Details key to success for new Frontenac track coach

By Tyler Antle

FRONTENAC, Kan. — Hunter Knox is entering his first season as the new head track and field coach at Frontenac High School. He enters with a focus on both a detailed practice plan and introducing a positive mentality for the athletes to rally around. 

He is taking over after the departure of longtime head coach Caryn Murray. He enters this role after nearly a decade of prior coaching experience at surrounding high school programs.

Knox is also a new face in the community of Frontenac, a town where coaches and teachers are often well known among the residents.

Hunter Knox grew up in Glen Rose, Texas, and competed as a mid-distance runner. After receiving his master’s degree, he moved to Missouri and began his coaching career. He assisted in various sports but focused primarily on both track and field distance running and speed and agility work. Knox said analyzed his fellow coaches and took notes of what showed the most success to develop his own coaching approach. 

As he enters his first head coaching job, Knox said he is focused on bringing a new approach to training based on highly structured practices. He wants to alternate days where one day is a heavier workload day focused on pushing limits and the next day is a lighter and focused on agility. He also plans each week unique to its specific schedule, with recovery after a meet but a heavier day before a weekend.

The goal is for his athletes to be able to perform at their best on a consistent basis. Knox said that micro-dosing at an athlete’s top speed and teaching proper recovery techniques allows athletes to improve while not overexerting them.

Knox’s coaching strategies have already been put in use with the addition of an offseason conditioning program. Athletes will voluntarily meet after school to do hallway runs or go out to the community’s batting cages and use their indoor facility for agility work. If the weather is nice, they will go outside and practice on the actual track.

He has also introduced the concept of tracking data on each athlete. Each sprint, throw and jump is marked down and used to see what improvement have been made as the season goes on.

Knox said he wants to give event coaches more freedom on their practice plans, trusting the experience they have to benefit their own athletes themselves. He said these coaches have years of experience themselves and that it wouldn’t be right of him to deter from their plans. Each coach will have an ability to say what they want their particular athlete to do each practice.

“They know what they’re doing,” Knox said. “They’re going to show up with intentional practice plans, they’re going to track data, they’re going to give their kids what they need.”

Knox said he is also making it a priority to bring a positive mentality to every athlete and boost their confidence in themselves. He is helping his athletes believe they can compete at the highest level of competition they will face in the coming season.

“We bleed the same blood, and that’s become kind of this phrase among us, like, ‘Hey, yeah we’re good, we’re the same, we’re not a different species,’” he said. “My goal is to find what we need to do to adjust in order to compete at that level.”

Knox said he wants to come in every day and make track practice the best part of the athlete’s day. He brings a high enthusiasm and a passion to teach with the goal of it rubbing on to each athlete.

This positive switch has helped many athletes feel better about their capabilities. Frontenac senior Wyatt Collins has said that he has noticed new energy and excitement from the team from Knox’s coaching.

“I’m honestly super excited,” Collins said. “The energy he brings to the team is unmatched, and it’s something I never experienced.”

Alongside bringing a positive view, Knox said he wants every athlete to see the reason for everything they do. He wants the athletes to see that everything that he coaches them in practice will allow them to accomplish their individual goals.

With official practices for high school spring sports starting later this month, Knox said he is both grateful to have this coaching job and is excited for what is ahead. He says his biggest priority is for the athletes to realize that track is fun but also there is a discipline to everything they do.

“If they see I have intent on detail, they will too,” Knox said.