Annmarie Starrett and Fernando Braz
Annmarie Starrett and Fernando Braz |
Annmarie Starrett has been a runner for over 30 years, and has raced successfully at all distances over those years. She prefers distances of 10 miles and longer, and her best marathon time if 2:51 (at Vermont City). Annie is a two-time winner of 4th of July 10K in N. Andover.
She has coached youth soccer since 1998, and she coaches the Pingree School's cross-country team as well as their spring fitness program.
Annie says that she "loves working with youth and trying to make them see the connection between fitness and performance. Improving cardio-vasular fitness as well as core strength is the basic building block for most sports. Teaching kids how to achieve fitness and utilizing it to their advantage in competitive sports, whether it be track and field, soccer, football, lacrosse, etc. is the short term and obvious goal.
"Creating a love for running and a desire to be fit throughout their lives is the long term yet not so obvious goal. I love to share my enthusiasm and knowledge with so many young kids and feel lucky to be in a position to offer support and encouragement."
Annie describes her coaching philosophy this way -- "Having never been a superstar but always a determined and dedicated runner, I believe that everyone is worthy of some individual attention and motivation no matter what your talent level is.
"I think that everyone has their own little 'superstar' within and that by believing in yourself, setting some type of goal, and working toward that goal each
person/child will develop a sense of achievement and self worth that they can carry over into all their other life activities.
"A good coach will help find that goal, develop a plan to achieve it, and offer the encourgement that is needed."