For my coach interview, I interviewed Randy Fisk, head track coach at Greenleaf Friends Academy. *Interview is not transcribed word for word.

How long have you been a coach?

I have been coaching track for 25 years. I have also coached football and basketball. In general, I have been coaching since 1986.

What made you decide to be a coach?

Honestly, when I came to Greenleaf, I was expected to take on all the roles of the teacher whom I was replacing and he was one of the coaches. And then my kids started doing sports and I did not like that the parents who were the coaches came to the practices with no plan and little knowledge of the sport, so I started coaching them when they were in YBAH because I wanted them to learn something about the sport. Also my wife was the athletic director and I just filled the spots that she needed filled on her staff.

Is there any one thing that is particularly frustrating or disappointing in coaching?

There are a lot of things, how many do you want? I think one of the most frustrating things is when I see kids that I know are good athletes and they are not going out for the team. Also it is really hard to deal with parents that challenge the things that I do and the choices that I make.

Is there any one thing that is particularly gratifying or rewarding in coaching?

I really like seeing kids find out that they can do something that they didn’t know they could do. Also the relationships that you make while coaching. Most kids will look up to and remember a coach even more than a teacher.

Do you have any advice for beginning coaches?

Don’t take everything personally. It is not you that is winning or losing the game. Don’t be angry at another coach because their team beat your team. You can’t let it be about you as a coach, its about the kids.