved for a bus for thestate meet for spectators, so
start spreading the word, we'regoing to try to fill a spirit
bus and get some fans to MIS onthe 2nd of November.
Speaker 5 (45:20):
That's never happened before.
No, it's never happened.
Speaker 4 (45:23):
We got it, it's approved, it's ready to go, so
spread the word folks, Teachers,friends, community.
Get on the bus.
Speaker 5 (45:31):
Let's be there.
Maybe we'll do t-shirts.
Speaker 3 (45:32):
What's your idea?
Speaker 1 (45:36):
I don't know Spirit fan t-shirt thing, I don't know,
but there's something therethat would be fun.
I really like that.
But there's something therethat would be fun.
I really like that, there'ssomething there.
Speaker 5 (45:42):
It's an experience, though I mean if you've never
been to a cross-country meet.
Speaker 1 (45:46):
MIS is the one Well, spectator-wise, it is really fun
.
It's really fun.
Speaker 5 (45:51):
Pre-race, post-race Hopefully we're on the podium,
hopefully raising a statechampionship, ideally, but
hopefully on the podium eitherway.
Speaker 3 (46:03):
It's a good time.
We're all going out, we'reheading out there.
It's going to be fun.
Let's get as many people as wecan.
Speaker 1 (46:08):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (46:09):
What's your normal like?
How many people usually come?
Is it just like family andfriends most of the time?
Speaker 5 (46:13):
Yeah, for the most part, I mean it's a little bit
better yeah occasionally we geta few middle schoolers that want
to come from the cross countryprogram that want to come watch.
Speaker 3 (46:22):
Maybe we can get the cross country programs to come
out.
Speaker 5 (46:24):
Yeah, but we'd love to have teachers and stuff like
that.
Like they know.
I think they know that we'rewe're running an out there and
we're successful but, I've neverbeen to a meet, and this is if
it's not braid away, get home.
Then, like this, is the the one, make a day of it yeah, and
(46:44):
let's have a party.
Speaker 3 (46:44):
Let's do it.
I always want to thank all thethe support staff for
cross-country right, all theparents that do all of their
things on.
There's lots of things going onin the background with emails
and food and all that stuff.
So just a big shout out if yousupport, uh, cross-country here
at west ottawa, we want to thankyou for doing that.
Thank you for coming in, reallyappreciate it.
Big fans, uh, like we say here,we don't know everybody at West
Ottawa, but we always recognizethe face.
(47:05):
Your faces are very familiarand big fans from afar.
I'm sure I'm not the only one.
Speaker 1 (47:11):
So all the best to you guys.
Yeah, thank you so much forhaving us.
Speaker 3 (47:13):
Yeah, thanks a lot, it's been great.
All right, we'll see you later.
Speaker 1 (47:16):
Thank you.
you can't have a successful team without kind of
the chemistry and the goodrelationships between everyone
because you want to be able todo the hard work for people
around you, because running,like is an individual sport but
it's not like you're doing it asa team and like you need to
respect the others around youand like want to do it for them,
like the shared suffering.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Hey everybody, this is rodney valingaa with the West
Ottawa High School AthleticProgram, and you're listening to
the 29.1 Podcast 29 sports, oneteam, the show that brings you
into the lives ofstudent-athletes, coaches and
other faces in the Panthersports community, bringing you
(00:40):
the stories you might otherwisenever hear.
Join myself and AthleticDirector Bill Kennedy as we dive
in with you to get to know eachother a little bit better.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Every once in a while , you get the perfect storm.
Generational talent andexceptional coaching come
together to reach maximumpotential.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
Today we sit down with Coach Kyle Barnes and one
of the most decorated athletesto ever walk the halls at West
Ottawa Senior Helen Sachs totalk about Panther cross country
, the season so far and whatlies ahead.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
This is a great listen to one of the most
admired athletes in West Ottawahistory.
Speaker 4 (01:21):
Coach Kyle Barnes, senior Helen Sachs coming up
next on the 29-1 podcast.
Let's get it well, heyeverybody.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Welcome back to the 29-1 podcast.
It is a really crisp fall dayon the lake shore today.
It's's really really nice.
I have about 65.
Great for that fall jacket Isee our guests both have on
their hoodies and this weatheris really nice for the back end
of fall cross-country season.
Today we sit down with two ofthe most successful people in
(02:03):
West Ottawa cross-countryhistory and their respective
roles as coach and runner.
Who is it Coach?
Kyle Barnes.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
And athlete runner Helen Sachs.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
Awesome.
So, helen, real quick, kind ofgo back through your resume,
which is starting to get prettylengthy at this point.
2022 state champ Gatorade,runner of the year in 22,.
Three-time All-State Am Icorrect there?
Speaker 1 (02:26):
It's more than that with track but three all state
and cross country um, and then2024 state champion, the four by
eight.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
Uh, last spring, kyle , you and I go all the way back
to the very beginning of yourtime here at west ottawa,
because I was the ad that waslucky enough to to find a guy
that wanted to coach and whosedoctoral thesis was labeled the
cardiovascular load of thecross-country runner, something
along that.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Not a bad start.
Oh, you might just want to lookat this, yeah Right.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
That's pretty good.
Yeah, that was one of the moreimpressive resumes.
Rodney and I were kind oftalking earlier about how that
connection was even made reallythrough.
Rayann Hart, who was ourprevious cross country coach,
and she competed with Danielleback in the day and that was
really kind of the connection,so pretty cool.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
It's a really cool story in the background and just
from a personal point of view,it's a real like honor to sit
down with you guys, like Ireally appreciate it.
You're both are veryaccomplished here, but with all
people that are driven, youstill have a lot to do, right?
We don't ever rest on laurels,but does that crisp fall weather
kind of let you know what timeof year it is?
(03:33):
Helen?
Speaker 1 (03:34):
Oh yeah, it's really fun, it's really exciting.
We had a run yesterday and weall kind of felt it.
We were like this is the timeBecause we've been used to
training in the heat and reallyreally hot.
This is the time because, like,we've been just used used to
training, like in the heat andreally really hot, and you can,
like you can tell when the timeschange and the fall and the air
gets colder and you can justtell yeah, and it's been a very
warm september.
Yeah yeah, it's been hot.
I think we had a hotter workoutlast week, two weeks ago, than
(03:57):
we did the whole summer yeah,kind of yeah at the.
