St. Luke's: What do you coach?
Coach Seamus Russell: XC and Track & Field

SL:   Why do you coach?
SR:   I ran Cross Country and Track in high school and collegiately at Spring Hill College. I loved competing in both sports and coaching was the next step for me.

SL:   How did you come to be a coach?
SR:   Coach Donald was also a collegiate athlete at Spring Hill College so when she reached out about the coaching opportunity at St Luke's, the decision seemed like an obvious one.

SL:   What is your coaching philosophy?
SR:   I always try to foster a positive environment for my kids and promote a real sense of family for both XC and track. Both sports can be seen as individualistic, but it takes every team member working hard and encouraging each other to succeed.

SL:   What is a typical week like for one of your athletes during the season?
SR:   It depends on the sport; Track and Field is diversified due to the number of differing events. In XC, runners will typically have two 6 a.m. practices where they will work on speed training and pacing, and three afternoon days where they will work on getting their mileage up for endurance training.

SL:   What expectations do you have of your players?
SR:   I always look to a quote by the runner Steve Prefontaine, "To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice the gift". Everyone has off days, but even then you should always be giving your absolute best- not just for yourself but for your teammates who are relying on you.

SL:   What do you consider "successful" in terms of coaching?
SR:   For me, signs of success are personal growth and improvement; not just physically but mentally as well. If you lock those in, you'll be well on your way.

SL:   Why do you enjoy coaching athletes at St. Luke's?
SR:   The way that my kids look out for each other, especially the younger classmen, is always great to see. You don't normally see that with other schools or programs. Their work ethic and personal conduct on and off the field shows a real difference.

SL:   What do you do in your spare time when you are not coaching?
SR:   In my spare time, I still really enjoy running and competing in outdoor races like the Spartan Race and Warrior Dash. My current goal though is to become eligible for and compete in the Boston Marathon.

Thanks Coach Russell  for helping St. Luke's celebrate National Coaches Day!