After assisting the FFHS track team for the last two years, Dan Craig will now have the opportunity to run the team as the new head coach of track and field.

Craig coaches cross country at Freeland High School in Michigan during the fall. After the season is over, he returns to the Outer Banks for the winter and spring to coach track and field. Having coached track and field for many years, Craig has plenty of experience to offer FFHS students.

“In college, I really thought about what I wanted to do with my life,” Craig said. “I realized that I loved athletics. So I got my major in Physical Education at Michigan State, and then got a job at Freeland High School in 1961 to be the coach for the cross country team. I have been (at Freeland) ever since.”

As a young coach, Craig was mainly concerned with winning meets. As he gained experience, however, his mindset completely changed.

“About 30 years ago, the state of Michigan released a survey to Michigan athletes, asking the reason why they played sports,” Craig said. “The number one reason athletes played their sport(s) was to have fun. To win was ranked as the seventh reason athletes played sports. This changed my outlook on how I coached.”

Craig hopes to bring this philosophy to FFHS, so that he is on the same page as the athletes.

“If athletes are mainly concerned in having fun, then I need to have the same viewpoint as them,” Craig said.

Another facet of Craig’s philosophy is recognizing the importance of the athlete. Craig stresses the importance of having the athlete enjoy what he wants them to do.

“I want to structure your track season (so that it is) about what you want to do,” Craig said. “I’ll give you the program to get better, however, it’s your responsibility to get better as a runner.”

Craig has one concern as he heads into his first season at the helm and that is the limited number of students participating on the track and field team in recent years. To recruit this year’s team, Craig has been at the school three days already, talking to students during lunches and Empower Time. Anyone interested in joining the track team for 2015 should see Craig in the rotunda during lunch or Empower Time Friday, Feb. 13, to learn more about the team and to pick up the necessary paperwork.

“There are so many athletes in this school that could help us as a team but they just don’t want to do it,” Craig said. “We need more bodies on the team. We have 34 events to fill.”

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