Hall Sets Record
Kids run Hall into history
CENTRAL VALLEY: The Monroe-Woodbury cross country coach set the record last week for most wins in state history.
By Keith Goldberg The Times Herald-Record kgoldberg@th-record.com It looked like a scene out of a boot camp or a religious revival. Monroe-Woodbury girls' cross-country coach Lou Hall gathered his runners in a semi-circle on the high school's track.
He then broke into a loud and impassioned speech about how talented they were and what he expected of them. Occasionally, he smacked his palm with his fist.
"You are an athlete," Hall barked. "Don't let anyone tell you differently."
And Hall is a coach, the winningest high school cross-country coach in state history. With Monroe-Woodbury's five wins at a meet at Bear Mountain on Thursday, Hall, 55, broke Gary Thompson's record of 640 combined (boys' and girls') cross-country wins. Hall owns a lifetime record of 644-101.
"I would be a liar if I said I didn't care about the record," Hall said. "But I wanted to come back and work with kids. You put 34 years of your life into it, it's hard to just stop."
Of the record, he said: "It's just an accumulation of being an old man and having a lot of great kids over the years."
Yet Hall has not taken any time out to ponder his accomplishment "I don't think it'll happen until I stop coaching, which I hope won't be anytime soon," Hall said.
Hall almost didn't get a chance to break the record, because he retired from teaching at Monroe-Woodbury last year. If a teacher in the School District had applied for the coaching position, the District would have been compelled to hire him or her.
Hall, who coached both boys' and girls' cross country as well as indoor and outdoor track last year, reached an agreement in February to return for another year, albeit only for girls' cross country.
Hall would not comment specifically on the agreement, saying only, "fortunately for me, the School District let me come back."
The decision relieved runners, who were extremely vocal in support of Hall. "The District owes it to him," senior captain Alison Elmo said. "For someone to come in and take that away, that's disrespectful."
Once the cross-country season is over, Hall will face the same dilemma for next season. He has considered the possibility of being an assistant coach with another school, but would prefer to stay at Monroe-Woodbury.
"I've spent most of my life here," Hall said. "It would be hard to leave."
But wherever Hall ends up, his fiery speeches will stay with him. "I will be screaming and yelling just as hard as I always have," he said.
Hall's place in the hearts of his runners is also secure. "I don't think there will be anyone to replace coach Hall," junior captain Diana Oehm said.
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