16 min listen
Coach Z: Muscles and magnetism
ratings:
Length:
29 minutes
Released:
Jun 22, 2023
Format:
Podcast episode
Description
Leto's cross country program in the 1980s was on par with Largo's. The Long Red Row won five 4A state titles in the decade, just ahead of the Packers' four championships. Leto had a disadvantage then against Largo when it came to developing talent: It was a three-grade school, and Largo had four grades. So while Largo coach Brent Haley could develop freshman runners, Leto's Bobby Ennis had to wait for them to show up after spending their ninth-grade year in junior high.
That's why the subject of this ATMM bonus episode was so important. His name is Phil Zimmerman, aka Coach Z, and he developed generations of runners at Webb Junior High, sending the "raw material" to Ennis. This episode is mainly an interview with Coach Z, but it also teases another critical moment in the history of the Leto program, one that can be called forgettable and memorable at the same time. Thanks for coming along for the run!
Music: Mini Vandals (Out on My Skateboard; Fingerprint)
Released:
Jun 22, 2023
Format:
Podcast episode
Titles in the series (24)
Episode 1: The Lore of Largo: Why did one otherwise nondescript suburban high school achieve otherworldly success in boys cross country in the 1970s and 1980s? This is the start of a show about the coach who created a distance-running dynasty, the rise of a friendly rival across Tam... by All The Miles Mattered