ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. — The president and CEO of Abound Credit Union is taking on a new role in the community, becoming head coach of the Elizabethtown High School cross-country program.
Ray Springsteen, a longtime runner and endurance athlete, has been named coach of the school’s boys and girls cross-country teams, replacing Jarrid Hawkins. Michael Wortmann, a former Division I runner at Missouri State University, will serve as assistant coach, The News-Enterprise reported.
Springsteen, who competed in Division I cross country at Old Dominion University, told the newspaper that the discipline and goal-setting required by distance running have shaped his life and are lessons he hopes to pass on to student-athletes.
Summer Training Underway
According to The News-Enterprise, Springsteen has already begun meeting with runners and plans to focus on helping athletes establish individual goals while emphasizing the importance of summer training.
“What we’re doing right now is helping the kids get used to the summer training program,” Springsteen told the newspaper. “We will customize the training to help that individual reach those goals.”
Wortmann told The News-Enterprise that cross-country runners possess a unique level of commitment, noting that athletes often spend summer months training while many of their peers are engaged in less demanding activities.
In it For the Long Run
Springsteen’s son, Harris, is a senior on the team, but Springsteen said his decision to coach extends beyond his son’s final season. He told The News-Enterprise that coaching has long been an interest and that he views the position as a multi-year commitment.
“I enjoy the sport,” Springsteen said. “I am interested in helping others learn the fun of the sport and how to be able to be successful.”
According to The News-Enterprise, Springsteen said coaching responsibilities will not interfere with his duties at Abound Credit Union because practices are held in the evenings and most meets take place on weekends.
