Guided by Faith: My Journey into High School Coaching Later in Life 

Preface to the article below: I wanted to share a bit about my journey into coaching high school later in life. Recently, I was pleasantly surprised to hear from a writer who is putting together a story about my coaching experiences for publication soon. As we talked, her questions encouraged me to think about what led me to pursue coaching at this stage of life when others are retired or thinking about retiring from coaching. It’s been a reflective experience for me, and I’d like to share some of those thoughts. 

In their first year with a cross-country team, the JPII Girls qualified for state and won the state academic team championship in 2018 in their division. This picture is the first picture taken of the team in their first ever High School race.

Background

Several years ago, my wife and I took a stroll through our local park, which turned out to be life changing. As we walked, I couldn’t help but reflect on my journey in coaching, which was filled with many memorable running experiences in that same park.

After years of coaching, I had stepped away, but I still wanted to help kids—the blessing of watching them grow as athletes and individuals as they pursued their God-given potential.

In my late 30s, I had tried to squeeze high school coaching into my busy executive work schedule for two seasons but work always seemed to take precedence. I could not make the coaching commitment work with my work and family schedule during that era.  

Coaching high school kids seemed like a dream and a distant memory until my daughter’s high school coach unexpectedly resigned to take another job out of the area just before the cross-country season started. I was given a second chance at that moment—I stepped in at the last minute, thinking I’d be there for just two seasons until my daughter graduated.  At 52, I was getting a late start in the high school coaching journey.                               

At age 52, my schedule was much more flexible. I took the plunge into high school coaching when many coaches begin considering retirement.                                                         

Somehow, with little time to prepare for that first season with a new coach, our girls' team won the state championship in my first year of coaching, keeping a standing tradition of state championships alive at the school where I coached.

Throughout my seven seasons coaching at the high school, we experienced something remarkable. We created a strong team and a family-like atmosphere, winning eight state championships (five girls and three boys titles) and numerous league and district titles. Our shared faith significantly impacted our daily lives and championship journey. Our team also set the still Washington State all-time consecutive state championship titles for girls with nine straight titles.

The previous coach won four straight girls' titles, and I was blessed as head coach with five straight titles for nine consecutive state championships.

Each victory was a testament to the hard work and determination of the young athletes, their dedicated parents, and their faith in God; those years became a blessing filled with growth and unforgettable experiences.

As my wife Julie and I continued our walk at the local park, reflecting on the past during my retirement from coaching, I spotted a coach leading his cross-country team in a training session whom I knew. Seeing him reminded me about how interconnected we all are—each story and athlete weaving into a larger tapestry. I knew the coach and coached his nieces and nephews at the school I retired from.                                                                                 

The coach, once our competitor, continued to dedicate himself to shaping young lives, just as I had once done.  Seeing him reminded me that life often brings us back to our passions in ways we least expect. Seeing him again was no coincidence.

The coach called me over with a welcoming smile as his team immersed themselves in a focused workout. We shared friendly small talk, but then he leaned in with a bold, direct question: "Do you miss coaching?"

Without hesitation, I replied enthusiastically with a yes!

Seeing the spark in his eyes, he proposed that I step in for the last three weeks of the season to share wisdom and guidance with him and his team. My heart jumped with excitement, and I eagerly accepted his offer. My one-year retirement from coaching was not working well and was ending. I was flunking coaching retirement. 

This was not just an opportunity to assist a neighboring team but to ignite passion, support young athletes on their journey, and engage in what I love most: coaching student-athletes to reach their God-given potential. I was excited to be part of their growth and success!

I took a leap of faith and asked when I could start! I was back in the game.

The Unexpected Gift

I helped the last few weeks of the season as the boys' team qualified for state. The girls did not have a team at the school.

To my surprise, near the end of the season, the head coach announced that he would be retiring from coaching cross-country. He wanted to focus on his responsibilities as the athletic director. He asked if I would take over the boys' program, start a girls' cross-country team at the school, and help establish a new track and field team from scratch.                                       

The school I coach at was founded in 2010, so everything was relatively new, and athletics was still in the start-up phase.

I took on the challenge of becoming the head cross-country coach for boys and built the new program for a girl’s team from the ground up rather than inheriting an existing team like my previous coaching job.

Additionally, at age 60, when many coaches retired, I had the honor of helping establish a new track and field team.

Though I had no idea what lay ahead, I trusted in the journey unfolding as I stepped into this new opportunity, guided purely by faith.

Starting With a Blank Piece of Paper

Outside running, I have held various high-level positions, including executive project manager, Chief Information Officer (CIO), and executive team member of one of America's largest public pension systems. 

I also had the opportunity to serve as a state agency director under two governors, owned a sports marketing firm earlier in my career that supported disabled professional athletes, and served as a small school system superintendent.