Speaker 5 (04:01):
It was hot once that temperature drops drops, we
start running fast Right.
Speaker 3 (04:06):
It's a mindset change when that temperature hits.
Let's get to know you guys alittle bit.
Kyle, I've known you, of course, because my daughter, claire,
ran for you for four years, so Igot to know you.
I learned about your hanglansdeformity and you know we get to
trade scar stories, so we justdid it out in the hallway before
we got started.
You're also at GVSU.
You're a professor there ofyour PhD in exercise science,
(04:30):
exercise physiology.
I was able to say both of thosewithout a hitch, so I'm happy
about that.
How long have you been at GrandValley?
Speaker 5 (04:37):
This is year 12 for me.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
This is year 12.
Speaker 5 (04:39):
How old are you?
40.
Yep, so right.
Out of my PhD.
40.
Yep, so right on my PhD.
I was looking for jobs andGrand Valley was the best
opportunity at the time and sostarted working there and you
know, in that time like I'vebeen coaching, you know various
spots since college and my first, my first coaching job was here
at West Ottawa.
(05:00):
I volunteered with Craig Kingmafor for a year before I went on
to graduate school, and so thenI was at Colorado State
volunteer coach there.
When I could, through mymaster's degree, went to New
Zealand to do my PhD.
That's long story short.
I worked with like their highperformance program in New
Zealand and worked with theirOlympic track and triathlon
(05:21):
programs leading up to theLondon Olympics, and then landed
at Grand Valley and coachedthere for six years while I was
teaching, and then here at WestOttawa for the last five, now
six years.
Speaker 3 (05:33):
Yeah, that's really, what a resume.
That's really great.
I was thinking earlier and wetalked about this in the hall
just for a minute what does atypical day look like for you
during cross season, with beingat Grand Valley and doing here?
Give me like I'm gonna give you30 seconds to take me through a
day.
Speaker 5 (05:48):
just go, gotta go quick get my kids ready for
school, drop them off, get togrand valley, teach for
basically the whole morning,come home, try to get a workout
in if I have time and then, uh,practice for three, three and a
half hours and then whatever mykids have going on after
practice.
That's super fast, yeah andthat that's a.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
we were talking about that earlier, though, but when
you have a life where you'retrying to accomplish things,
it's always busy, right, like itdoesn't stop, so kudos to you
for that.
And you're, of course, marriedto Danielle, who's a counselor
here, and she used to be yourassistant coach, but she's a
very accomplished runner too,helen.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Yeah, no, yeah.
She's a great role model tokind of look after and have
someone in the back corner thatwe can always reach out to and
communicate with.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Yeah, and it's nice to have somebody that was up
there too, right, yeah, becauseyeah Most people don't in this
building, don't realize howaccomplished she's getting.
Speaker 5 (06:37):
She finished 13th in the world, and that's pretty
good, I mean, and that's prettygood.
I mean she's insane, that'sinsane.
Yeah, well, like I don't knowhow many time, multiple time
national champion in high schooland so like, for you know we've
been like helen or before,arianne.
Like usually you don't alwayshave athletes quite at their
caliber, correct, but you know,for to have danielle around to
(06:59):
like have that experience andbeen through it is really
valuable and like it's nothingthat like I'm not, I'm nowhere
near the talent or experience,those things.
On a coaching side I've haddifferent experiences, but not
as an athlete and it's just adifferent experience.
And so danielle can likedirectly relate and that's rare
to have have an athlete, to havesomebody so close to be able to
(07:22):
like bounce ideas off or toprepare them mentally for what
to expect.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
Yeah, it's almost like a perfect storm of good.
Yeah, really as a as an athlete, with these coaches and you
have, you have two young girlsright.
Speaker 5 (07:34):
What are their names?
Karen Quinn, five and a halfand coming up on eight and two
weeks.
Speaker 3 (07:37):
And they're always around the meets and stuff,
right?
Speaker 5 (07:39):
Yeah, they have been.
I mean, they just traveled theportage with us this past
weekend, rode the bus, and sothey're getting old enough where
they ride the bus a little bithere and there, and I mean
that's what they want.
They just want to ride the bus,that's all they really want.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Well, I saw them on a golf cart too, because when we
had the right away here.
Speaker 5 (07:52):
They love the golf cart.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
When we were here at the right away, I tried I golf
cart.
It was really funny.
Helen, you're a senior here atWest Ottawa.
Yeah, and to my delight, yes,to my delight, you are a very
good writer.
You wrote for the West Ottawain this past spring.
You wrote like five articles.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
I did, I did.
Yeah, it was.
That was a really funexperience.
I'm doing that again thissemester or next semester, so
watch out.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
You're a very good writer.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
What was one of your favorite stories that you did?
Speaker 1 (08:22):
My favorite one is probably Fed Up that I wrote
kind of about my struggles withnutrition and eating and the
sport.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
Was that with Ed?
Speaker 1 (08:31):
Yeah, yeah, yes, ed is the name I have given my
eating disorder.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
Yeah, Well, it's a very well done article.
Yeah, yeah.
And you wrote some other onestoo.
I think one was on Unified.
Speaker 1 (08:44):
The Unified Sports.
I love that program.
Right, that was a good one.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
Amazing program.
That's one of my favorite daysof the year is when I get to sit
behind the mic for UnifiedBasketball in the gym and give
them the full Bill.
Kennedy raspy voice announcerexperience.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
Get that old Chicago Bulls intro going For sure.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
That's really, really fun.
You have a family of fourparents for Paul and Lisa, who
don't run.
Speaker 1 (09:13):
No, I don't know where I came from.
I think they're my parents.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
You think you're their parents and you have a
little sister, Ruby.
What grade is she in?
She's in seventh.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
She's testing out all the sports.
She's actually in cross countryright now and she's really
enjoying it.
Speaker 3 (09:27):
So what is it like for you to go to some of her
races and really experiencethings from kind of the
beginning?
It must be like a littleinnocent type of place to go to.
What's that like?
Speaker 1 (09:37):
It's really nostalgic .
It's kind of fun to go back tothose races and like they're all
just doing it for fun.
Like Ruby's kind of said before, she's like I'm like I want to
talk with my friends and it'slike it's kind of this social
sport and like in sixth gradethat's how I joined it.
I joined it as a fun sport tobe with my friends and kind of
just test out sports and likesee where I liked to be when
(09:58):
like the sports dimension andlike it ended up I ended up
loving cross and so I stayed.
