Sometimes the difference between winning and losing can be a minuscule two-hundredths of a second.
Sometimes the difference between winning and losing can be a minuscule two-hundredths of a second.
In fact, coaches try to leave as little as possible to chance. Obviously, there are often things that are out of an athlete’s control. But, helping athletes focus on the small things they can control can often make a big difference.
The astute coach helps athletes focus on these important details of sport performance by teaching their athletes the technical, tactical, physical and mental aspects of their sport.
NDCL Lions Head Track and Field Coach Ralph White, a former NCAA Div. I coach, explained that focusing on these important details helped the NDCL Boys Indoor Track and Field Team win their first State Championship March 7 at Spire Institute in Geneva, Ohio.
To win the State Championship, the Lions outscored the Glenville Tarblooders by 1.5 points, 52 to 50.5.
One reason that the Lions were able to outscore the Tarblooders was due to junior Rob Bonchak winning the individual State Championship in the 400 meter run.
Bonchak edged out his Tarblooders opponent by .02 seconds to finish first with a time of 48.88 seconds. It was Bonchak’s second straight 400 State Championship won by a photo finish as he previously claimed the 2024 outdoor title by beating his Tarblooders’ opponent by .02 seconds.
Bonchak’s first place finish earned the Lions 10 points, while the Tarblooders earned 8 points for finishing second.
Bonchak leaned over the finish line only an instant before his Tarblooders opponent crossed the line.
This is a perfect example of a small detail of a technical and tactical element of track and field that Coach White helps his athletes focus on.
“We had a little experience at it last year,” Coach White said.
White said that he and Bonchak talked about this important strategy of leaning at the finish in order to gain the advantage and finish the race. In addition, strategically, Coach White had Bonchak take the lead right away over his Tarblooders’ opponent.
The strategy of taking an early lead and leaning at the finish led to Bonchak winning the 400 meter by .02 seconds. This miniscule amount of time was ultimately the difference between finishing first or second in the state.
If Bonchak does not take an early lead and lean over the finish line to win by .02 seconds, the Tarblooders would have won the 400m, and they would have been state champs.
“We spend a lot of time on the mental aspect,” said Coach White.
Assistant coaches Jeff Mann, Peter Thomas and strength coach Devin Hernandez “have been instrumental in (the Lions) success this year,” White said.
“We practice all possible situations and help kids believe in themselves,” said Coach White. “Obviously when you believe you can do something it is much more likely to happen.”
Coach White said that with the support of NDCL athletic director, Jason Baxter, is another way that the coaching staff is able to help build confidence and belief in their athletes.
“So when you get to meets like the state meet, hey we’ve been to places like this before, maybe even tougher competition so we’re not as intimidated and nervous as a lot of teams are,” Coach White said.
With their excellent preparation, the Lions put everything together on March 7 and upset one of the top track and field teams in the state of Ohio to win the Indoor Track and Field State Championship.
To win the title, Coach White said that the Lions performed spectacularly setting three school records and nine personal records (personal records).
Top performances for the Lions included finishes on the podium by Bonchack (400m – 1st place), 4 x 200 Relay Team (2nd – Brennan Burke, Casey McInnerney, Daniel Noronha, Ryan Thomas), 4 x 400 (2nd – Bonchak, Sean Butler, Burke, and Noronha), 4 x 800 (4th – Peter Bates, Butler, Drew Downing, Nathan Zanko), McInnerney (60m – 5th; Triple Jump – 7th). Noronha (3rd – Triple Jump), and Ian Res (1600m – 4th, 3200 – 5th).
As we head into the Spring sports season, the Lions Indoor Track and Field State Championship is a great reminder of the importance of preparation both in sports and life.
And in the immortal words of ten time national championship UCLA Basketball Coach John Wooden: “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.”
