Stan Morgan had just started to coach cross country at Midlothian High School when the Lake Braddock girls were wrapping up their four year streak of Group AAA state team championships. Fast forward 20 years later and Coach Morgan is still at Midlothian and during that time has built a program to a similar statewide and nationally recognized stature of Lake Braddock as shown with the Lady Trojans recently matching the feat of four consecutive state cross country titles last weekend at Great Meadow. With only one senior graduating from their top 7, his team has a strong chance of becoming the first AAA school to win five straight state titles.
The former football player and quarter miler on the track has become arguably one of the most successful high school cross country coaches ever from the state of Virginia. Most of Morgan's coaching success has came after the age of 60, but he has no plans of slowing down anytime soon. MileStat.com's Brandon Miles interviewed Coach Morgan following another state championship by the Midlothian girls.
All photos by Linda D'Amato
MileStat.com: Congratulations on winning your fourth state championship and joining Lake Braddock as the only girls team in AAA history to win a fourth straight state cross country team title. You were coaching at Midlothian when the Lake Braddock dynasty of state titles occurred from 1985 to 1988. Thinking of the success of the Lake Braddock program during that time and now realizing you have a program considered in the same class of those Lake Braddock teams, what does that mean to you with all your years of coaching, hard work, and sacrifice?
Coach Morgan: I was coaching football, indoor and outdoor track until 1988; that’s when I took over the cross country program at Midlothian. Bob Wilkins was the coach before I took the program and I fell in love with the sport after the first year. Lake Braddock has always been one of the best programs in the state and still is. I envisioned trying to build a program of that caliber here at Midlothian, but I knew it would take a very serious commitment from myself and the athletes. I feel so good about what these girls have done, to put themselves on the same level as the Braddock girls of the late 80’s.
MileStat.com: Often top runners are susceptible of growing egos and becoming very individualistic, but senior Paige Johnston seems to be the ultimate team player and have a very humble personality. How important is to a team's success to have someone of Paige's talent, yet be so involved and concerned about her teammates and team over her own interests? How much are you going to miss her and her contributions to the team next year?
Coach Morgan: Paige Johnston is one unbelievable individual and an outstanding student/athlete. She’s a very humble person, who puts the teams best interest before her own. Paige is the type of person who will run whatever I ask of her, if it will help the team. I will miss Paige tremendously next year as an athlete and individual who can do it all; plus as a leader and mentor for the younger girls.
MileStat.com: The Central Region was well represented with the Midlothian girls as state champions and Maggie Walker girls as state runners-up. The Midlothian team seemed to very excited about Maggie Walker's finish. I know Coach Holdren and his teams are annually tough competition in the region for Midlothian, but it seems there is a friendly rivalry and great respect among the two teams and coaches. Both you and Coach Holdren are two of the most accomplished coaches in the program. How have you viewed Coach Holdren and his teams over the years?
Coach Morgan: Coach Holdren is someone who I respect so much as a fellow coach and have always wanted to be at his level since I started coaching cross country back in 1988. He and I talk about different training methods and our girls teams are very close. They come to Blue Ridge Running Camp and stay with our girls, plus do some things together during the season. I found out that they were second before the announcements and was excited to find Coach Holdren to tell him of there 2nd place finish. When you have teams or individuals from the same region that make the podium; I think we all share their excitement and joy. The Maggie Walker Teams are always tough and you know that Coach Holdren will have them ready to run at seasons end. I think the athletes and coaches each respect the others programs with the highest regard.
MileStat.com: The boys team's streak of state meet appearances was snapped this year. How tough was it not have a boys team at the state meet in over a decade and how confident are you about next year's group of guys to start a new streak?
Coach Morgan: It was tough not having a boys team at the state meet representing Midlothian this year. I feel next year with Darren Barlow back and some young athletes (Kyle Dow, Troy Jackson), plus Brayden Burleigh and in coming freshman Sean Willard. I think if we work hard over the summer we will have a good shot at making it back to Great Meadow with the group I have returning.
MileStat.com: How much did last year mean to you as a coach in qualifying three individuals to Foot Locker Nationals? Midlothian had established itself as one of the state's best teams in the past decade, but you never had an individual qualify for Foot Locker Nationals. Especially when seeing some of your coaching peers and friends have individuals qualify for Foot Locker, how relieving was it to not only send your first, but three in the same year?
