By Alison Hernandez, Staff Writer
Newman University’s cross country team has a new head coach.
Amber McVicar, a Wichita native, has replaced longtime coach Josh Schepis, who announced his retirement in the spring after 23 seasons at Newman.
McVicar is only the second head cross country coach in Newman history.
Her journey in cross country began during middle school. McVicar then graduated from Wichita North High School, where she won many awards. Following high school she then ran at the University of South Dakota for five years then returned to Wichita, where she began coaching at Maize South High School. She stayed there for seven years.
Her path to Newman University was both serendipitous and well-timed, she said.
"I didn’t really want to go out of state looking for a coaching position because I have family and friends here," McVicar said. "When I found out that the Newman position opened up, I knew it was a great opportunity,”
McVicar said she knew Schepis and had actually coached his daughter at Maize South.
“I was familiar with the Newman program and felt it was the right fit," she said.
McVicar’s coaching philosophy is heavily influenced by her own college experience, she said.
"I found success with those methods, and I hope to translate that over to the student athletes at Newman,” she said. “Many of the workouts and training plans I use are based on what my college coach had me do.”
McVicar said that, as a coach at Newman, she is focused on growth, both in terms of numbers and talent.
"My biggest goal is to help grow the program and increase our roster size," she said. "A larger roster not only creates a competitive atmosphere but also provides some relief if one athlete is injured,” she said. “I also want to bring in a lot of talent from the surrounding areas. Being from Wichita, I know most of the high school coaches in the area, and I believe we have great talent here that I want to highlight,"
In her first season, McVicar said her primary focus will be getting to know her team.
"For the first couple of years, it is about establishing relationships with the athletes, many of whom have only ever known Coach Schepis," she said. "I want to push and challenge them while also finding that middle ground between what Coach Schepis did and what I want to implement,"
One of McVicar’s greatest motivations as a coach is seeing her athletes achieve those "ah-ha" moments, she said.
"The little wins, especially when an athlete is coming off an injury or has had a tough training period, are what I find most rewarding," she said. "One of the best moments so far here at Newman recently was during time trials when one of our girls came up to me afterward and said, 'That was one of the best races I've ever had,' and I got my first hug of the year. It was a moment where I thought, ‘Okay, I’m doing something right.’"
As McVicar settles into her new role, she said that she wants to make sure her athletes know what they’re capable of.
"I want them to learn how to believe in themselves and understand that if they work hard, anything is possible," she said. "With self-drive and determination, they can accomplish anything they set their minds to."
PHOTO: Courtesy, Unsplash
