(Oakland) Riverside girls track coach Jared Hoffman is a Griswold grad and guest #100 on the “Why I Coach” series.
The thing he says he enjoys most about coaching is helping kids reach a potential that they may not have even realized they were capable of. While running for Griswold both Gary Bergstrom and Jane Chaillie left a mark on Hoffman. He says of Bergstrom, “Enthusiastic is one word I would use. He would get you ready to run your race and have a nice speech. We’d have a speech before every practice and on the bus before meets and then after meets. He was one of the more inspiring ones.”
After running at Concordia he got his first teaching and coaching job seven years ago at Riverside. He started as an assistant with cross country and coached middle school track. When Steve Allen retired as girls track coach, Hoffman jumped at the opportunity. “I’ve always been passionate about running and track. I saw that these girls were ready to work hard. They’ve come a long ways in the six years I’ve been coaching.” In fact, they Lady Dawgs were State Qualifying Meet champs this past season and made a splash in Des Moines. “We medaled in five of our events so that was pretty impressive for me. I was happy with that and hopefully we can continue building on that.”
While track doesn’t have a lot of X’s and O’s, coaching can definitely have a big influence. Hoffman took notes along the way to prepare himself for the role he’s in now. “Luckily I’ve been able to build off of what I was taught as an athlete. I’ve used some workouts from the past coaches I have had. That’s been very helpful. One thing I learned in college was write down every workout that we did just to log my miles. I’ve been able to look back on that and use that. It’s not too complex of a sport, but you have to know what you are doing a little bit.”
He was asked about the hardest workout he’s ever put his team through. “We haven’t done it for a couple of years, but when we were deep with 800 runners it was a workout from college and we’d do 20 200’s. They had time in between and a longer break at the halfway point. There were tears before and there were tears afterwards I’ll say.”
One of the biggest things he’s learned along the way is to be all ears. Anytime other coaches have suggestions, make sure to listen and be open to them.
Previous Coaches
(Click to listen)
John Kesselring, Adair-Casey alum
Eric Maassen, (AHST grad) Sheldon
Jerome Hoegh, Atlantic grad (West Sioux)
Gaylord Schelling, Atlantic and Tri-Center
Dick Strittmatter, Atlantic native
Chad Klein, Audubon Native (Kuemper Catholic and Boone)
In Memory of Bob Monahan, Audubon (Monte Riebhoff)
In Memory of Bob Monahan, Audubon (Steve Ahrendsen)
In Memory of Bob Monahan, Audubon (Scott Weber)
In Memory of Bob Monahan, Audubon (Curt Mace)
Warren Watson, Elk Horn-Kimballton
Chris Stimson, Elk Horn-Kimballton
Scott Yates, Elk Horn-Kimballton
Jan Jensen, Elk Horn-Kimballton alum
Seth Poldberg, EH-K grad and Guthrie Center coach
Trevor Gipple, (Griswold grad) SW Valley
Angie Spangenberg, Harlan and Red Oak
Eric Stein (Harlan grad) Iowa Central
Darrell Burmeister, Nodaway Valley
Lanny Kliefoth, Nodaway Valley
Chad Harder, (Walnut Grad) Tri-Center
