You can tell someone is a good coach when they are successful at almost every school which they coach at. Most programs need continuity in coaching and take time to build. However, if you want an expedite transformation of your high school cross country program. Simply call on "Buz". Coach Buz Male has been successful at all his stops at Episcopal, Langley, University of Virginia, Miller School, and Albemarle. He was coaching Foot-Locker (Kinney) Nationals qualifiers in the 1980s. He was coaching NCAA cross country All-Americans at UVA in the 1990s.He was coaching a small private school boarding school to a state runner-up finish in the 2000s. And at Albemarle for the past four years, Buz has done some of his best work yet in coaching a national record breaking 4x800 meter relay as well as bringing an indoor state track team title to the school. The one title which has eluded himself since his 1987 Episcopal boys' squad is a cross country team title, which his 2011 Albemarle boys' squad is certainly in the hunt for the Group AAA title this fall as the #2 ranked team in the state of Virginia. Coach Male has not only impacted and influenced his cross country runners, but runners and coaches from other schools especially from his years as camp director of the Ragged Mountain Running Camp. One of his former assistants at Langley High School in Mike Mangan, has coached one of the state's most successful cross country programs over the past decade at Lake Braddock High School. If this were both a cross country and track coach list, Buz would certainly be near or at the top with his glaring coaching achievement of guiding a 4x800 meter relay to a Penn Relays Championships of America victory and high school national record breaking performance.
First, what his athletes (current or former) say about their coach...Anthony Kostelac (Albemarle '10): Buz was a tremendous coach, simply put. He really knows what it takes to take someone to the next level in running. He is also someone that admires you just for giving your all, and you don't necessarily need to be a standout runner. He has prepared me for things beyond just running and is also a guy who is a best friend to me and is someone I can talk to about anything, there's no boundaries with him and me. I owe all my successes throughout high school to him because he would be willing to sacrifice anything for my benefit. His impact on being my coach will always be with me as I move on in the running world and I cannot be more thankful to have had such a great coach and friend.
Adam Visokay (Albemarle '12): Buz is a guy who has coached for many years on both the highschool and college level, and he is the kind of person who will continue to do so until he is no longer able to. This is his 5th year coaching at AHS, and in those 5 years he has not only made the team faster, he has also helped create a very strong team chemistry. I can honestly say that I feel like everyone on the team this year, all 54 of us, have developed very strong brotherly connection. He has been able to bring us together not only as athletes, but young men, and he trains us to be the best person we can be.
Question #1 - First, please list your coaching credentials including # of team and individual champions at the state, region, and district level. Also any additional accomplishments such as personal awards and athletes who earned All-American honors or qualified for nationals.
International:
2009 IAAF World Indoor Jr. 4x800 Record 7:36.99 (Albemarle HS)
National:
1986-1996 Member of Penn Relays Seconday Schools Committee
2005 Harrier Cross Country Coach’s Hall of Fame
2009 Indoor Boys 4x800 National Champions and American Indoor Record 7:36.99 (Albemarle HS)
2009 Indoor Boys DMR National Champions 10:02.13 (Albemarle HS)
2009 Penn Relays Boys 4x800 Championship of America (Albemarle HS)
2009 Outdoor Boys 4x800 American National Record 7:30.67(Albemarle HS)
2010 Indoor National Champion Anthony Kostelac 1:50.96 (Albemarle HS)
2011 Indoor National Champion Freshman Mile Ryan Thomas 4:26.36 (Albemarle HS)
1986 Kinney (Footlocker) Cross Country National Qualifier Richard Beaver (Episcopal HS)
1988 Kinney (Footlocker) Cross Country National Qualifier Judy Stott (Langley HS))
1992 Indoor National Girls DMR Runner-Up (Langley HS)
1999 NCAA Cross Country ALL-AMERICAN Jennifer Owens (UVA)
