Steinbrenner’s own girl’s cross country coach, Ladd Baldwin, was awarded the Florida Dairy Farmer’s 2016 Coach of the Year award, his team having won the state championship against the two-time defending champions from Winter Park High School; whom Steinbrenner was not expected to defeat.
The award was chosen by a cross country nomination committee from the Florida Dairy Farmers, and it is meant to acknowledge the best cross country coaches of the year, one boys’ and one girls’, from each state.
According to Coach, only three Coach of the Year awards have been received at Steinbrenner: Baseball’s John Crumbley won last year, girl’s soccer won one five years ago, and girl’s cross country won this one for 2016.
Despite the award’s name, Coach Baldwin stated that the award is really about the team.
“I’m excited that Steinbrenner High School can be acknowledged, as well as all the hard work of the kids. They put the work in. For some of them, it was a three or four year commitment.”
He continued to elaborate on the work put in by the team.
“We run year-round, five days a week in the summer at six thirty in the morning. We run all through August, September, and November. It’s all just a testament to them, and the whole group. I guess it has my name on it, but it’s really about the team and how hard they worked,” said Baldwin.
Senior Emily Petrus ran for cross country during the 2016 season, and explained that the award represents a collaboration between the coach and the team members.
“We couldn’t have done it without him because he’s the one that gives us the workouts, the one that motivates us.. but we motivate each other too,” said Petrus.
She also said that the coach’s role extends beyond just being a motivational force and a team leader.
“He assigns us workouts, he makes sure we’re doing everything right even when we’re not running… like eating, sleeping, resting, icing, and stuff like that.”
Jack Comiskey // Staff Writer
