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| | True cross country fans know our sport is more of a team event than most outsiders realize, yet there are plenty of individual standouts as well. So, while honoring the tradition we have started at DyeStat with Interval Sessions, which introduced you to the top individuals in both track and XC, we launch Fall 2009 with "Star Squad Spotlight," giving you a chance to get to know not just the top individual runners in the country, but also the best teams.
| | | squad | magnificat oh girls
10.08.09
by Dave Devine, DyeStat Senior Editor
 The banner atop the website for Magnificat High School, a private all-girls Catholic school near Cleveland, Ohio, promises women of faith who serve, lead and succeed. While there is surely ample evidence of those first two qualities on display at the campus in Rocky River OH, there is absolutely no doubt that the girls from Magnificat have been leading and succeeding on cross country courses all over the Midwest in the last few years. Under the tutelage of Coach Anjanette Arabian Whitman, the Blue Streaks tore through an undefeated season in Ohio last year, finishing 2nd at the NXN Midwest Regional to earn the school's first trip to NXN Finals. Over the whoop-de-doos and hay bales of Portland Meadows the team came home a respectable 16th, but here's the catch-- the entire team was coming back for 2009. Now, a year older and with the experience of a long post-season run behind them, the ladies of Magnificat are ranked #1 in the Midwest and #5 in the latest DyeStat Elite ESPN RISE FAB 50. With a string of impressive wins at the Avon Lake Early Bird Invite, the Tiffin XC Carnival, and the Midwest Meet of Champions, the Blue Streaks are poised for another big push toward the State Meet and beyond.
At a recent practice in a nearby park, the team gathered around Coach Arabian Whitman's laptop while they stretched after their run and answered a few questions DyeStat Senior editor Dave Devine sent their way. Like almost everything they do, it was a close-knit, collective effort.
Note from Coach Anjanette Arabian Whitman: The athlete questions were answered by 5 of our top 7 runners including: Madeline Chambers (Sr.), Abby Fischer (Sr.), Clare Fischer (Sr.), Abbie Marquard (Soph.) and Erin Riley (Sr.). It was too difficult to keep up with who was answering which question. Abbie Marquard was reading the questions while they all were answering them and finishing each other’s sentences. That is a true depiction of this team, it’s not about one person, it’s about all of them bringing the best out in each other together. Here’s the best I could do trying to type as fast as they were talking...kind of like our runs...
 Coach, you had such a successful year last year, but given the composition of the team, you had to be thinking that this year had the potential for even greater accomplishments. Can you briefly recap some of the major achievements last year, from your perspective, and talk a bit about your thoughts as the 2008-09 year drew to a close and you began to look ahead to 2009-10? Were there changes you wanted to implement or new approaches to training you wanted to take in order to make that next step to the national elite, or was it more a case of, Why mess with what's already working?
Coach Anjanette Arabian Whitman (center, photo at right): The 2008 Cross Country season was amazing. The ladies worked hard for an undefeated season in Ohio from their first regular season meet to the Division I State meet. Along the way they achieved a spectacular goal of earning a perfect score of 15 at the All Ohio Catholic meet. At the Midwest Meet of Champions we had 4 girls run under 18:46 with our 5th at 19:05. The 2nd place finish at the NXN Midwest meet is what meant the most to the team because it sent us to Oregon for the NXN National meet.
Ever since the freshmen year of our current seniors, we as coaches knew this was a special and talented group of ladies. Every year our ultimate goal has been to keep the girls happy and healthy. As a result, they have had every opportunity to achieve a higher set of goals each year and have done so. At the end of the 2008 CC season, we knew that the girls had all the tools to set even higher goals in 2009. If they want something, they find a way together to achieve it. We as coaches simply guide them along the way. Simply put, we are very excited for what 2009 holds.
As a coaching staff we sit down in July and plan out every day of the upcoming season from start to finish. We keep our overall training scheme similar from year-to-year. However, we always look back to see what works and what does not. We make sure that every piece of their training has a specific purpose, not just because it is something we have always done. I am a USATF Level 2 certified coach in the categories of endurance, sprints, hurdles, relays and jumps. I also attended a joint USATF and US Olympic Committee Elite Coaches Training Camp this past summer. I enjoy learning science-based training theory and putting it to practical use. I share the knowledge I have gained from these coaching camps with my coaching staff. Together we decide what will compliment the training that the team is already used to, and what might be new and beneficial for them to adopt.
