Burton takes over Rocky Mtn. High School cross country program

Former middle school head coach believes running can teach students to set goals, do hard things and develop habits that last a lifetime

Gerry Burton will take on a new role this fall when Rocky Mountain High School’s cross country runners hit the road.

After three years as head middle school coach under retiring Coach Tim Jones Burton will take over as head coach of the Grizzlies’ high school program. It will be his first head coaching position at the high school level.

He comes into the job with a simple belief about running: “It is a sport that can continue making a difference in someone’s life long after high school competition ends.”

“It’s a lifelong sport,” Burton said. “It’s something you can do all the time as you get older. It keeps you fit. If you do it right, it’s a core value of your life. It’s something you can use forever.”

Burton has plenty of personal experience with the sport. Over the years he has competed in numerous 5K and 10K races, half marathons and a couple of triathlons. He has also trained for and completed two Tough Mudders, at approximately half-marathon-distance events that combine running with a variety of obstacles.

Now his focus is less on his own finish times and more on helping Rocky Mountain students discover what they can accomplish.

Burton said cross country is a sport for almost anyone willing to work. A runner doesn’t need to arrive at the first practice already capable of running five kilometers or competing with the fastest runners on the team.

“I’ll take all kids,” he said, “kids that want to find success and growth in themselves.”

That growth, Burton said, is one of the things that makes cross country special. Success can mean winning a race or placing at state, but it can also mean simply running farther or faster than a runner could a few weeks earlier.

“It’s a way to make goals in life, just achieving every little step, and it’s in increments,” he said. “It’s not overnight. You have to put in time and effort, and it’s a hard thing to do.”

Burton expects many runners to arrive at the opening practice still working their way into shape after summer vacation. His early practices will emphasize gradually increasing mileage and conditioning while trying to prevent injuries.

That willingness to work is more important to him than where a runner begins.

The lessons learned through that process are also a big part of why Burton believes athletics belong in schools.

“To me, my philosophy is it’s not only an outlet for kids, it’s also a mindset commitment change,” he said. “Because if they can do hard things outside of school, they can do hard things in school.”

Athletics can also give some students an important connection to school.

“For some kids, school can be very challenging, and sports is the reason they come,” Burton said. “If we can get them to school because of this, why not?”

Burton will have an experienced runner helping him lead the program.

Mindy Mickelson will take over as head middle school coach after volunteering with the program for more than 20 years. Burton said the high school and middle school programs will continue to work closely together, much as they have in recent seasons.

“With her dedication and her skill set, I think it’s a good fit,” Burton said.

Burton also enters his first season with the benefit of three years working alongside former head coach Jones. He said that experience has helped prepare him for the new responsibility and that his former head coach has continued to help during the transition.

The first official practice is scheduled for Monday.

Burton knows the season ahead will include fast runners, slower runners, experienced athletes and beginners. For each of them, success may look a little different.

That is part of the appeal.

Cross country offers an unusually simple measuring stick. The clock doesn’t care where a runner started the season. A student who works for weeks to break 30 minutes in a 5K can experience the same sense of accomplishment as a front-runner trying to shave seconds from an already fast time.

For Burton, those small victories can become lessons that reach far beyond the finish line.

Running teaches young people that improvement takes time, difficult things become possible through consistent work and success doesn’t have to happen overnight.

And unlike most high school sports, the finish line doesn’t necessarily come with graduation.

“It’s something you can use forever,” Burton said.