But like Ruby is still kind oftesting everything out.
So right now she's kind of justhaving fun and she's liking it.
Speaker 4 (10:09):
So Cause she's played some tennis too.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
Yeah, she's probably done every sport under the sun,
Like I don't know.
She's done softball, tennis,soccer, like karate.
She did volleyball for a littlebit.
I think she, like, was reallycommitted to tennis and thought
she was going to be a tennisplayer.
But then I think I think it waslike the other week or last
night or a few nights ago shewas like, yeah, no, I'm doing
soccer now, like I don't careabout tennis.
(10:33):
I'm like, okay, so now soccer.
And then I'm like, well, you'redoing soccer track in the
spring, because that's the sametime for middle school, and she
goes, well, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
So I really don't know with her anymore.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
So she's enjoying cross right now.
Speaker 3 (10:43):
Yeah, jumping from sports to sports is something.
Did you do that at all when youwere a little?
No, I said smaller.
When I was small, when you wereyounger.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
I mean a little bit Like obviously I did like little
like testing out of what I kindof liked.
Like kindergarten I did soccerand like the kind of the only
like other major sport I did wasdance, which my mom was very
happy about because she majoredin dance or minored in dance in
college.
So she always thought she'dhave dancers.
So I tried that out for a hotsecond and that was not my thing
.
I'm not very coordinated, so itwas dancer running and so
(11:15):
running kind of running top ofthat.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
So that's awesome.
I love that at the middleschool level we still have
students who are trying tofigure out what their path is
going to be and we're able tooffer so many different things
to them to kind of try thingsout.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
Yeah, the opportunities are endless, for
sure, yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:33):
You say you're not coordinated, but on your shared
suffering Instagram page youguys always have those fun
pictures from your photo shoot.
So if somebody sets like arecord time, it's like this or
somebody's got sunglasses onHelen, what was it like to do
that photo shoot?
Tell us about that day.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
It was fun.
It was really fun.
Media day every year is likesuper fun, especially like going
more on these like officialvisits and getting kind of the
more formalized media.
It's kind of similar things.
But the vibe with the team,like doing it by yourself at an
official, is very different thandoing it with the team here.
So it was really.
It's really fun doing it withthe team and like all the props
and I know last year there was alot of glitter that we had all
(12:11):
over um everywhere, so that wasfun.
But yeah, it's always a reallyreally fun experience just doing
the media day with everyone andfinding fun poses.
Speaker 4 (12:20):
And Kyle, that's something that you've kind of
done since you've been coachinghere is really to, I guess, add
a layer to your program andreally promote your program
through social media.
Who's doing all of that for you?
Speaker 5 (12:33):
I know the answer, but I want people to understand
you know, yeah, I mean I'm kindof a one-man show right now with
everything.
It's just it.
Like cross-country running'snot easy, distance running's not
easy, and so, like I've learnedin my cross-country journey,
especially like I've onlycoached girls and which is like
(12:54):
I don't know, I just kind offound my niche.
I enjoy coaching women, that,like it.
It just balances things out,like the athletes and I'm maybe
guys do too, but like I'mfocused on the women's team,
like they enjoy those types ofthings that you know, like it
helps promote our program andour sport.
Promotes the individuals too,cause, like all of them from
(13:14):
Helen, who's one of the best inAmerica, to people that are just
there for participation, justwant to have fun with it, but
they try hard, like they're partof our, our program, our
culture, and like they continueto improve, like they deserve
shout outs too.
Um, you know, and now socialmedia is the way that we, we, we
do that and you do a great jobon it.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
I always look forward to when I pull up my phone I
see that shared suffering circleat the top.
I'm like oh.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
I'm on that right away.
Graphics and edits are crazy.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
Yeah, no doubt about it.
Let's get into the team alittle bit.
Every year brings in newrunners, new challenges.
You've had a really great yearso far, winning most of your
meets.
You've been ranked as high asnumber two in the state and then
, I believe, even 11thnationally right that was last
week.
Helen, can you talk about someof the top girls on your team
right now that are making thisyear something special?
(14:03):
Who are some?
Speaker 1 (14:06):
To name off probably be Ava Porras, emma Gunnett,
colette Weirks, jane Alney,julia Frampton, ella Weirks.
Speaker 4 (14:17):
There's so much depth on this.
Tell me about those girls.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
What's it like being around them, having them being
on your team.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
It's amazing.
The atmosphere is really really, really great, like especially
coming in with Claire's class,your oldest daughter, my
freshman year, their seniorclass was very focused and I
always like they were more ofkind of work, work, work and we
got the job done every day andjust wasn't as much kind of like
(14:44):
laughter and joking around andright now, and the team we're at
now, it's it's really reallydifferent, but we always, we
always get the work done, butwe're definitely more of a
playful team, which I think isreally, really fun that's
healthy.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
It's not unhealthy.
Speaker 1 (14:56):
No, exactly so, like doing like obviously we do
really hard things and likedoing all of that this year and
like all of the meets we'vecompeted at, and like workouts
we're doing like they're allhard but just kind of that
playful, kind of fun aspect thatwe've kind of cultured right
now is really, really beneficial, I think, for everyone a lot of
you girls have been together inthe program now for a long
(15:16):
period of time right Like.
Speaker 4 (15:18):
I mean, the senior class isn't massive, but there
are some big pieces of it.
And then kind of new people addin, but you get the work
sisters who are coming in from atrack perspective and um,
what's that like kind of as thenew people kind of inject
themselves into the program?
What's that like from a studentathlete perspective, from a
coach's perspective?
Speaker 5 (15:39):
I the the hardest thing is like like again,
everything we do is is hard,like it's not easy and like,
quite honestly, a lot of newpeople that start out don't make
it very long.
It's just like, if it's toohard or a lot of, I think a lot
of kids just don't give itenough time.
Like it like with anything,especially like endurance type
of sports, like it takes two,three, four weeks just for your
(16:01):
body to adapt to like being ableto do easy runs on a regular
and it not being just hard everyday for you.
That's on top of all theancillary stuff that we do, and
so I think the vibe of the, theteam, has helped that
everybody's accepting of eachother on the, on the team and
like the people that are therework hard and it's been, it's
(16:23):
been great to to have likecertainly everybody has, like
their people and whatnot, butlike everybody I think,
recognizes like everybody'sworking hard.
