DaytonDailyNews.com

SPRINGBORO — Kelvin Hux, as well as the other distance runners on the Springboro High School track team, can be assured that their new coach speaks from experience.

Jerry Claunch takes the baton from three-year head coach Deron Steinke, who moved to Florida.

Claunch is a reputable road runner and is ranked among the state's best. He also starred at Lakota East and Miami University.

Claunch's motto in practice could be "Repeat after me." He practices what he preaches.

"Coach shows us his stuff by outrunning us," said Hux, smiling. "If you do what he says, you'll improve. After our first practice, it was like, 'Who's this guy?' "

Added sprinter Josh Greene: "He makes sure he gets it out of us. ... His workouts are nothing like I've ever had. He's still a hammer at the distances."

In a recent practice, the Panthers were running "repeat 250s" with Claunch.

"When they did their jog recover, I ran another 250 hard," Claunch said. "Leading by example is a good thing, I guess."

Claunch, 26, coached his team at a meet in Fairfield and, in whirlwind fashion, attended the Lakota Athletic Hall of Fame ceremonies that followed.

He was one of nine inductees. He produced the school's greatest distance-running performances, competing in the grueling 1,600 and 3,200 meters at the state championship.

He placed second in the 1,600 and third in the 3,200.

He was a four-time state-placer during his career and a two-time All-Ohio pick. He clocked an impressive 4:10 mile.

Claunch, who works for LexisNexis, had an impressive career at Miami University, where he competed in the NCAA cross country championships.

"I'm glad that I'm getting recognition for what I did," Claunch said. "The Hall of Fame honor is cool. I credit almost everything I've achieved to my high school coach, Jason Lindsey. He's passionate about the sport and just a good guy. I hope some of his passion rubbed off on me and I can spread it to my new team. A lot of what I do right now comes from him."

Claunch even has a Web site devoted to running (www.running2win.com). It's a free, comprehensive online running service for runners at all levels.

It's no secret Claunch is a distance-oriented coach. He inherits a young team at Springboro with a roster made up of 25 freshmen.

"One of my priorities is to develop a JV program and build it slowly," Claunch said. "I want to keep the freshmen involved so they can feed off their early success. I'm trying to create a positive environment here.

"I want to preach consistency more than anything here," he continued. "It helps that we have a strong junior high program already in place."

His scoring nucleus includes distance ace Hux, sprinter Greene, sprinter Jerod Eisenhut, junior sprinter Jeremy Henderson and pole vaulter Logan Staten.

"We're growing so fast as a program that we're almost out of uniforms," said Claunch with a smile. "That's a good thing for the future."

The rookie coach is discovering that there is a lot more to being a head coach than recording splits and raking sand pits.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2478 or rjackson@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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