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Head Coach: Andrew Baird, at KENT since 2009
Assistant: Catherine You, at KENT since 2006
Assistant: Laura Herr, at KENT since 2005
Message from the Coach:
As the Kent Girls’ Cross Country coach, my primary goal is to aid each runner in her pursuit of excellence and success. In my opinion, the personal qualities important to success on the cross country course mirror the qualities of the successful person in all walks of life. Self-discipline, perseverance, and the insatiable desire to improve are vital components of the successful distance runner, and they are qualities I hope to nurture in those who choose to participate in the sport.
When one thinks of the sport of cross country, he or she may think of the loneliness of the long-distance runner, but cross country at Kent is most certainly not a solitary enterprise. The emphasis is on pack-running and teamwork, and the most successful teams from the past have been marked by runners who encourage and motivate their teammates. Regardless of ability or experience, every runner is an important part of the team who has a responsibility to herself and her teammates to push beyond her comfort zone in workouts and on race days. In stepping outside this comfort zone, runners learn that they can run faster and achieve at a higher level than they may have initially thought possible. Additionally, pushing beyond one’s preconceived boundaries leads to greater confidence in meeting challenges both on and off the cross country course.
Andrew Baird graduated from Brown University in 2002 and received his master’s in English Literature from Middlebury’s Bread Loaf School of English in 2009. He ran track and cross country for four years as a high school student in New Jersey, captaining the track team as a senior. Upon arriving at Brown, he walked on to the Brown Men’s Crew team and rowed for all four years of his undergraduate career. Still, cross country and track beckoned, and he returned to his first love as a coach in 2003. Ever since, he has had the pleasure of coaching running sports at the high school level.