These experiences allowed me to develop skills in creating strategic and tactical plans quickly in my new role, and I’m grateful for the management lessons I learned along the way.

I quickly developed a basic plan for our new programs and rolled my sleeves up with a few other amazing people to create new teams. We went through the halls with some student leaders looking for girls to run for the new cross-country team.

Small School Committed Parents

When we started the program, we had around 96 students, a small but vibrant parent community that fostered closeness and collaboration. Throughout my journey at the school, the average number of students has consistently stayed under or at about 100.                                                                                                          Over the past few years, around 40 students have participated in cross-country at various times, which reflects a meaningful part of our student body. Compared to a larger school with about 1,000 students, this percentage of students might translate to around 400 students joining summer cross-country, and in a school with 2,000 students, it could grow to about 800. We're grateful for the enthusiasm shown by our students in embracing the cross-country, track and field. and fitness opportunities.

The most students I ever had to select from were 130 at my previous small school coaching experience; the average enrollment was probably around 115-120. However, we also got up to 45 kids out for that program.

Except for one girl on the new team at JPII, all the girls on our new team had never run high school cross-country or ran at all.

Could this new start-up team be competitive at the state level? That was the question of the day.

Season One: Starting With Few Resources

JPII, where I coach, does not have traditional sports resources like other high schools. We have no gym, weight room, or track. The weight room is my car, where I store bands, slant boards, water, small weights, and more daily. I take the items in and out of my car every day at practice and give them to the team to use.

At the end of practice, I load everything back into my car.

We also do not have a traditional transportation system for cross-country and track. Each week, we form parent carpools to take and pick up kids for cross-country and track meets, which is a rather time-consuming process.

In addition, there are many clubs and classes for a small school we schedule around. Over six days, I've had up to 8-15 weekly practices to accommodate individual schedules, clubs, and other activities in this small college prep school. I meet kids before and after school at different times, depending on individual schedules.

The New Cross-Country Journey Begins

In 2018, we embarked on an incredible journey by establishing the first-ever girls' cross-country team at Pope John Paul II High School (JPII) in Lacey, Washington, with all these challenges in mind.                                    

Facing the challenges of being a new team with few resources, the young athletes poured their hearts into training and competition.                                                                                                            Against the odds, the JPII girls qualified for the Washington State High School Cross-Country Championships in their first year, finishing eighth as a team at state and achieving the remarkable feat of claiming the Washington State High School State Academic Team Championship in their classification in their first year in existence.

These trailblazing young women showcased what dedication, resilience, and teamwork can accomplish. Their inspiring inaugural season was a testament to the power of faith, believing in oneself, and striving for excellence, both on and off the cross-country course. 

Faith Over Fear: A Journey to the Impossible Dream in Season Two

The team's hard work, determination, faith, and ability to overcome obstacles were truly inspiring to witness over the following months. Watching each team member's self-confidence grow week by week was a remarkable blessing. Each girl on the team was unique, shining with her extraordinary abilities on and off the sports field.

The JPII girls faced their fair share of highs and lows throughout their state championship season, yet they persevered with incredible spirit. They experienced many triumphs and moments where they had to lift themselves and keep moving forward. One parent wisely noted, "Winning a championship doesn't require perfection."

However, it demands hard work, smart decisions, learning from mistakes, and the faith that everything will work out.

One Captains Perspective of the 2019 Season                   

One prominent example of the heart of the 2019 girls' team and how the JPII girls' team overcame adversity is stated very well by Vivi Kondrat, a sophomore in the 2019 state championship race. Vivi said:   

"...School Cross-Country wasn't about running for glory. It was about running for something greater than ourselves or even our team. We prayed before competitions and challenging workouts, after our races, celebrated, and when anything unexpected happened.                                                                               

For example, in 2019, our second year competing as a team, my dad drove half our cross-country team up to Marysville for a meet. We laughed and sang when one girl turned around and screamed: we heard a crunch and felt a jarring impact. Luckily, we all made it out of the four-car accident intact. Still, I clearly remember huddling by the side of the road for an hour, praying both to calm down and because we were concerned about the other people in the accident. I had never felt more connected to my faith.         

Ultimately, JPII has prepared me for life by teaching me a fundamental truth: Life has hills. Sometimes, you have to struggle and might feel tempted to quit. After that car accident, none of us wanted to race… and it showed! We lost to the reigning champions by almost 100 points. However, Coach Weber had a common message for each person, a singular focus and mission, and it wasn't necessarily beating everyone. It was reaching our God-given potential.   

