Anthony Jacuzzi
Expectations for success can be difficult for any coach to deal with, espeically when it’s the first season of coaching. Jeff Stiles takes over the cross country program at Washington University, where last year the men captured their first ever University Athletic Association title and the women qualified for the NCAA tournament. Needless to say, the sights are set high again this year.
Stiles comes to WU as a former six-time all-American runner, as well as a captain on national championship teams, credentials sure to garner the respect of his runners.
No longer a collegiate runner, but still able to perform at a high level, Stiles sees his young age as an asset to his ability to coach.
“I thinks it brings respect,” he says. “I can still run at a very high level, [which means] I’m feeling what they’re feeling.”
The fact that he’s not far from these feelings gives him an edge in coaching: “It’s not like I’m one of the coaches who was once running but then started packing down doughnuts.”
He also believes that the reduction in interaction between these coaches produces unrealistic expectations as to what the athletes can do.
Stiles brings a long tradition of running to WU, along with a very exuberant personality which spawns a you-can-do-it mentality out of his players. Cross country has been a lifestyle for him since middle school.
In high school, his sister persuaded him to join the state champion cross country team over the football team, and ever since he’s been hooked. In college Stiles ran for North Central (in Naperville, IL) winning All-American honors six times. Last year, he was the assistant coach at South West Missouri State (and no, he isn’t related to Jackie Stiles).
Now he comes to WU looking at coaching cross country not as a job, but a continuation of college. Stiles is quick to proclaim, “I always wanted to coach, but I never thought I could do it for my job.”
Coaching for Stiles is a combination of a love of running and a love of teaching people. He views the WU job as the best of both worlds academically and athletically. Because WU is Division III, there are no scholarships; thus it allows athletes to compete out of sheer intrinsic motivation.
As for this year’s teams, WU has a men’s team deep with senior talent that includes Brian Barclay, Dave Gutenkunst, Dan House, Patrick MacDonald and the Mikecz twins, Jeremy and Justin. These seniors are a solid group that along with a good core of underclassmen are sure to have the Bears contending for another UAA title.
The women return Mindy Kuhl, Emily Lahowetz, Melanie Mikecz and Andrea Newberry, all of whom ran in nationals last year. However, Stiles sees the women’s team as a little less experienced than his very deep men’s team.
Stiles, who loves testing his mind and being competitive wants to bring regular championship quality cross country to WU. He perceives WU as a gold mine for cross country. “I think we will do extraordinarily well simply because [WU] attracts motivated student athletes,” he says.
Yet he is quick not to give any predictions on the team’s success this year. “I have no clue where we will wind up. I don’t know anything about the rest of the conference,” he says. “I just want to focus on our team.”