Moller-Fields CC Coach of the Year
FORT WALTON BEACH – Fort Walton Beach cross country coach Lissette Moller-Fields considers herself more of a surrogate mother than a cross country coach.
But the Vikings fifth place finish at state, third place finish at region and district title make the argument that she’s got more cross country coach in her than she might think. Her team’s five first place finishes during the regular season and fourth place finishes at the FSU Invitational and the Disney Invitational only confirm it.
Moller-Fields earned All Sports Association/Daily News Cross Country Coach of the Year honors for the third time in four seasons. In her ninth season at Fort Walton Beach, Moller-Fields guided a young talented young team to yet another remarkable finish, despite losing four senior point scoring runners from last season.
“It’s humbling,” Moller-Fields said of winning the award. “It’s a team effort. The kids are the ones who put in the work.”
The Vikings’ running strategy is one befitting the personality of a coach that harps on the team aspect of a sport oozing with individuality. Fort Walton Beach employs a pack running strategy for the most part, which has proved successful, especially this season.
Girls’ Runner of the Year, Ivy Chastain, who is now well ahead of the pack, is a product of the Vikings’ system.
“The coaches always tell us that when you run together you get his synergy that will just help you focus more,” Chastain said. “Even if you can’t push yourself, you were there to push your teammates. So we just try to focus on our team so that that way we have someone to run for if we can’t run for ourselves.”
Though Moller-Fields is a surrogate mother to her team, she is just Mom to the Vikings’ All-Area first teamer Rhianna Moller and wife to Fort Walton Beach boys’ coach Jeff Fields. Fields led the boys to a regional and district title before placing eighth at state and was narrowly edged out by his wife for the award.
After thanking the Fort Walton Beach administration for their support, Moller-Fields was quick to point out how well her husband’s coaching style compliments her own.
“He does the race strategies,” Moller-Fields said. “I get too emotional; I get too wound up at the meet. I tend to stay away from the kids. I figure all the coaching I’ve done prior, and my husband is more level-headed and is able to guide them with race strategies.
Moller-Fields can be found screaming split times and running up and down the race’s final stretch with words of encouragement for any of her runners willing to listen.
“If we need anything she’ll be there to help us and she’s just a really good coach,” said Chastain. “She’ll always look out for you. It’s not all about ‘you have to win this race.’”
Follow Pat Flynn on Twitter: @PatFnwfdn