Speaker 3 (16:33):
You've had a lot of runners this year hit that sub
20 all time list.
What's that been like, helen,to see your teammates being able
to pull some of this stuff off.
Speaker 1 (16:40):
It's been super fun and like kind of exciting for
what our potential is and wehave some big goals, and kind of
seeing everyone else kind ofprosper and achieve those goals
has been really reallyencouraging throughout the time.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
Yeah, I was going through the Instagram I think it
was this morning.
I was looking at that top 20.
It's like red name, red name,red name, 2024.
It was pretty impressive.
It's a lot, and that's a lot oftop 20 all times for one year.
Let's put it that way.
Speaker 5 (17:06):
Yeah, I'm trying to think how many do we have?
Seven, eight or nine?
Speaker 3 (17:08):
It's a lot Nine girls yeah.
Speaker 5 (17:10):
We had seven girls break, 18 minutes at or 19
minutes, excuse me, at otsego,which I don't think we've ever
had five girls break 19 in thesame race.
Here we have 10 or 11 girlsthat have broke 20 minutes right
this year and I think there's acouple more that could do it.
Speaker 3 (17:28):
Yeah, it's really deep.
It's deep part of the part ofthat news kind of spoke.
That is a great team chemistry.
You guys did four days up atshanty creek, uh pre-season yes
what does that do for the teamnumber one?
But then, secondly, what kindof payoff is that providing?
Speaker 1 (17:42):
now, maybe, helen, you want to speak to that yeah,
it kind of just solidifies ourrelationship that we've kind of
built throughout the summer andkind of just and like a rule
with team camp is like you cancome if you've been training all
summer and so people that arethere have a mutual respect for
all the hard work we've put inand like the hours we've kind of
dedicated throughout the summerand so kind of going to that
camp just kind of solidifies therelationships that we've built
(18:04):
and kind of gets us excited forwhat's to come and builds those
really strong connections thatwe need to have a high
performing team.
Like you can't have asuccessful team without kind of
the chemistry and the goodrelationships between everyone
because you want to be able todo the hard work for people
around you, because running likeis an individual sport but it's
not like you're doing it as ateam and like you need to
(18:27):
respect the others around youand like want to do it for them,
like the shared suffering, kindof essentially.
Speaker 3 (18:33):
Oh yeah, for sure you .
You had mentioned kind of whenyou came in, that senior class
had an effect on you.
That is been part of yourbehavior, though, as you've done
this, you do some runs out atPigeon Creek, which is a great
place to run by the way.
Yes, love it, but you drive thefreshmen back and forth a
little bit.
You don't have to do that.
Why do you do that?
Speaker 1 (19:00):
I received a lot of help from the senior class my
freshman year and even thesenior class my sophomore year,
and so I was always reallygrateful for like all of the
rides.
And I know like the time thatwe spend at practice is a long
time and like parents have jobsand obligations and like I'm
asking to be picked up at thistime each day and dropped off at
this time and like especiallyduring the summer it gets busy,
and so I kind of relied on thoseupperclassmen my first few
(19:21):
years to drive, like drive mewhen I didn't have rides.
And so I always kind of hadthis like unsaid thing in the
back of my head.
I was like when I can drive, Iwill be driving anyone that
needs a ride, um, and so I'vekind of continued to pursue that
and like I just want to makesure everyone's getting where
they need to be and like are youmomming them?
I, I am, I'm actually, I'm themom I call, I'm called like
(19:43):
there's a few mom bands on theteam, um, but I acquired the
first mom van, so I have thesame car.
That claire that your daughteroh, you did I have.
I have a white um chryslerminivan oh, let's go.
Speaker 3 (19:53):
Yeah, is it rusty on the sides?
Yeah, oh, yeah, oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
Yeah, she's cute.
So that's my mom van that I buseveryone around in.
And then Emma Gunnett hasanother, she has a nicer, she
has a more bougie minivan.
But that's okay, no competitionhere.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
Kyle, what does that do for your team when your top
runner is doing things like that?
Speaker 5 (20:22):
I think it's just, like Danielle calls it, just
throwing the rope over the fenceto to, like, the next group,
you know, trying to bring themalong and like a lot of this
stuff has kind of happened, Iguess, kind of by accident, just
kind of organically as aprogram, which has been great in
the sense of like, likefamilies, athletes.
There's a lot of people behindthe scenes of this program that
make a lot of sacrifices for usto be successful and, um, you
(20:42):
know, and some of that is theupperclassmen that have driver's
license to, you know, get otherathletes to practice home from
practice.
So because we do practice forso long, or like we drive out of
town to to get on hills or intrails and stuff like that, that
and to keep our athleteshealthy, like that's like just
little things that we, that wethink about and like it's just
(21:05):
kind of giving back to the nextgeneration and giving back to
the, you know, the next, youknow the future of the program,
which is the freshmen and thesophomores or eventually, you
know, the middle schoolers, andthat's what we're kind of do.
It's kind of re reload, yeah,tradition doesn't graduate Right
Right.
Speaker 4 (21:22):
One of the things that, as I, if I start to think
back to, like your earliest dayshere at West Ottawa, one of the
things that we started tonotice right away is the amount
of time that you spend in yourprogram spends on recovery and
post-practice work.
I remember the first daywalking in and at this point you
(21:43):
guys were using the area rightin front of the athletic office
a lot of times for foam rollingand Theraguns.
I remember Karen saying to me Idon't know what they're doing,
but it looks awesome.
Talk to us a little bit aboutthat emphasis that is placed on
the recovery.
I mean, of all the teams,there's one team that ice baths
(22:06):
more than anyone else Foamrolling.
Your post-practice, yourpost-race regimen is super
important to the success thatwe're having.
Speaker 5 (22:16):
Yeah, I mean we spend more time with posts, run posts
, workout, whatever stuff thatwe do actually running, you know
, and I mean that's just.
I think that's important interms of building a strong body.
But you know, I just like Italked to the girls last week
like we had an amazing week oftraining last week and that's
great, but it doesn't meananything if we can't recover
(22:37):
from it and so you're not goingto get the physiological
adaptation that we want if youdon't recover from it.
So, like the stuff that we doat practice, if it's mobility
and stretching and but also thenutrition, ice bathing, I mean
we, we spend as a program,probably thousands of dollars a
year on recovery, like not anexaggeration.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
Do you have the ice bath right out the back there?
Speaker 5 (23:03):
Outside the training room.