 Your team had the opportunity to travel and compete in the 2008 NXN Finals (left, Kat Stultz at NXN). What was the impact of a trip like that on your team? What did you take away? What were the pluses and minuses of the trip, and how did it impact their perception of what was possible in 2009?
Coach Arabian Whitman: The trip was an experience of a lifetime! The ladies were exposed to opportunities they did not know existed. They won a State meet and for most high school teams, that is the ultimate goal. However, as a result of competing at the national level, the ladies realized that more exists to seek beyond a State meet title. Additionally, they had the opportunity to meet and interact with athletes from around the country. They were able to engage with athletes who bring a little something different to the sport they all have in common.
The only minus of the trip was realizing that flying home from Oregon meant that the dream season was over. However, they will have memories to last a lifetime.
Magnificat runners: It was great to see how our hard work paid off. We were able to see a whole other scene of running, especially with teams from across the country. It made us want to go back. It was great to see what other teams were doing across the country. It helped us set higher goals and push our selves harder.
The pluses were...
Abbie Marquard: It was free!
Madeline Chambers: Getting to meet so many interesting people like the Nike CEO.
Erin Riley: Running at the track in the middle of the woods.
Abby Fischer: Getting credentials.
Clare Fischer: Meeting Olympic runners.
The minuses were...
All: There were no minuses!
Your team is currently ranked #1 in the Midwest and #5 in the nation by DyeStat. Is that something you all pay much attention to, or do you tend to focus on week-to-week achievements and let the rankings fall where they may?
All: Week to week.
Clare Fischer: We don’t consider ourselves to be different. We are just normal kids.
Coach, I know Magnificat is a private, all-girls Catholic high school. What's it like coaching in that environment? Is cross country and track a big deal there? Are students aware of and supportive of your team's accomplishments? If you could identify one thing you really enjoy about coaching at Magnificat, what would it be?
Coach Arabian Whitman: I have coached in both an all-boys and all-girls school. Furthermore, I went to a coed public school. I have experienced each scenario and can easily compare and contrast each. Coaching in a single-gender environment is much simpler. Boys and girls require different coaching methods in some, but not all ways. Having both genders together forces a coach to switch coaching methods rapidly and often. It certainly is done every day across the country, and done well. However, eliminating that need to continuously switch methods allows more time to be spent accomplishing other tasks as a coach and being able to pay attention to other details.
 Yes, cross country and track are a big deal. I was fortunate enough to inherit a program with a strong tradition of success. The year I came on board, I was the assistant to the head track coach who had been with the program for over a decade and led both the cross country and track teams to State titles. I feel a sense of responsibility to uphold the strong tradition of success that were established by he and the athletes that made it all happen.
The students at Magnificat are very involved and dedicated to their school. There is a true sense of community. They have friends, sisters and cousins who are involved in other activities and sports. They take an interest in how other teams and individuals are doing. When a team qualifies for a State competition, the entire team runs through the halls of the school prior to boarding the bus – the rest of the students are alongside the walls of the halls cheering for the girls and giving them high-fives. It is quite energizing!
The support from the parents and the athletic department is incredible. The parents attend the meets no matter how far away we travel. Some even travel to see us when their own daughter is not competing that weekend. The best testament to the parental support is when parents who have a daughter who has since graduated travel over an hour to come watch us compete – now, that is support beyond belief! The athletic department is the best that I have ever experienced either as an athlete or coach. It is amazingly well-organized by the two-person staff: the athletic director and her assistant. They are prompt to address our needs and fantastic about communicating with us. They make our lives easier as coaches so we can do what we love to do – coach!
What have been some of the highlights of the season so far? How do you feel the team is looking, compared to your hopes for the season, and what things will you be looking to improve upon or tighten up as you head toward the post-season?
Erin Riley: Traveling together. Especially to Dayton (our All Catholic meet to which all 3 coaches and 35 athletes travel 3 hours away and spend the night).
