Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, October 21, 1993 TAG: 9310220264
SECTION: HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS PAGE: S-9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BY JOHN MONTGOMERY SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Cave Spring High School cross country coach has high performance standards, based upon a lifetime of affiliation with successful running programs.
In 1980, his first year at Cave Spring, LaRocco coached David Garlow, who individually won the Group AAA state championship in cross country.
"David still holds the school record in the two mile [9:22]," LaRocco says. "That's something when you consider all the fast kids that have come through here."
LaRocco's current boys' and girls' teams are upholding tradition. Both loped through their regular-season schedules with perfect records.
Heading into Wednesday's Roanoke Valley District meets (where both teams were heavy favorites to win), the boys were 11-0 and the girls were 5-0.
Pacing the respective teams are senior Jason Dowdy, who individually won the boys' division of the Metro Cross Country Championships on Oct. 9, and Claire Rotramel (fourth), Molly Rutherford (fifth) and Laura Henry (eighth), who combined to lead the girls to their Metro championship.
Dowdy entered Wednesday's meet as two-time defending district champion, and the girls' team was seeking its eighth consecutive district crown.
LaRocco is in the midst of his second stint of heading the Knights' program, and he is so absorbed in his work, he even speaks in cross country terms when discussing life.
"You don't win by walking," says LaRocco, who also has coached indoor and outdoor track teams in the past. "There are no short cuts to success. You've got to put the time in."
Once an outstanding middle-distance runner at Andrew Lewis High School (class of 1972) and Roanoke College (1976), LaRocco posted personal bests of 49 seconds in the quarter-mile, 1:54 in the half and 4:24 in the mile. His runners realize LaRocco knows what running is all about.
LaRocco traces his coaching influences to Homer Bast, the long-time Roanoke College track coach whom LaRocco had as a professor, and Larry Arrington, LaRocco's coach at Roanoke.
Bast shared his wisdom with LaRocco in class, often telling stories of his friendly rivalry with the Bridgewater College track coach, Harry Jobson.
"Dr. Jobson could motivate young people to do things they normally wouldn't do," LaRocco says, referring to the mental discipline necessary to train properly. "And he also said that good teams are like bananas; they come in bunches, so make the most of the bunch you've got."
Don't be surprised if Cave Spring runners start adorning their numbers with Chiquita labels.
"Homer Bast was a great coach - excellent," LaRocco says. In talking with LaRocco's team, it's clear team members have a similar admiration for their coach.
"And Arrington was meticulous in his workouts," LaRocco says. In turn, LaRocco is concerned with every detail of his runners' routines on and off the course. He's not just interested in distance and speed, but diet, stretching, cool-downs, general hygiene and proper rest.
LaRocco and his assistant coach Elaine Boyd take turns running with the team. When he's not running with his squad, LaRocco wheels his station wagon around the Hidden Valley Junior High School course, asking questions through his car window.
"Are you all right?" he asks one runner, and then upon receiving the desired response, moves his attention to the next. "What did you eat for lunch?"
"I don't need you getting any blisters, now," he tells another.
LaRocco pulls out a calendar with dates highlighted. "Any good coach plans his workouts around the key events," LaRocco says.
The Northwest Regionals will be October 28 at Rivanna Park in Albemarle County, and the Group AAA state meet is Nov. 6 at Virginia Tech. The top four (out of 20-plus) regional teams advance to the state, and LaRocco thinks Cave Spring can do it.
Clearly, much of the load will rest with Dowdy, Rotramel, Rutherford and Henry.
Henry, a senior, has a brother and sister who ran cross country for Cave Spring. "I'm following in their footsteps," she says.
Rotramel, a junior, started running in the Dominion Bank 5K distance run in junior high school. "Somebody told me I had a good time," she shrugs, "so I went out for the team."
Dowdy has collegiate cross country aspirations. "My top choice right now is Lynchburg College," he says.
LaRocco's teams average about 50 miles of training a week - varying the length and intensity of daily workouts. Team practice is not permitted on Sunday, but runners are encouraged to train on their own.
"We've been at this since Aug. 16," LaRocco says. "And it builds up camaraderie. We've become like family."
by CNB