Outside the training room.
Right, yeah, yeah.
But it's also like the girls.
I think they do a lot ofbonding.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
You talk about shared suffering.
At least for what?
Two minutes, and then you don'tfeel it anymore.
Or is it longer than that?
Speaker 1 (23:17):
They complain a lot longer than that.
Yeah, and we're pretty loud.
Speaker 5 (23:22):
But it's doing things the right way too.
I mean, I think recovery issuper important.
I think that's part of thereason why we're as good as we
are is because lots of teamstrain hard too, but they don't
recover, so they cannot get in.
If you're only getting 50% ofthe benefit from the, all the
work you just put in like it'skind of a waste might as well
(23:43):
just do 50% less work and ahundred percent more recovery.
And so we're doing a lot ofwork and a lot of recovery and
hopefully we're getting bigbenefits from it too.
Speaker 4 (23:54):
Another thing that you're getting big benefits from
and we recently talked withFrank Lurchin and Kyle McKenzie
from the Panther Strength GroupYou're not afraid to get in the
weight room.
Helen, what's your reactionwhen coach says we're going to
get up early in the morning andwe're going to go down to Otsego
and we're going to run thisrace and then we're going to
(24:14):
come back and we're going to geta lift in?
Speaker 1 (24:17):
You just described the perfect day, perfect fall
day.
Right there, whenever he waslike, when he kind of gave us
the option he's like, well, wecould lift after I take off, I
was like sold, like I lovegetting in the weight room.
It's kind of I think we allkind of do enjoy it, like yes,
it's hard, but it's a really.
It's also a good bondingexperience and we're getting
that strength in and kind ofthose vital key components to
(24:41):
running mechanics and juststrengthening all the little
muscles that you wouldn't thinkabout and you can't kind of
target without weights and kindof the specific tools that the
weight room provides.
Speaker 3 (24:51):
I loved when we had Frank and Kyle on.
They talked about the muscles.
You don't see, yeah, it's likeyeah when you start thinking
about that, when you can takecare of that in the weight room
that's awesome, really awesometoo yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 5 (25:04):
Everything with running is like has nothing to
do with, like, the outerappearance.
You know, there's a lot of alot of successful runners that
have very different body typessure and it's all about 90
percent like the physiologicaladaptations inside the body.
Everything you can't see andthat's the hard thing for a lot
of athletes to understand is youcan't actually see the changes.
(25:25):
Usually you do see bodyadaptations from all the
athletes.
They look stronger and fitterand all these things, but it's
really what's happening on theinside of the body that matters,
not getting bigger muscles oranything like that I want to
circle back to something wetouched on just briefly earlier.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
On the inside of the body that matters, not getting
bigger muscles or anything likethat.
I want to circle back tosomething we touched on just
briefly earlier.
With all the success thatyou've had, only five of seven
runners count in varsity racesWith a team of 24, that means
majority of the people going inaren't going to count for this
race.
Bill and I have really beenencouraged that you celebrate
runners at all levels and valuetheir contribution.
(26:01):
I guess one why is thisimportant in educational
athletics?
Number one we'll do that andthen maybe you can both speak
kind of a little bit about theshining star of that was our
recent graduate, chloe Rooks.
Can you guys maybe just speakto that as part of the team and
what that means to you?
Speaker 1 (26:20):
yeah, I think it's been really nice just to kind of
have that whole group of people, ranging from all from, like,
the fastest and then to one ofsome of the slower people, and
like we all have that mutualrespect.
But I feel like having allthose people on the team is just
really valuable.
And yeah, in the end only fivekind of, and like at state we'll
run seven and five will score,but like at state, when we go on
(26:42):
the podium or anytime we'vegone on the podium, like
everyone comes up there with us,like it wasn't just the five
that like the five scored thepoints or scored the least
amount of points, um, but wewere all.
We've all been doing the workand so there's kind of always a
shared experience that we've allthese kind of prioritized in
the program.
Like when we win a conferencetitle, when we win a regional
title, state title, likeeveryone will be on the podium
(27:04):
with us because they've all kindof worked to get there and like
Chloe was a greatrepresentation of that and kind
of showing that you can stillrun at the next level, even you
don't have to, there's nolimitations, and one of the
popular kind of guys who followsuh, cross country in michigan
kind of um highlighted that,highlighted her on her on his
(27:24):
story, just with her committingto grcc as the runner that she
was in high school and just kindof showing that like nothing is
impossible and like that gave alot of athletes some courage
and encouragement for like goingforward, which I thought was
helpful yeah, I mean like thereality is, like not everybody
can go run at at Notre Dame,like like Helen's going to do,
but like there, like there canbe a place for just about
(27:48):
anybody that wants to run at thenext level it may be.
Speaker 3 (27:52):
And life too, right, I mean running when we're older.
She's going to be doing thisrest of her life.
Yeah, it's really cool.
Speaker 5 (27:57):
But I think, for from a coaching standpoint, from a
high school athletics standpoint, like these are life changing
moments.
You know, and I'm I mean I hopea lot of athletes walk away from
the program with a having a hada positive experience with it.
You know, and like running issomething you can do the rest of
(28:18):
your life.
You know, like, with the mentalhealth struggles that we have
right now, I'm hoping, like,like what we're doing is more
positive than the negative, eventhough, like it is high
pressure, and like we work hard.
But you know the West house, wewant to be college, career and
life ready and like I feel likethat's part of our program as
well as like preparing them forthe real world and like like I
(28:40):
don't hold back on them in termsof, like you know, if their
performance or more of theeffort isn't there, you know, if
you're not showing up to topractice, I mean, you're not
showing up to work, you're gonnaget fired Right, and so it's
just things like that, liketrying to prepare them for the
real world and I feel like, ifthey can handle or get through
our program, like they're goingto learn a lot and be prepared
for the real world, whether youknow that's military secondary
(29:03):
education work, whatever itmight be.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
And on this, on the same side of that we talked the
other day, and you're trying touh, uh, develop that empathetic
side, the Kyle Barnes side side.
Huh yeah, I work at that one.
Huh yeah, I mean, I just, I wasjust doing a lot better the.
Speaker 5 (29:20):
I mean I just told the girls the other day, like
you know, like coach kyle fouror five years ago would have
responded to how we do, ran someof our races differently than
than I did this weekend.