1999 NCAA Cross Country ALL-AMERICAN Bobby Thiele (UVA)
State:
1986-1996 Organized Northern Virginia Coaches Association
1997-2005 Director Ragged Mountain Running Camp
1987 Virginia Private School Boys Cross Country Champions (Episcopal HS)
1992 Virginia AAA Girls Cross Country Runners Up (Langley HS)
1992-93 Virginia AAA Girls 4x800 State Champions (3 consecutive titles) Langley HS
1993 Walt Cormack AAA Coach of the Year (Langley HS)
2006 Virginia Private School Boys Cross Country Champions (Miller School)
2008-2009 Virginia AAA Boys 4x800 State Champions (3 consecutive titles) Albemarle HS
2009 Virginia AAA Boys Indoor Track State Champions (Albemarle)
2009 VHSL Indoor AAA Track Coach of the Year (Albemarle)
2009 Individual Indoor AAA State Champion 1000 meters Anthony Kostelac (Albemarle)
2010 Individual Indoor AAA State Champion 1600 meters Anthony Kostelac (Albemarle)
2010 Individual Indoor AAA State Champion 1000 meters Anthony Kostelac (Albemarle)
2011 Individual Outdoor AAA State Champion 3200 meters Adam Visokay (Albemarle
Question #2 - When did you first get started in coaching and why?In the summer of 1973 I returned to the US from Vietnam where I flew 212 combat missions in B-52s. I was an Air Force Captain with 6 years toward a 20 year service career, one son and a daughter soon to be born, and a huge life changing decision to be made. Ever since my senior year in high school I knew I wanted to be a coach like my father. So I accepted a teaching position at my alma mater Episcopal HS in Alexandria. I would find it to be the hardest year of my life but I later realized that it was this opportunity to coach young that would be my “life’s calling”.
I began coaching football and track which were the sports I had played in high school. I had been a “low” hurdler and always ran on the mile relay in high school and I soon began trying to develop relay teams (mile, 2 mile, and DMRs). I tried to convince my quarter-milers and half-milers to run cross country instead of play football so we could run “sub-8” (4x800). But they refused unless I went with them to cross country…so I did. The next year I was an assistant XC coach and it was one of the best coaching decisions I ever made.
Question #3 - Who do you consider as some of your top coaching influences as far as training and philosphy?
In the 1970’s Episcopal had 3 Track and Cross Country rivals. The oldest was Woodberry Forest and we had 2 Washington area rivals- Bishop O’Connell and St. Albans. The latter 2 teams would sweep us in the 800, 1600, and 3200 races. I had great respect for their coaches, Tom McNichol and Skip Grant, so I wrote both and asked them to help me be a better coach in the middle distance/distance events. Both Tom and Skip shared their knowledge with me and I am grateful to both of these great coaches and even greater men. I have so many great memories of our athlete’s fierce competitions but also their great sportsmanship and mutual respect. I was extremely lucky to have met these two men when I was a young coach and grateful that so many of my own athletes also were able to benefit from what I learned.
In the 1990’s I was on a trip out West to visit our son and my VW van broke down in Provo, Utah. After checking into Motel 6, I unpacked my Harrier Magazine because I knew there was a high school in Provo that was ranked #1 or #2 in Mark Bloom’s National Poll. The team in Provo was Mt. View and the coach’s name was listed in the poll. I got on the phone and said I was a XC coach from VA and was stuck in Provo. He said I’ll be right down…you can stay with us. That was David Houle and we talked about distance kids and training the next 3 days. What an awesome fraternity we belong to!
Later in my career I became great friends with Matt Murray who coached at WT Woodson, and Centreville. We both loved cross country and middle distance (especially 4x800 relays). There was a time that we “talked track” at least briefly every night. I still am fortunate to have a great friendship with Pearl Watts, whom I consider one of the most knowledgeable “track nuts” I know. We often talk on weekends and if my cell phone ID reads “Pearl”, I know I am in for an enjoyable hour of great stories and astute observations.
Question #4 - What was your favorite or most enjoyable team to coach and why?
