Thursday, September 20, 2001

Top choice for coaching vacancy to visit campus
Koonts to attend cross country meet Saturday
By Brandon Ortiz
Sports Editor

The favorite to fill the men’s and women’s cross country team’s coaching vacancy will be at the Baylor Invitational in Waco Saturday to meet athletes and staff, head track and field coach Monte Stratton said.

The vacancy was created when former coach Dan Waters departed Friday to become the head cross country coach at Georgia.

Special to the skiff Former assitant track coach Dan Waters, who oversaw the men’s and women’s cross country teams, left to take a similar position at Georgia. The top candidate to succeed Waters, Sam Houston State graduate assistant Derek Koonts, will visit the team this weekend to meet athletes and coaches. A final agreement has not been made between Koonts and TCU.

A final agreement has not been reached, but Derek Koonts, a Sam Houston State graduate assistant, is the top choice for the job. He could become the new cross country coach as early as Monday, Stratton said. Stratton has picked up coaching duties since Waters’ departure.

Koonts would replace the reigning Western Athletic Conference Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year. Koonts could not be reached for comment.

Waters said he left because the TCU men’s track and field team’s emphasis on recruiting sprinters over distance runners made it difficult for him to compete in cross country.

“I was doing a lot of recruiting for sprinters; it was a little frustrating,” Waters said.

There was no real place for walk-ons. It was just a difference of philosophy in the program. TCU is dominated by sprinters. Florida is known for football, Kansas is known for basketball and TCU is known as a sprinter school. That is the way it should be.”

“People ask me what I would have done if I was head coach (at TCU). I can’t answer that. It’s like asking Bill Parcells to coach the (New York) Yankees.”

If Koonts agrees to come to TCU, it would end a three week search to replace Waters. Waters said he gave Stratton his two week notice Aug. 31 — a week before the team’s first meet. Stratton was not happy with the timing of the decision.

“I was not pleased,” Stratton said. “I’ve had to scramble because it is critical we get a distance coach.”

Senior Eliud Njubi said athletes were understanding of Waters’ decision, although some athletes were upset.

“We didn’t have any negative feelings,” Njubi said. “I think it was what was best for him. Most people got emotional (when Waters told the team of his decision). There is nothing you can do about it.”

Waters said he did not like the timing of the decision either, but did not want to pass up what he believed to be a better opportunity. Former Georgia cross country coach Ben Thomas left to coach at Virginia Tech before the start of the season and Georgia needed to fill the opening immediately, he said.

“There is nothing I could do with the timing,” Waters said.

Even though Waters left the team midseason, Stratton does not anticipate Koonts having any problems if he is hired.

“It’s not like he is installing a new offense,” Stratton said. “Running is running. The team (Waters) was going to coach is here.”

But it can be hard for players to adjust to a new coach, Stratton said.

“It is very difficult,” Stratton said. “There will be those who will forget the days they were upset with Waters and elevate him to sainthood.”

Njubi said the team should not have any trouble adapting.

“I think since we have already started, things shouldn’t change much,” Njubi said.

Stratton said Koonts has more coaching experience than Waters did in 1996 when he joined the Frogs’ coaching staff. Koonts will be needed more as a recruiter than a coach, Stratton said.

Brandon Ortiz
b.p.ortiz@student.tcu.edu