I really didn't have a greatperformance this this weekend,
but you know there's a number offactors that go into it and I,
like some, I can watch a raceand I know my athletes well
enough to know when there's alack of effort versus just not
(29:45):
having a good day yeah, well,you're a maturing coach right
now.
Speaker 3 (29:47):
Yeah, I mean from, you know, looking in from the
outside.
You know.
I asked you earlier how old areyou?
Well, you're 40 now.
Speaker 5 (29:53):
Yep, this isn't 28 year old kyle barnes sitting in
here now, you know and mean andI learned a lot from like being
at Grand Valley watching Jerrycoach and I mean I was there for
six years and I was there mostdays and he let me travel with
the team and like I got you knowbehind the scenes, in the scene
, like fully immersed experienceand I like I mean I think
(30:15):
Jerry's the arguably I meancertainly one of the best, if
not the best coaches in thecountry for distance running, I
mean in the program, despite itbeing D2, like I don't think
there's anybody better inMichigan than he is at any level
at any university anywhere.
You know, and I see how heresponds to things and we're
(30:36):
pretty similar in terms of ourpersonalities and stuff like
that.
And like then, when you takethe reins over as a head coach,
it's different.
You're the one that has to havethe hard talks with the
athletes if there's a lack ofeffort and like I've I've seen
him lay into athletes when theywhen they need it and be
empathetic when they need it andgive them a hug when they they
(30:59):
need it.
Listen to this guy, listen tokyle barnes oh yeah, certainly
trying to, to learn that andlike also, like working with
girls, compared to boys could be, can be different and what they
need, uh as well.
Well, well spoken well spoken.
I really enjoyed that figuringthis coaching thing out.
I guess I don't see gender whenit comes to that you see
(31:22):
athlete.
Yeah, and maybe how you have totreat the individual.
Speaker 3 (31:28):
That's like even human beings, though right.
Right.
Human beings need to be treateddifferently based on their
makeup and who they are and howthey handle things.
Speaker 5 (31:36):
Don't care skin color , don't care gender, just show
up and work hard.
And that's how I've approachedcoaching these girls for the
last five years, six years now.
Work hard, yeah, and and that'show I've approached coaching
you know these, these girls, forthe last five years, six years
now, I guess yeah.
Speaker 3 (31:48):
Well, after this fourth year this is your fourth
year, but this fourth year willcome to an end.
We're not going to get into thereflection part because you're
still here.
We're not doing that, but nextyear congratulations,
congratulations.
Speaker 1 (32:06):
This is the celebratory part of this podcast
.
Speaker 3 (32:08):
You are going to Notre Dame.
Yeah, super, super, superexcited for that.
Really, really excited, like socool it's Notre Dame, yeah,
yeah, you know what I'm saying.
Yeah, um, they're a number oneranked team in the Great Lakes
region.
Fourth place finish atnationals.
Last year, um, and under coachMatt uh Mattarks, they have been
a consistent top 10 or near top10 at nationals during his
tenure.
How are you feeling about thatopportunity that sits in front
(32:31):
of you next fall?
Speaker 1 (32:33):
I'm going to say excited again.
I'm just really, really justexcited to see what I can do at
Notre Dame and obviously he'shad a lot of success and which
is really encouraging and.
I really like his training styleand I know that it's I wanted
to go to a university that wouldpush me in both academics and
(32:54):
athletics and like I don't, I'mnot going to go to Notre Dame
and be the best on the team andI'm probably going to be pretty
low, which I'm excited for,which I'm looking forward to and
pretty low, which I'm excitedfor, which I'm looking forward
to, and like kind of having thatnot competition, but that
people pushing me around me atNotre Dame, which I'm really
yeah, really looking forward to.
Speaker 3 (33:12):
Yeah, and what are you going to pursue academically
?
I'm going to go pre-med, Idon't know what I'm majoring in.
Speaker 1 (33:17):
Yet I'm going to talk to some of my dad's friends who
are doctors.
But yeah, don't know what I'mmajoring, but pre-med.
Speaker 3 (33:23):
There was a lot of schools in the mix for you.
Yeah, colorado MSU, georgetownschools in North Carolina,
florida.
Speaker 1 (33:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:30):
What were maybe two or three of the factors that
really kind of put Notre Dame,you know, the one that you're
going to go to?
Speaker 1 (33:36):
Yeah, definitely the team culture and kind of just
their work ethic and just howthey kind of interacted with
each other.
At Notre Dame I took anofficial there pretty last
minute.
I think it was.
Sparks said it was the quickestofficial they've ever done,
before ever I think I called.
Speaker 3 (33:52):
Sometimes the last visit is the best visit.
Speaker 1 (33:54):
Yeah, he called me, I think it was a Thursday at like
two and he's like do you wantto come?
Speaker 3 (33:59):
down tonight.
Speaker 1 (33:59):
No way and I was like sure and so, and so, yeah, we
did an official bat day um forthat weekend.
But yeah, just meeting the teamand just kind of this super
last minute thing, they were allsuper, super welcoming and like
their whole work ethic was justsuper like really hard working
and kind of their trainingtraining style was amazing and
kind of fit with what my kind ofum ideal training is and just
(34:22):
incorporating the cross trainingand like individualized
training and yeah, the wholeteam culture is just amazing.
And coach sparks and hoskerwere super understanding and
patient with the whole crazyprocess that is the recruiting
process, especially for someonewho's obviously going through it
the first time but also doesn'thave like an older sibling or
something sure and thenobviously the academics of Notre
Dame which kind of sealed thatCause I obviously wanted to go
(34:46):
for to improve my athletics andmy education as well.
Speaker 4 (34:50):
So yeah, you join a as I was walking down to the
studio, here you walk down.
Speaker 3 (34:55):
Is that what we're calling it?
Speaker 4 (34:57):
Yeah, this is the studio.
Speaker 3 (34:58):
We've recorded every episode in this room.
Speaker 4 (35:00):
As you walk down the hallway you see Debon Afrik, who
is a multi-time state champhere at West Ottawa, swam at
Notre Dame.
You see Arianne Olsen up on thewall and now you join kind of
the trilogy triumvirate.
Speaker 1 (35:15):
What do we call that?
Speaker 4 (35:17):
The trio.
We'll call that the state champtrio that's off to Notre Dame
md state champ trio let's gopretty t-shirts yeah, let's go
get cracking t-shirts.
Speaker 3 (35:29):
Um hey, one thing I want to talk about too and your
mom told me about this and I'mtotally on board with this we
need to get people cheering fornotre dame across country oh
yeah right.
