Keith Olsen, counselor and cross country coach at Central High School in Paddock Lake, was the guest speaker for the Jan. 16 meeting of the Westosha-Salem Kiwanis Club at Bristol Oaks Country Club in Bristol.
Olsen, nominated last year by a runner he coached in early 1990s for one of the 35 top most inspirational coaches in the US, addressed a variety of topics, including his coaching techniques, leadership and today’s teens. He is a graduate of Central High School and currently is the head of the guidance department. He has been a coach at Central for 29 years. He has twice had both the boys and girls cross country teams qualify for state in the same year.
Following are a few quotes from Olsen’s remarks.
On how to be successful in distance running, he said:
“Catch the person in front of you, and don’t get passed by the person behind you.”
On motivating teens to achieve:
“If you tap into the right energy with teen aged kids and they will do anything for you … If they buy into it, they will really work hard.”
On teens today:
“We have a lot of terrific kids out there I see kids do amazing things.”
What he tells students he counsels about their parents:
“While it’s not easy to be a teenager, it not easy to be a parent of a teenager.”
On coaching:
“I don’t think winning is my be all end all, but trying is my end all, be all.”
Thanks so much for coming and being a part of the evening. Keith did a masterful presentation. Great evening for all.
Tom