Join us in getting an understanding for the incredible achievement made under Coach Spexarth expertise and guidance. Coach Robby Spexarth, the javelin coach at Andale High School, was recently named to the Kansas Assistant Track & Field Coach of the Year for throws across the state of Kansas. Getting a title like this is something that takes years of trials and errors but with the commitment of Coach Spexarth he was able to earn a deserving award.
Just because the word “assistant” is next to coach doesn’t mean that Robby Spexarth can’t be great. We reached out to Robby Spexarth on his thought about being recognized as assistant track coach of the year for throwers. His attention to detail and work ethic are just a couple things the other coaches point out about him. Coach Tyler Ryan, head track & field coach at Andale High School for girls and boys, said that his time spent to better athletes at Andale really makes him a winning coach.
Spexarth says he has always had an interest in sports. So after completing his collegiate career he decided to go back to what he knows best. Spexarth stated “Coaching has allowed me the chance to teach and influence many young people to not only become better at their sport but more importantly also to grow up to be great citizens, employees, spouses, parents, etc. I have been blessed to be taught by so many wonderful coaches and mentors in my life this avenue has allowed me to pay back all the gifts I’ve received.” Coach Spexarth has always had a high competitive drive, and with the opportunity of coaching at Andale, not only fuels his competitive drive, but is also translated to the athletes.
Some things that Robby Spexarth instills as a coach is, attitude, discipline and respect. He says that if athletes want to show their skills you have to learn what needs to be done to get better. Authority over yourself is an important skill to implement as an athlete, Robby stated “Having the discipline to work hard day after day is crucial if you want to accomplish your goals.” Respect for yourself and others is a must for coachability and influence a better person overall. Robby made it a point that “doing the right thing when no one is looking” also applies outside of sports. Coach Spexarth model his athlete’s after his core values stating “If an athlete pursues these core values they will not only succeed in whatever sport, classroom, or job they are in, but ultimately in life!”
All great teams go through a period of struggle but it’s up to the coach on how they overcome that struggle. When it comes to Coach Spexarth his approach on a struggling team is “When a team, or an individual athlete, is struggling I always lean on the fundamentals as a coach. Typically struggles always can be traced back to a degradation of fundamentals, either physically or mentally. We will analyze film and slow down the athlete’s movements in practice to get back to basics and in essence re-learn or re-teach the brain how to complete a particular movement the correct way. This can be a lengthy process, but I’ve found that if fundamentals improve, typically mental improvement follows. ”
Even when track season is over Coach Spexarth has expectations of his athlete’s to stay in shape and still have a high competitive mindset. When we asked Coach Spexarth what his offseason expectation are for his athlete’s he stated “My offseason expectations are simple. If you love to play other sports – play them! There is no better offseason activity than to play another sport. I’m a firm believer that multi-sport athletes become better all-around athletes and generally stay healthier than single sport athletes. They also get the added benefits of being able to stay in a competition mindset, as well as play for the school and community they love! If an athlete isn’t playing another sport they should be working on their general strength, speed, and flexibility. This is primary. Secondary, would be to drill the basic (fundamental) event specific movements they will need to have to set a great foundation for the upcoming season. ”
From interviewing Coach Spexarth we got a good understanding on how he’s not just a “good coach” but an excellent coach! You can tell he tries to do his best by his athlete’s. His responses made it clear of his mindset as a coach and you can see his passion through track and field. Xavier and I both agree that he is clearly deserving of Assistant Track Coach of the Year for Throws. We’re excited to see what his has upcoming for this years track season. If you see Coach Spexarth make sure you congratulate him on a well deserved honor!
