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A disciplined approach has the Plant boys team among the top programs in the state.
By EMILY NIPPS, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times, published October 2, 2002
TAMPA -- Plant boys cross country coach Tom Daly remembers a different time for the Panthers, and he smiles at a specific memory from his first season as a coach four years ago.
The Panthers had entered the USF/Jesuit Invitational's open division -- sort of a "B-team" race that coincides with the elite race -- and were fortunate to come in ninth.
"The guys went crazy," Daly said. "They were so excited when they did that well."
Four years later, the Panthers not only made the elite division cut, they won the meet, beating perennial powerhouse Jesuit.
"We were pretty happy about it, I guess," senior Eric Bird said. "It was nice to win."
This came after a fourth-place finish in last season's Class 3A state meet, an improvement on a 15th-place finish in 2000.
How did Plant go from being crazy about a ninth-place win in an open meet to being ho-hum about being among the top 3A programs in the state?
It might be because of Daly, a retired Marine officer who began coaching because one of his twin sons ran on the team.
"I require commitment, discipline and professionalism," Daly said. "I put a great emphasis on proper behavior."
It might be that the boys were tired of getting outrun, outscored and outplayed by Plant's girls team, which is shooting for its eighth state title this season.
"We kind of live in their shadow," Bird said. "People have always said, 'There goes the Plant girls-boys team.' "
Or it might be because the runners are just plain faster. All of Plant's top five runners are seniors, except for sophomore Sam Gibbons.
Daly said the biggest difference, aside from a regimented training schedule, has been getting the runners to understand they wouldn't get better without working for it.
"Once they committed, they saw the relationship between hard work and the reward it puts out," Daly said. "That has been what has really kept them going."
Plant captain Justin Bass said he hopes the surge in speed doesn't fall flat after graduation.
"We try to instill in the freshmen that this isn't going to be here forever," Bass said. "When the seniors leave, it's up to them to uphold the tradition."