Cross country coach Amanda Sandstrom was selected as CIF Model Coach of the Year. The CIF governing committee gave the award to 13 coaches who have served as positive role models and who demonstrate the six pillars of character.
“It’s a huge honor,” Sandstrom said. “It’s cool to see the students and the athletes win CIF championships and league championships, but this isn’t about just that. It’s about being a role model and being a positive influence on the athletes, and that’s something that I always strive to be. So it’s cool to be recognized for that because I hope that I can lead by example and help show athletes how to be positive runners and individuals.”
During practices, Sandstrom leads workouts by running and training with the athletes, often while pushing her three-year-old son in a stroller.
“I’m not going to throw something at them that is impossible for them to do because I’m doing it with them,” she said. “And so if I can do that, they can do it too.”
Sandstrom said that aside from running, she also wants to help guide her team through their lives as high-school students.
“A lot of their morals and values and who they become as a person are happening right now; they’re being molded,” she said. “I really like, not just the content, not just helping them with math, not just helping them with running, not just helping them with computer science, but also helping them to be good people and move forward with life and to go onto bigger and better things.”
To help the student-athletes become the best versions of themselves, Sandstrom talks with her team about setting realistic goals and expectations and not pushing themselves past their limits. Sofia Welton (11) said that Sandstrom’s coaching has helped her grow as a runner.
“She’s helped push me to be stronger and work harder than ever before,” Welton said. “She is there for me while making sure I’m reaching my full potential.”
Sandstrom said that she has learned a lot from coaching, such as the importance of rest and recovery for her athletes.
“Recovery is not just taking a day fully off, but it could be making a run nice and easy to recover,” she said. “The important thing is getting back out there and taking care of your mental and physical well-being.”
During finals season, Sandstrom said she tries to give her team grace, since too much stress can affect their running performance, and she wants them to enjoy the sport as much as she does. Sandstrom said one reason why she loves coaching is that it allows her to share her love of running with students.
“I would not be coaching if I didn’t truly love running,” she said. “And that’s something that I’m passionate about. It’s cool to be able to share running with other like-minded individuals.”
Welton said that Sandstrom’s enthusiasm for running motivates the team during races.
“She deserves (the Model Coach award) because of how dedicated she is to the sport and the team,” Welton said. “She’s encouraging and hypes us up before races or when we are nervous, and she believes in me even when I don’t believe in myself.”