So you had this thing.
Your mom told me it's like ohyeah, people heard I'm going to
notre dame and now no one islike oh, I'm sorry, I'm a
Michigan fan, I can't cheer foryou at Notre Dame.
Speaker 1 (35:45):
No, I've had multiple people come up.
They're like I will.
Usually I don't cheer for Irish, but now I will cheer for Irish
, like they'll be.
Like this is the only time I'mgoing to say go Irish.
So I'm like no, we need to know?
Speaker 3 (36:00):
Yeah, we do, because you know our athletes graduate,
they go to these places andyou're not forgotten, but you're
remembered by a small number ofpeople who stay in touch with
you and keep up.
We can cheer for Michigan Statecross country because the
Bonamas are there, yeah, but I'mtotally into that.
So for all the Michigan fansand all these people who say to
you I'm not going to cheer foryou, we're not putting up with
(36:22):
that, it's over, no, no.
Speaker 1 (36:24):
I cheer for Notre Dame cross country.
Speaker 3 (36:27):
I've always personally have been a fan of
the athlete.
I'm notoriously known forbailing on teams when my
favorite athlete leaves, so it'snot hard for me.
Speaker 5 (36:36):
It's valid.
Speaker 3 (36:36):
Yeah, it's not hard for me to do.
It's great that you're going toNotre Dame next year, but it
was never guaranteed.
Yeah Right, you faced adversityduring your sophomore season.
You had to go through that andyou've been very, very open
about it.
Talk to us a little bit aboutlast fall when you ran, when you
weren't like the fastest runneryou've ever been, but you got
(36:57):
to run on this other spot andsee it maybe from a different
perspective.
Speaker 1 (37:00):
Yeah, it was definitely fun to kind of be at
like at a different angle in allthe races and kind of
experience something that I hadnever experienced before and
like at that point, like lastyear, I was just over the moon
excited to be running.
Like that was kind of the onlythe only thing I really worried
about.
I wasn't really caring abouttime, I wasn't caring about
place, Like in the end it justcame down to running the races
(37:23):
and I was just super, supergrateful to be healthy and
approved by all the doctors anddieticians and therapists and
everyone to be able to run, andso that was kind of yeah.
Speaker 3 (37:33):
Yeah, and your teammates kind of really enjoyed
that part of you last year,right, just having you back on
the team and doing that.
A lot of big smiles about thatfor sure that was super fun.
In the present day, right now,part of moving forward as an
athlete is you're able to managethat.
Now, right, you meet with atherapist regularly, you have a
dietician.
Can you like just share withpeople how important it is to
(37:56):
kind of be aware and keep doingthat, and how that's an
important part of maintaining ahealthy mind, a healthy body, as
you continue your career?
Speaker 1 (38:03):
Yeah, like throughout my whole career, everything's
always going to be kind of achallenge just balancing the
nutrition and the training, andwhat Kyle was kind of saying
previously was the training isthe hard.
Honestly, for me it's probablythe easiest part.
It's hard, but it's probably theeasiest part to do, but the
(38:24):
most benefit that you get out ofis probably in the recovery
side of things, and that's kindof one thing that I continue to
work on with everyone around meand I see value in continuing to
find all of the benefits of therecovery side of things and so,
like, yeah, moving forward inmy life, like I'm always going
to be leaning on theprofessionals around me that do
have the like, the informationand all of the degrees behind
(38:48):
them that can help guide me inthe right way.
Speaker 3 (38:51):
To like and how good is it Right?
I mean, how good is that?
Speaker 1 (38:55):
It's very, I'm very, it's so good, right yeah.
Speaker 3 (38:58):
Yeah, got people lean on, talk about things, get
something out of your system.
Yeah, really positive, reallyreally nice.
Well, we're getting to thestretch run, kids, we are
getting to the stretch run ofthe season.
It's all coming up.
You told me on the phonethere's five meets that are
important to you.
Can you walk us through itthere?
Speaker 5 (39:15):
Yeah, now that we move into championship season,
but for us as a cross-countryprogram, the For us as a
cross-country program, the maingoals win conference, win,
regionals, win a statechampionship.
Those are always the goals thatwe have.
And so, on the way to win aconference championship, we have
two jamborees which are worth25% of the championship and then
(39:37):
a conference championship worththe last 50%.
So those two jamborees and theconference championship are
three of the meets our regionalchampionship and our state
championship.
I mean that and the reality,like those are the only meets
that actually matter towards ourteam goals, Like all the other
ones we do, like they're fun and, honestly, some of the other
meets are probably more fun Likethere's a better atmosphere, we
have music and there'sthousands of runners Under the
(39:58):
lights and fireworks yeah.
And we travel to Indianapolis orgo to the Port of Genvi, which
is one of the biggest meets inthe Midwest, Right away coming
across Kennedy Crossing and hearme yelling at people.
Speaker 3 (40:11):
Is it actually named Kennedy Crossing?
Speaker 4 (40:13):
Because I love that that's what the coaches have
started to call it.
Yeah, we'll have a sign.
Speaker 3 (40:18):
Don't worry, we'll have t-shirts.
He has one T-shirts.
Kennedy Crossing T-shirts.
He has one T-shirts Okay, good,kennedy Crossing.
Oh, that's killing.
Speaker 5 (40:24):
That's it.
Those are the five that matter.
And so what happened?
On Saturday, I told the teamall of our goals are still in
front of us.
Speaker 3 (40:31):
Yeah, this is the Portage Invitational, which
didn't go as planned.
We were talking about thisearlier and, helen, maybe you
can speak about this too.
Sometimes, when somethingdoesn't go your way, it's
actually a blessing in disguise.
Yeah, what's the mindset ofyour teammates after Portage?
You won Portage, but the nextfour was a bit rough right that
particular day.
(40:51):
Can you speak to that?
Like?
What's your mindset now, havingthat as a we'll call it a mini
disappointment?
But now you're moving to thispart of the season.
Speaker 1 (40:58):
It just kind of gives us, continues to kind of light,
that fire underneath us.
Speaker 3 (41:27):
no-transcript riverside park oh yeah, that's a
nice course, you guys likerunning that one it's pretty
flat right, yeah yeah, I lovethat venue, yeah pancake flat.
Speaker 5 (41:40):
Pancake flats usually fast.
Speaker 1 (41:41):
Pretty.
