Menlo High School invited us to their summer practice at the famed cross country course at Crystal Springs in Belmont, Ca. Menlo is private school college preparatory school in Atherton, California which is about thirty miles south of San Francisco. Coach Jorge Chen had the athletes do three loop intervals on the course and utilize the many hills on the famous course. Menlo girls and boys qualified for the California Cross Country State Meet last fall and the boys finished second in the inaugural 4 X 800 at the California State Meet. Coach Chen explained the summer program for the Menlo Knights.
How often does Menlo practice in the summer? We practice as a training group about three to four days a week under Menlo iGreyhound TC. We have half of the kids from Menlo in the group, and half not from Menlo.
Does Menlo go to a team camp? Yes in the week of August 14-21. This year we are going to Tahoe to train in altitude before we begin the school year officially.
What is the secret to Menlo's success? It's all about team culture. Every year the coaching staff works with leadership to ensure that the team culture is and the way we expect to be: Caring about every kid, team first, and growth mindset. Every practice and race have a purpose/goal and it's carefully calculated/planned.
How does Menlo create a team culture? Again, the coaching staff passes down to the leadership of the team to ensure that the team culture is TEAM FIRST. We select leaders not only based on running performance but mindset/attitude.
What are some team traditions? Seniors cook breakfast for the rest of the team and serve them, and the others help clean up. We always go to Woodbridge Invite and following day we go to Disneyland. We have a last team bonding short weekend where I live right before post-season (I usually have a 'mystery' activity every year).
Check out the photo gallery of Menlo's practice HERE