As a year round track/XC coach for 37 years I would say just about every one of those 111 teams has left some very positive memories and I hesitate to single out any of them. However, I will mention 6 that have been pretty unbelievable: (1) The 1986 Episcopal Boys Cross Country team led by Richard Beaver (Footlocker Finalist) who finally defeated St. Albans and also won a Va. Private School State Championship, (2) The 1992 Langley Girls Cross Country team who were runners-up to a great Robinson squad in the AAA State Championship.(3). The 1992 Langley Girls 4x800 ( Margie Stanmyer, Steph Jones, Lisa Summers, Astrid Gotthardt) who won 3 consecutive AAA State Championships, (4) The 2005 Miller Boys Cross Country team who won the Private School State Championship on a 6th man tie-breaker, only to have the scoring changed 3 weeks later, (5) The 2009 Albemarle Boys Indoor Track and Field Team who won the first ever Indoor State Championship at AHS, (6) The 2009 Albemarle Boys 4x800 team (Zach Vrhovac , Garrett Bradley, Luke Noble, and Anthony Kostelac). This foursome won 3 consecutive AAA State Championships, two Indoor National Championships, and the Penn Relays Championship. Along the way they set the American Indoor and Outdoor National records, the World IAAF Indoor Junior Record and currently have the 3rd fastest American time ever at 7:30.67. Lastly, a work in progress, the 2011 Albemarle Boys Cross Country team that currently has me as excited as any team I can remember.
Question #5 -What do you think has made the teams which you have coached successful?
Every school at which I have been fortunate enough to coach has been a truly quality school with exceptional kids from families who have been very achievement oriented, both in the classroom and on the athletic field. Both Langley and Albemarle have had incredible parent support groups have which made coaching at those schools an especially rewarding experience.
I have also been fortunate to have had so many young energetic assistant coaches that were interested in helping me create a truly family atmosphere. Mike Mangan helped me for 10 years at Langley and our current assistant, Alec Lorenzoni, has been a huge part of all of the success we have had at Albemarle the past 4 years.
Question #6 -What would you consider a turning point in your program to take it to the level which you maintain today?The decision I made in 1976 to voluntarily step down from the Defensive Co-ordinator of Episcopal’s Varsity football team and become an assistant Cross country coach for a rag tag JV team that had experienced no success was the best coaching decision of my life and its turning point.
Question #7 -What would you say has been your biggest mistake as a coach and what did you learn from that?
In May of 1997 I was the Athletic Director at Miller School. I had built my retirement home in Crozet and was trying to “retire” from coaching. The problem was-- I missed the excitement of working with athletes who truly wanted to excel.
Life has a way of presenting choices when you least expect them. That May, Fred Binggeli decided to retire as UVA’s Track and Cross Country coach. My dad coached at UVA for 30 years and of course it had been my private goal in life to coach there also. Because at age 51, I was sure I would never get that chance. “Be careful what you wish for because you just might get it”. I resigned from Miller before the UVA had even made their decision. Because the decision was made late in the summer and I was in the right place at the right time, I was able to become the Cross Country coach at my other alma mater, UVA.
For the first month I changed my approach to coaching because now I was a college coach. My philosophy changed, my manner changed. I was coaching like I thought a college coach should, but not the way I always had. I didn’t trust my gut instincts which had helped me be successful for the past 25 years. I was no longer being Buz Male.
One day at practice some of the senior members of the women’s team whined and complained about their workout like they had been doing for the past month and the old Buz re-surfaced. And it was not pretty! It finally hit me that I had stopped being myself. I was coaching without believing in myself for the first time in 25 years. What I had been doing all my life was still going to work, but only if I was being my genuine, sincere, and former confident self. From that day forward coaching became fun again, but never as meaningful as it had been in high school.
I gradually became aware that I had made another mistake in my thinking: that coaching in college would be the ultimate experience. I realized I missed meeting the 14 year old freshman in high school who knew nothing about running and racing and to introduce him to this incredible sport. I missed watching immature, “invincible” freshman boys grow into more quietly confident young men. I missed meeting young freshman girls who lacked confidence in themselves and helping them grow into confident competitive young women athletes. I had temporarily forgotten that being a high school coach is probably the greatest calling any man or woman can have.
Question #8 - What would you consider as your happiest or proudest moment as a coach? If unable to single out a single moment, mention a few which standout.
Early in my career I watched the TC Williams Titans (coached by AK Johnson) win the Championship of America 4x100 at Penn. To do that, they had to beat the Jamaicans and after their victory they grabbed an American flag for the traditional victory lap. As they slowly jogged the track, the huge crowd (at least the Americans) chanted, “USA…USA”. At that moment I knew I couldn’t retire before coaching a team who would experience that achievement- winning the “Big One” at Penn!
