Oklahoma State University Athletics
District V Coach of the Year Building on Tradition
April 06, 2003 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track
The key to all of the Cowboy's success lies in one person, head men's coach Dick Weis. He currently has OSU ranked ninth in the national polls and is preparing his squad for its fifth straight national appearance. This team is running strong, full of strength and speed. One trait sets these runners apart from past student-athletes: they are running with confidence, both in themselves and in their teammates. Their confidence compliments their individual running style, a style that is extremely potent and has been proven to be very successful.
Following this success, Weis was honored through the NCAA by being selected as the District V Coach of the Year for the third straight season. To reach this honor, a team must have a strong plan. A strong coaching plan is exactly what Weis operates with, a plan that has taken the Cowboys to five straight national meets, three straight district titles, a 1995 Big Eight title and a 1995 regular-season number-one ranking in the nation.
This plan consists of two things, a smart running attack and good old fashioned teamwork. In his running attack, he stresses that his athletes run comfortable. ^He teaches them to not go out too fast and to run hard at the end of races when it is most important. By teaching his athletes teamwork, he creates a close, "family" type of unity within the team. This plan has produced a powerful group of runners and a proud, successful tradition that is growing stronger. This tradition will continue Monday, Nov. 24, in Greenville, S.C., when the Cowboys will participate in the national championships at the Furman Golf Course.
This team has no doubts that it will perform well. It knows that there will be a number of successful individuals on the team, but the runners are not focusing on individual goals. They are entering this race with their coach's motto in mind: "There is no 'I' in TEAM".
