Hey there!  I’m Coach Andrew, Head Coach at Newhart Middle School for the 2022-2023 season.  This is my 4th season coaching with WeROCK and 3rd as Head Coach of Newhart.  I love coaching and spending time with these amazing kiddos.  Getting to know each of these kids, learning what they’re about and helping them see and achieve their goals is what I enjoy most about being part of the program.

What’s my history with WeROCK?

My son, Brian, ran as a first timer / 8th grader four years ago.  Before starting with WeROCK, he had never run farther than the PE mile and never considered himself a runner.  Only a few months into the season, his PE mile times went sub-7, then sub-6.  He was getting recognized by his peers as a runner and his self-esteem skyrocketed.  I tried to come to as many Saturday practices and races as possible, getting to know the other runners so I could cheer them on and watch their transformations, as well.  When the season was over, I knew that I wanted to offer my time to coach and be around these kids next year, even though my own child wouldn’t be part of the program.  I want to continue giving back to future groups of runners what the coaches gave to my son.

It’s always fun to hear a coach’s race history!
I was never really a big runner when I joined WeROCK.  I’d run a couple of half marathons a decade earlier but stayed active playing basketball and hiking.  But now I proudly hang my bibs, race medals, and consider myself a full-fledged member of the running community.  I’ve completed 3 marathons, dozens of half marathon and above distances and even completed the Goggins Challenge (4 miles, every 4 hours for 48 straight hours) on my own last year a few weeks after the marathon.

Favorite WeROCK race
I really love the Citrus Heritage half marathon.  It’s really cool going through the orange groves and there is usually some lady passing out donuts from her front lawn along the last 2 mile home stretch.  It’s also a huge step up for the kids when their previous longest race to that point was a 10K so everyone leaves feeling pumped up and prepared for the 2nd half of the season and all the miles that lay ahead.