Boys Track: Jones takes advice as well as he gives it

Charles Jones isn't too proud to take advice.

The Lew Wallace boys track coach will gladly listen as long as the person giving the advice has something worthwhile to say.

"In some ways I'm like a legal thief," Jones said. "I steal as much as I can from other coaches -- if it's good."

Whatever the case, the results can't be argued. The Hornets finished fifth at the state meet May 31 in Bloomington and brought home two event state titles -- Robert Gardner in the 400-meter dash and the 4x400 relay team, led by Gardner.

"It's been really a wonderful time with the kids," said Jones, the Post-Tribune's boys track coach of the year. "We've had some good kids come through this program. The kids we had this year, that's the best group we've had. Their group, I would take them anywhere. They've been a real pleasure to work with."

Jones certainly doesn't take all the credit for Gardner's two-year reign as the state's 400 champion. Jones knows he can't teach talent. But he can teach a kid how to train, and, ultimately, how to win.

"Most kids really want to do the right thing," Jones said. "And they want as much help as they can get to do the right thing. (Gardner) is one that has listened over the years, along with the other runners.

"There's an old saying that 'a winner has many fathers and a loser is an orphan.' They get advice from everyone. But they also have to be smart enough to tell the good from the bad."

Same for Jones. When he gets advice, he makes sure it's good, which is why he soaks up all he can from former Roosevelt track coach John Campbell, who won 12 state titles as a coach.

"People might not realize it, but I emulate a lot of things he did," Jones said. "Of course, it's not been to the success he had, because that man is legendary."

Jones also sought advice from one of the coaches for Andrew Rock, an Olympic athlete who ran for the U.S. 4x400 relay in the 2004 Olympic Games. Jones borrowed a training regimen.

"When I brought it to the athletes, it was well-accepted," Jones said. "They thought it could help them, and we thought it would, too. We couldn't use all of it, though. It was too tough. But we used as much as we could."

Another key, Jones said, has been the competition his team has faced. Jones takes the team to meets in Michigan, Illinois and Wisconsin in hopes of preparing for the postseason.

"We have a small conference, and rather than run over and over against those same teams, we had to seek out other competition," Jones said. "Some of them are outstanding meets, and that's good for the kids. It gives them confidence that they're able to succeed against other competition."

And there's no doubt they've succeeded.

"They allowed us to coach them," Jones said. "And they bought into what we were talking about."