North Rockland's Coach Diglio Explains Balance Between Training A Star And A Team

By Brian Towey of DyeStat

Following her landmark 16:06.87 5,000-meter run at the Ocean State XC Invitational last weekend in Rhode Island, Katelyn Tuohy continued her charge towards greatness.

It's left her coach at North Rockland NY, Brian Diglio, in a unique position as he navigates the balance between the attention Tuohy's appearances receive with a strong team's goals.

"It's not easy having a competitive team when you have a talent like Katelyn," Diglio said. "You talk about the Ocean State Invitational, and after the race a lot of people came up to Katelyn and wanted photographs and autographs.

"My number two runner, Haleigh Morales, is a big-time talent. She can finish second on our team and (still) be two minutes behind Katelyn. That's really hard. She's a competitive kid who wants to finish in the top 10 at the New York State Federation Championship."

Diglio's senior captains, Morales and Rabecca Baez, chose Ocean State as the team's overnight trip. It was a canny opener on a schedule that allows Diglio to shield his top runner from taking maximum media heat.

"We have big team goals and also Katelyn," Diglio said. "Sometimes you struggle with that. I wanted to avoid courses we'd done in the past to avoid putting pressure on Katelyn, 'Are you going to break this course record?' (And) bring added stress."

Holmdel Park, a legendary New Jersey course, awaits. North Rockland is competing Oct. 6 at the New Balance Shore Coaches Invitational.

But first is Saturday's Suffolk Coaches Invitational at Sunken Meadow Park in Kings Park, N.Y., the site of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Championship, which is Nov. 10.

"You hear so much about Holmdel," Diglio said. "I've always wanted to go there. Sunken Meadow is the site of the state meet, so that's got to be in there."

Tuohy's training and comportment seldom change. According to Diglio, her race day efforts aren't the only days when she competes.

"The unique thing about her is that she's able to bring the intensity of a major race and bring that to a workout," Diglio said. "The feedback I get from the workout shows me where she's going to be. I joke with other coaches that I get more excited about the workouts, because that shows me where she's going to be."

Amid the fast times, Tuohy and Diglio have struck a partnership. Despite the gravity of the races and what's happened, it's a certain intangible that makes them hard to beat.

"Katelyn and I have been lucky because our goals have always been in sync, and how she wants to get there," Diglio said. "While it can be stressful coaching her because she is so talented, there's not a more coachable kid."