Coach Morgan: It was unbelievable to have three athletes qualify for Foot Locker Nationals all in the same year, when over the past 15 years or so we’ve had athletes that we were hoping had a chance to make it to San Diego. To qualify for the trip to San Diego is such an honor for a high school distance runner; to put yourself in that group of elite athletes representing your Region of the country. It was such a high for me to have our girls and boys programs represented at this very special meet where only the top runners in the country make an appearance.
MileStat.com: What do you think has been the keys to the Midlothian's success as a program over the past decade?
Coach Morgan: I think the biggest key to our success is, once we tasted some success in making it to the podium. The boys and girls teams started to realize, that a true commitment to the sport did pay dividends.
Most of the athletes realize if they do the work during the summer; take care of the little things and listen to their coach, we have a chance to be competitive. We are fortunate to have some good training groups and the athletes that work very hard. New athletes coming into the program see what hard work and a real commitment to the sport can produce.
MileStat.com: How important do you think establishing a tradition is to the success of a program?
Coach Morgan: The tradition here at Midlothian is to focus each and every year on winning districts, qualifying from the regional meet on to the State Meet. Our goal every year is to make it to the State Meet at Great Meadows as a team. There is only one meet that counts during Cross Country season and that’s the State Meet.
MileStat.com: How have you grown as a coach since you first started and even 10 years ago when the Midlothian boys started making regular appearances on the state meet podium?
Coach Morgan: I think I have developed as a coach through trial and error in some things that I did at the beginning of my cross country coaching career. As I became more familiar with the sport and really understood what needed to be done, I became a better coach. I talked with many college coaches, high school coaches and attended many clinics to gain as much knowledge as possible to bring our program to a level of excellence. There are so many excellent coaches out there in the state of Virginia and I would like to be a part of that group. I still pick other coaches brains (high school/college) for ideas on training and still go to clinics. You are never that old or seasoned to think you know it all.
MileStat.com: What would you consider your main training philosophies as a coach?
Coach Morgan: My main training philosophy is that we get in our base mileage during the summer months, so we are able to train the way we need to in September and October. Tempos and fartleks are a big part of what we do during the summer, as we build our base. I have some special things that I’ve done over the years, that I feel has helped us to be successful. The most important factor being you MUST run during the summer, if you want any chance of being successful in November.
MileStat.com: What advice would you give to any young coaches or coaches aspiring to build a program similar to yours?
Coach Morgan: I feel we have a lot of young coaches in Virginia who are already showing that they are going to be outstanding coaches. You have to be patient and develop your program in a manner that your athletes will feel good about themselves. This is a tough sport and takes a special individual to put the time commitment and the hard work to be a good distance runner. Be positive with your athletes and make them believe in themselves and their ability. Take them to Invitationals where the young ones can run in JV or Freshman events. As a young coach coming into the sport don’t be timid about asking veteran coaches for help or assistants in getting started.
MileStat.com: How important do you think teaching life lessons and values to your athletes is to the success of your teams?
Coach Morgan: I think life’s lessons are learned everyday in this sport; being disciplined, committed and working hard to accomplish the goals that you’ve set for yourself. These are things that will help your team and also prepare your athletes for life’s long journey.
MileStat.com: Do you ever seriously consider retirement as a coach? Is it tough each time you consider it when a new group of kids come in that you grow fond of and want to work with them through their senior years?
Coach Morgan: Retirement is something that’s never crossed my mind; I want to coach as long as I’m able to continue doing what I love the most. (cross country)
MileStat.com: What are the team's post-season plans? Will the team be competing at the Nike Cross Nationals Southeast Regionals or as individuals at Foot Locker South?
Coach Morgan: The girls team will travel to Cary for the NXN regionals and a few boys and other girls are going to Foot Locker South.
Stan Morgan had just started to coach cross country at Midlothian High School when the Lake Braddock girls were wrapping up their four year streak of Group AAA state team championships. Fast forward 20 years later and Coach Morgan is still at Midlothian and during that time has built a program to a similar statewide and nationally recognized stature of Lake Braddock as shown with the Lady Trojans recently matching the feat of four consecutive state cross country titles last weekend at Great Meadow. With only one senior graduating from their top 7, his team has a strong chance of becoming the first AAA school to win five straight state titles.
The former football player and quarter miler on the track has become arguably one of the most successful high school cross country coaches ever from the state of Virginia. Most of Morgan's coaching success has came after the age of 60, but he has no plans of slowing down anytime soon. MileStat.com's Brandon Miles interviewed Coach Morgan following another state championship by the Midlothian girls.