Abby Fischer: Watching the new girls run well and the returnees improve. Pack attacks! (racing and doing better together)
Clare Fischer: We are doing pretty well. What we need to improve . . . we need more recovery rest.
Madeline Chambers: We are where we want to be from week to week. We need more sleep!
 What does a typical training week look like for the girls of Magnificat?
Sunday: long run
Monday: 7am lifting (no big deal); afternoon: no run
Tuesday: hard workout
Wednesday: 7am lifting; afternoon: average run at intense pace with accelerations
Thursday: Who knows? It could be anything: flys, hills at Linden or Westlake or where ever plus ice baths
Friday: easy pre-race run day
Can you identify a particular workout or distance run you complete which serves as a fitness check or a good indicator that the team is ready to roll?
All: Tuesday interval workouts plus recovery runs on Wednesdays.
What are some of the coaching principals or training tenets which serve as cornerstones of the Magnificat program?
Coach Arabian Whitman: We are huge proponents of commitment and responsibility. The ladies know that when they make the team they do so only because they have made a commitment to their training, but it doesn’t end there. They then have a responsibility to continue that commitment not only for themselves but for their team throughout the season. These are ladies who feed off each other’s successes. They are not in this sport for themselves. They want to have group success. Even when one athlete has a single great achievement, it is still about how the team did overall that takes the highest priority.
Coach, it seems like you must be a busy woman. I read where you are an attorney, an entrepreneur with your own catering business and a city councilwoman up for re-election. And of course a coach and a runner. How do you balance these various responsibilities? Are there ways you attempt to model for your girls the important life skills of time management, balance, and healthy lifestyle in the midst of multiple commitments?
Coach Arabian Whitman: Each day starts with a very comprehensive task list to accomplish what is needed to address the many aspects of my life. My primary career is as an attorney which is the result of a long educational career, I recently began marketing the chocolate chip cookies that I make on a regular basis usually as incentives for the athletes, I am seeking a second term as a councilwoman in the city in which I was born and raised to fulfill my desire to give back to my community, coaching is my passion and being a runner is just who I am.
I balance each of these by looking ahead and planning my day in the most efficient way possible. I multitask with almost everything I do. For instance, while I am in court I have my laptop with me so I can work on this week’s interval workout or respond to emails while I wait for my next case to be called. I don’t like to have any wasted time in my day. I am fortunate to have my four best friends as my assistant coaches. They look out for me and help make my coaching life simpler as we manage anywhere from 30-70 girls at any given time. My husband Keith, who is my bestest friend of all, is our sprint coach; Kathy is one of the assistant cross country coaches and was the matron of honor in my wedding; Andrew is our hurdle and jumps coach who I run with regularly which allows us to talk as friends in between discussing the previous day’s practice; and Harpo is the other assistant cross country coach who also is the mother of four Magnificat runners past and present (presently, Madeline Chambers) and provides the strong, motherly outlook on life that every team should have – by the way, she could make our JV team which is no small task!
 I try to teach by example and help the ladies to make responsible life choices. I am up-front with them and their parents about the expectations we have for each athlete that in turn affects the team as a whole. We do not expect the athletes to do things they cannot handle or things that we could not handle ourselves. The mantra I preach to the ladies is, “When given a choice in life – TAKE BOTH!” Of course, they need to make sure that both choices they are making are good ones and ones they can handle without making an undue sacrifice in another aspect of their life. The point is that if you want to accomplish something in your life, don’t restrict yourself to only one accomplishment. Find a way to accomplish several things fully because in the end you will benefit along with the others who surround you.
Can you talk about the fun side of running for the Blue Streaks? What are bus trips like? What do you do to build team unity and cohesion? Are there any traditions or pre-race rituals you hold to as a team?
All: Team dinners, bus rides to and from meets, singing on the bus, Olive Garden dinners when we travel, dressing up before the All Catholic meet, taking ice baths
Pre-race ritual: praying
Photos (from top): Coaches courtesy Anjanette Arabian Whitman; Kat Stultz at 2008 NXN Finals by Robert Rosenberg; Fischer twins by Theresa Kearns-Fischer; 2008 NXN Finals by Robert Rosenberg; Team Prayer courtesy Anjanette Arabian Whitman | |
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