The girls like yeah, beautifulalong the river.
Yeah, it's yeah.
Speaker 3 (41:45):
So that's coming up.
Regionals 1026 Allendale Stateis in November.
Speaker 4 (41:51):
First weekend in November, mis.
I circle it on my calendarevery year.
Been very fortunate in my timeat West Ottawa, I get to MIS
every year.
It's always odd from a AD'sperspective.
You know, I'm sorry, helen, I'mnot going to be able to chase
you all over the course.
I'm not built for that.
So I see you typically at thestart and you run by and you
(42:12):
exit the track and then Ibeeline it over to the finish
line.
Speaker 3 (42:17):
See my buddies who gets there first?
Speaker 4 (42:19):
I get there first because I do have a little bit
of time to interact with mybuddies at the MHSAA that are
there.
But then I'm trying to get asclose to pit row there as I can
to see our girls as they'recoming across.
I yell like crazy.
I have no voice at the end ofthe day.
I'm not sure that you hear me,but I am there.
Speaker 5 (42:35):
It's a mad dash for sure.
Yeah, MIS is a next level.
Yeah, it's not spectatorfriendly, but it's a next level
experience still like.
I mean, there's tens ofthousands of people, they're all
the best teams for michigan andmichigan, notoriously, is one
of the best states in americafor cross-country as well.
Speaker 3 (42:54):
I think last year there's a statistic or whatever
we were in seventh, seventh,best state in america for
cross-country when you go intothis final stretch, who are the
teams that are going to presenta challenge for you as you try
and do everything that you cando to win conference, regional,
maybe state even in theconference.
Speaker 5 (43:13):
I mean like we're certainly the favorite for our
conference and region to to win,but like again nothing's handed
to you, like we got to show upand do our job and and then
hopefully we bring those titleshome.
But at the state level, romeois by far the I mean I think
they're a top 10 team in America.
Speaker 3 (43:30):
They had.
I was looking at their finishesat Portage they had.
I think everyone was under thetop four or at least under 20 or
less, I believe.
Speaker 5 (43:39):
Oh yeah, their top six were like 18, 30.
Speaker 3 (43:42):
Okay.
Speaker 5 (43:42):
They're loaded, okay, so they have an amazing group
of girls, yeah, and so they'rethe main one.
But I mean, celine and AnnArbor Pioneer beat us this past
Saturday.
Now that was without Avafinishing.
If she had finished, we wouldhave gotten.
Speaker 3 (43:58):
Second you told me about this.
Can you just tell the?
Speaker 5 (44:09):
I like this because she, like, went to the.
Well, right, I mean she went,yeah, I mean I didn't see it
happen, but about 400 meters togo, like she just, I think, just
black blacked out, justcollapsed and so yeah, she's
tell you what, I tell you what Igot a lot of respect for that
man, yeah she's I mean ton ofrespect, it's not a lot of
people can push them to to that,whether it's effort or heat or
a combination of the two.
But yeah, my girls give meeverything that they have.
Speaker 4 (44:29):
I remember being at the pit wall last year as Helen
crossed the finish line at thestate meet.
And I was like she emptied thebucket man.
Speaker 1 (44:39):
I'd only run over ground what six times before
that, so that was a little bitof a shock to the system for
sure so we'll have our handsfull but we'll give it a go.
Speaker 3 (44:49):
You guys have been really wonderful to sit down
with.
Thanks for taking the time.
I know it's the middle of theschool day and we're doing this
podcast, but you guys are greatshe's not missing class there
was no special thing that BillKennedy wrote.
Speaker 4 (45:02):
I did want to let you both know that while you're
here, because it just cameacross my desk earlier we have
been approved for a bus for thestate meet for spectators, so
start spreading the word, we'regoing to try to fill a spirit
bus and get some fans to MIS onthe 2nd of November.
Speaker 5 (45:20):
That's never happened before.
No, it's never happened.
Speaker 4 (45:23):
We got it, it's approved, it's ready to go, so
spread the word folks, Teachers,friends, community.
Get on the bus.
Speaker 5 (45:31):
Let's be there.
Maybe we'll do t-shirts.
Speaker 3 (45:32):
What's your idea?
Speaker 1 (45:36):
I don't know Spirit fan t-shirt thing, I don't know,
but there's something therethat would be fun.
I really like that.
But there's something therethat would be fun.
I really like that, there'ssomething there.
Speaker 5 (45:42):
It's an experience, though I mean if you've never
been to a cross-country meet.
Speaker 1 (45:46):
MIS is the one Well, spectator-wise, it is really fun
.
It's really fun.
Speaker 5 (45:51):
Pre-race, post-race Hopefully we're on the podium,
hopefully raising a statechampionship, ideally, but
hopefully on the podium eitherway.
Speaker 3 (46:03):
It's a good time.
We're all going out, we'reheading out there.
It's going to be fun.
Let's get as many people as wecan.
Speaker 1 (46:08):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (46:09):
What's your normal like?
How many people usually come?
Is it just like family andfriends most of the time?
Speaker 5 (46:13):
Yeah, for the most part, I mean it's a little bit
better yeah occasionally we geta few middle schoolers that want
to come from the cross countryprogram that want to come watch.
Speaker 3 (46:22):
Maybe we can get the cross country programs to come
out.
Speaker 5 (46:24):
Yeah, but we'd love to have teachers and stuff like
that.
Like they know.
I think they know that we'rewe're running an out there and
we're successful but, I've neverbeen to a meet, and this is if
it's not braid away, get home.
Then, like this, is the the one, make a day of it yeah, and
(46:44):
let's have a party.
Speaker 3 (46:44):
Let's do it.
I always want to thank all thethe support staff for
cross-country right, all theparents that do all of their
things on.
There's lots of things going onin the background with emails
and food and all that stuff.
So just a big shout out if yousupport, uh, cross-country here
at west ottawa, we want to thankyou for doing that.
Thank you for coming in, reallyappreciate it.
Big fans, uh, like we say here,we don't know everybody at West
Ottawa, but we always recognizethe face.
(47:05):
Your faces are very familiarand big fans from afar.
I'm sure I'm not the only one.
Speaker 1 (47:11):
So all the best to you guys.
Yeah, thank you so much forhaving us.
Speaker 3 (47:13):
Yeah, thanks a lot, it's been great.
All right, we'll see you later.
Speaker 1 (47:16):
Thank you.
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