Scott Simmons is the coach of the American Distance Project, as well as the head cross country and track coach at Queens University of Charlotte Scott Simmons has been coaching for eighteen years and in that time he has developed into one of the most successful coaches in the nation. Simmons, co-author of the book Take The Lead: A Revolutionary Approach To Coaching Cross Country, sees successful coaching as anything but revolutionary. He sees success at coaching dependent upon common sense, acquired knowledge and a strong partnership with committed athletes. Simmons looks forward to evolving his philosophies and assisting in the development of America’s best. SIMMONS’ VITAE: CAREER HIGHLIGHTS o Five Consecutive NAIA Men’s National Cross Country Championship Team Titles o Awarded Six NAIA National Coach of the Year Honors o Coached Collegiate Athlete To US 25k National Record o Two-time USA National Team Leader o Coached Five Penn Relays Individual Event Champions o Coached 20+ NCAA & NAIA National Champions & 100+ All-American Award Winners EDUCATION • United States Sports Academy - Master’s of Sport Coaching, 1992 • University of South Alabama - Bachelor’s of Psychology with an English Minor, 1990 • USA Track & Field Coaching Education Certifications Levels I, II, III and Alumni • United States Olympic Committee High Altitude Training Symposium, September 2006 • USA Track & Field Marathon Summit, July 2006 • United States Olympic Committee Junior Elite Coach Clinic, July 2005 COACHING Virginia Intermont College, Bristol, VA – Head Coach (2004 to Present) • 2004, 2005, and 2006 NAIA Men’s National Cross Country Team Champions • 2004 and 2005 NAIA Indoor Track National Championship Team Runners-Up • 2004 NAIA Outdoor Track National Championship Team Runners-Up • 2005 & 2006 Penn Relays 10,000m Champions Fernando Cabada, Minot, ND & Bristol, VA – Personal Coach (2003 to 2007) • 2006 US 25k Champion and American Record Holder, Grand Rapids, MI • 7th Fastest American Marathon Debut – 2:12:27, Fukuoka Marathon, Dec. 2006 • 2006 US 20k National Runner-up, New Haven, CT • 2006 University of Oregon Invitational 10,000m Champion • Member of North American Record Breaking Marathon Relay Team, Japan, November 2005 • Five-time US National Team Member (Debrecen, Hungary; Chiba, Japan; Orlando, FL; Chula Vista, CA) • 7-time NAIA National Track Champion Fasil Bizuneh, Bristol, VA – Personal Coach (2006 to Present) • US 5k National Championship Runner-up, Providence, RI, September 2006 • 2006 Dallas White Rock ½ Marathon Champion, 1:02:59, Dec. 2006 • 5th Place US Marathon Championships, Twin Cities Marathon, October 2006 (debut) • US National Team Qualifier – World Ekiden Marathon Relay, Chiba, Japan • 2nd Place 2006 USA National Running Circuit • Best Marks Under Simmons: 13:49 5k; 22:21? 8k; 28:57 10k; 1:02:59 ½-marathon; 2:18 marathon Minot State University, Minot, ND – Head Coach (2001 to 2004) • 2002 and 2003 NAIA Men’s National Cross Country Team Champions • 2002 Penn Relays College and Championship 5,000m Champions • 2003 Penn Relays College Steeplechase Champion Jeff Campbell, Brevard, NC – Personal Coach (1999-2001) • 7th Place in US Marathon Olympic Trials, Birmingham, AL • US National Team Qualifier – World Cross Country University of Mobile, Mobile, AL – Head Coach (1993 to 1999) • Six Men’s and Five Women’s GCAC Conference XC Titles • Women’s NAIA National 1500m Champion University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL – Assistant Coach (1990 to 1993) • Men’s and Women’s Middle Distance Coach • Numerous school records and conference awards APPOINTMENTS • US National Team Leader – Ekiden Marathon Relay, Chiba, Japan (Oct. 2002) • US National Team Men’s Coach – World Half Marathon Championships, Kosice, Slovakia (October 1997) • USA Track & Field Board of Directors Member 2000 – 2001 • USA Track & Field – Men’s Long Distance Running Championships Co-Chair, since 2005 CONTRIBUTIONS Author of Best Selling Book Take The Lead: A Revolutionary Approach to Coaching Cross Country (2006) Camp Director, Mountain High Running Camp, Bristol, VA (2001 to Present) Author of USA Track & Field’s Post Collegiate Distance Runners’ Survival Guide (1996) Track & Field Technical Information Specialist, 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympic Games Owner and Developer of TrackBrain.com, Palm OS coaching/timing software programs Lecturer on “Training For The Mile” at USATF Coaching Education Level III, Las Vegas, July 2006 Lecture Presenter, 2007 National Distance Running Summit, Grinnell, IA, January 2007
Name: Scott Simmons
Age: 40 years old
Hometown: Fort Walton Bch, FL
Education: Master’s Sports Science
School: United States Sports Academy ’92
Email: coach@mountainhighrunning.com
 
 
 
 
 
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“Specificity is the most important principle of training. As a coach, or an athlete, ask yourself what is it that will be required on race day? That, specifically, is what you need to be training for.” - Simmons