In our first year as a team, he challenged us to reach State... the following year, he set an almost unbelievable goal: winning the State Championship in our second year as a team. Before the 2019 state cross-country meet, we drove to Pasco to check out the course and prepare mentally. As we jogged, it seemed like nothing but hills!                                                                                         

We had been preparing for this race for months, but it wouldn’t be handed to us. On the day of the race, during the last stretch, I couldn’t keep up with a few runners who passed me at the end. I was disappointed in myself… it seemed I had failed our team. But I had given it my all and so had everyone else. And because it was a TEAM effort, because everyone was committed to meeting their potential, our small team (in only its second year of competition!) won the State Championship!

We wouldn't have considered it possible if Coach had never pushed us beyond our barriers”.

Faith Over Fear

During the season, the JPII girls faced various challenges but persevered by praying together and openly discussing their situations. The team's journey to the championship was characterized by grace in the face of adversity. Despite the hurdles, the girls never gave up and displayed remarkable resilience. As a coach, this is the first time I have witnessed something like how these girls performed during the state championships.

The Unexpected Victory

The story of the state championship race was like a movie script, but it was real. During the 5k race, the girls were in third place at mile one. They had decided to run the first part of the race smartly and within their capabilities, starting conservatively. They had moved to second place by mile two, just behind the three-time defending state champions.

In the final 1000 meters of the race, all the girls on the varsity seven team gave it their all, pushing themselves to their limits. It was incredible to witness such a young team execute their race strategy flawlessly in the most high-pressure race of the year.

We knew the race was close to the finish line, and the defending state champs knew it was close as well. They had beaten our girls' team by 99 points earlier in the season at a large cross-country invitational. Even if we didn't win, I knew our girls had run their hearts out. They had nothing left as a team at the finish line. You could not ask for anything more.

Our team was happy to hear the news of our victory. After the announcement, the three-time state champions demonstrated exemplary sportsmanship and graciousness.

The team celebration ensued at our team dinner that night. It was a time to give thanks and celebrate the many blessings of a great season. We thanked God for a fantastic day and season.

Lessons That Last A Lifetime

The life lessons of the 2019 season were priceless.                     

"Never let others define what is possible in your life." 

"Just because it's never been done before does not mean it can't be done now."           

"Never lose faith when things get tough. Choose faith over fear."                                                                                                            "Keep pursuing big dreams no matter the obstacles in the way." 

"It's never over until you cross the finish line." 

And with strong faith and a committed team, anything is possible. 

Grace and mid-course corrections are always a part of the journey, no matter what you do or where you are.

The Lady Eagles had a successful season, but what they gained from their journey was much more valuable. Their faith in God and conflict-resolution skills influenced their daily decisions and work.

The Eagles were exceptional in their athletic skills and sportsmanship toward other teams. As a coach, I have rarely seen a team be such great role models as student-athletes.

The Eagles were a delight to coach during the 2019 season. I will never forget this exceptional group of young women. Their hearts and perseverance amidst any life storm were truly remarkable. They will forever be known as the first team in school history in any sport to win a state athletic championship!

In an incredible display of determination and teamwork, the girls' team has achieved a remarkable feat by winning four consecutive state championship titles in Pasco, Washington. Despite fierce competition, they came breathtakingly close, finishing just one point shy of victory in 2024 and their fifth state title in Pasco.

Their journey is not just one of victories but a testament to unwavering spirit and perseverance. They are the first 1B team in Washington State history within their combined 1B/2B classification to claim a state title.

On the boys' side, the legacy of resilience also shines through. After placing second for five consecutive years, they continued to do well and finished third in 2024. 

On the track, the girls have placed first, second, and third at the state championships since the inception of the track and field program in 2018 and the boys have placed second, third, and fourth at state. The boys and girls have also won many individual state championships.

Both teams represent the state's smallest division yet have shown that desire knows no size. They embody the belief that with hard work, collaboration, and relentless effort, they can rise above challenges and carve their own paths to success.                             

The stories of the start-up team inspire us to chase our dreams, knowing that every setback is a steppingstone toward future triumphs. Together, they remind us that victory isn’t about titles; it's about the journey, the camaraderie, and the relentless pursuit of excellence without any guarantees when going after our God-given potential.

Both teams continue to look for ways to improve and reach the next level through enhanced training, resources, hard work, and faith in their God-given abilities.

If you want to view the digital banners of school cross-country and track and field accomplishments in our Hall of Honor, please access the link below. Our school, due to space limitations, does not have banners inside the school so we created digital ones.

Pope John Paul II Cross-Country And Track And Field Digital Banners

The Next Chapter of JPII Running: To Be Told. We are looking forward to the 2025 track and field and cross-country seasons.

Blessings,

Coach Weber 

Philippians 4:13

The JPII Girls were blessed to win their first state championship in their second year with a team. They were blessed to win four straight state championship titles and were one point away from securing a fifth straight title in 2024.

The boys were the best team in the 1B division in 2018, their first podium finish and second overall in the combined 1B/2B division. They have been blessed to reach the podium every year since 2018 at our state cross-country meet.