Originally published: indeonline.com
Rachel Adkins’ first chance to be a head coach has turned out to be a good one.
The Massillon girls track coach has led the Tigers to several impressive showings at some big meets this year, including a third-place finish at the Stark County Championships and district meet at North Canton, as well as placing fourth at the regional meet in Austintown. Under Adkins’ tutelage, Massillon sent five female participants to last weekend’s OHSAA Track and Field State Championships.
Adkins, who spent the last several years as an assistant coach for the Lady Tigers focusing on sprints and relays, has eyed a chance to coach since her college days. The Washington High guidance counselor finally got that opportunity this year, taking over for former coach Mike Skelly. The result was a painless changing of the guard for the Massillon girls.
Here’s what Adkins had to say about her first season as a head coach, taking on some extra responsibility and preparing for the postseason.
Q: How did you like your first year as a head coach? Obviously, you’ve been with the program for a few years now, but how enjoyable was it to lead it for the first time?
A: “It was a smooth transition. There were some things that were put in place last year that I wanted to use this year and we also added some different techniques and new drills here and there. But, overall, it’s been a really smooth transition.”
Q: Has there been much trouble dealing with the added responsibilities you have as a head coach now?
A: “It was a little bit of an adjustment just because you’re in a different role and have a different perspective on things. You have to be a little more disciplined as far as that goes. But other than that, the girls were really good about the adjustment, so that’s been helpful, too.”
Q: It seems like it’s been a pretty fun year with the kind of finishes your team has been able to put up this spring.
A: “It’s been kind of a whirlwind. The season has gone by really fast. I have a lot of young girls that are really dedicated to improving and they’ve seen some of the success from these older girls. They want to continue to experience that.”
Reach Joe at 330-775-1129 or joe.mitchin@indeonline.com.
On Twitter: @jmitchinINDE