In 2009, about 25 years later, four Albemarle Patriots ran 7:30.67 , winning the Penn Relays Championship of America, beating a GREAT American team (Morris Hills), setting a Penn and American Outdoor Record, and giving this old coach the thrill of a lifetime. The year before when these same 4 boys (Zach Vrhovac , Garrett Bradley, Luke Noble, and Anthony Kostelac) ran 7:51 at Penn, I told them they could win at Penn and when they did I would give them each an American flag for their victory lap and they would have the moment of a lifetime. For the boys as well as Lance Weisend, Alex Lorenzoni, and myself…we lived that special moment.
Question # 9 - If you could simplify your training program and philosophy into 5 points of emphasis, what would they be?
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- Try to establish a relationship with every athlete on your team. Try to speak individually to each one every day and discover how they are best motivated. Always remember you are training individuals and coaching a team. Set goals early and adjust them periodically.
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- Set up a training program simple enough for the athletes themselves to see their own progress. Have a basic workout that combines physiological as well mental attributes and is well placed in the training cycle.
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- Insist on honest feedback from all athletes and use this to adjust future training. I require my guys to email me over the weekend, after a meet but before Monday’s practice. Make sure they are playing an important role in managing their own health and learning to be accountable.
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- Remind athletes that there is more to “running than just running”. Don’t just focus on workout and race stats…..but everything else that is just as critical to performance such as: sleep, nutrition, flexibility, faith and family, success and enjoyment in school, balance in life, stress reduction, and sometimes “less is more”.
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- You don’t need to run fast until the leaves change color !
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Question #10 - Describe a quality workout which could be described as a "bread and butter" and staple workout which the program has used over the years.
- Active Stretch (10 minutes)
- 15 minute stair-step warm-up (5 very easy, 5 easy,5 moderate )
- Stretch (5 min)
- 1-1-1 prior to first repeat. (3 min.)
- 4x1200 progressively faster on the most important part of your course course with 1:1 ratio recovery. (30-32 min).
- 15 minute cool down
- Core work/Pedestal (20 min)
- Static Stretch (10)
Approx 1 hr. 30 minutes.
Question #11 - What do you consider as some of the greatest challenges that you face as a coach in trying to maintain a successful program year in and year out?
If you want to have a great program, and not just a good team, you need to approach every new season with the same energy and find at least 10 freshman boys and girls to get excited about who will want to eventually fill the shoes of your current Seniors. “Tradition Never Graduates”.
Question #12 - What do you consider is the most important part of the development of a high school runner in reaching their potential?
Teaching Patience and the importance of “delayed gratification”. Especially for boys. It takes time to become a great distance runner. This is a concept counter-intuitive to the way kids have learned to expect results in today’s society and will become more so as our modern technology grows at warp speed.
Besides patience is the importance of keeping athletes healthy (especially newbies) as they first get involved in the sport. If athletes stay healthy they can benefit from consistent moderate training, continue to improve and be able to set new goals and not miss long periods of racing experience.
Question #13 - How regularly are you able to keep in touch with your alumni? How important is maintaining a relationship with your former runners?
I enjoy keeping up with former athletes and have made it a point to attend their weddings whenever invited. Facebook has made keeping up much easier and it is the main reason I use it. I have accumulated over 1,000 “friends” and the vast majority are the awesome “kids” I knew when they were 14 to 18 and are now in their 30’s,40’s and even 50’s.
Question #14 - What would you want to be your lasting legacy or remembered for as a coach when you are done?
Great question.
I hope that if I am remembered it will be as a positive contributor to the development of young people as they grew thru the sometimes awkward years of teenage life; that when I gave a hug or a handshake my athletes knew it was sincere and it was a result of their positive achievements and not my just trying them to make them feel good; that no matter what had happened in the lives of the kids, or their parents, or my own life that they would remember how we turned even those events which were negative in nature into a positive life learning experiences.
I hope everyone who was a camper and counselor at Ragged Mountain Running Camp will remember those awesome times together. I hope I will be remembered as one who has given back to our sport.
Question #15 - Why do you coach?
Because I love the kids, love the sport and love the excitement it brings, it’s the one part of my life that has always kept me young and looking forward to the next day. I feel like one of the luckiest people in the world.
