2008 Woodie Awards
A Man on a Mission
Coach Joel Pasternack is Looking to Take the Men's and Women's Cross Country Team to the Top
Jose Ortiz
Issue date: 9/23/04 Section: Sports
- Page 1 of 2 next >
At 6:30 in the morning, while most are still sleeping, Joel Pasternack has already begun coaching. Be it private lessons, self-training or coaching for the Red Hawk Cross Country team, Pasternack loves to run. But more importantly, he loves to teach.
Pasternack's hiring was announced in June of this year, just months after beloved former Coach Gerald "Bennie" Benson passed away. He returns to Montclair State University after coaching for Ramapo College from 2001 - 2003, where he helped to produce the Road Runners' first All-American, Ronna Killins.
But Pasternack has much more running experience than his four year stint at Ramapo could show. If you add his daily running regiment to his numerous marathons, including a 2:25 finish ranked 35th nationally in 1974, Pasternack has run for a total of over 102,000 miles in 40 years. The man loves to run.
"What I like about it is what you put in, is what you get out. You can put in as much as you want and be great, or as little and be average," said the former New Jersey State six -mile champion.
The cross country team consists of six men, and six women. The team captains are Tom Kurtovic for the men, and Cathleen Dale, Sara Salfeety, and Taryn Townsend for the women.
Pasternack's goal is to bring MSU's cross country team to prominence in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. The first step, Pasternack said, is to get more runners.
"If Rowan can come to meets with 60 kids, and TCNJ can come with 40 kids, why can't we come with 25?"
It seems a simple and fair enough question, but one without such a simple answer. With 16,000 plus students enrolled at MSU, to get 10 or 15 more kids to run should be easy.
"If you like running you can join the team. I'm just happy to have a kid finish a race." Pasternack then added, "I've got the knowledge. If the kids want to get better and reach their potential, I can give it to them."
But how does Pasternack replace a coach like Bennie Benson? Benson has produced 43 All-Americans, and over 100 conference champions during his tenure as head coach of the Red Hawks. Pasternack insists that he does not feel pressured to fill the late coach's shoes.
Pasternack's hiring was announced in June of this year, just months after beloved former Coach Gerald "Bennie" Benson passed away. He returns to Montclair State University after coaching for Ramapo College from 2001 - 2003, where he helped to produce the Road Runners' first All-American, Ronna Killins.
But Pasternack has much more running experience than his four year stint at Ramapo could show. If you add his daily running regiment to his numerous marathons, including a 2:25 finish ranked 35th nationally in 1974, Pasternack has run for a total of over 102,000 miles in 40 years. The man loves to run.
"What I like about it is what you put in, is what you get out. You can put in as much as you want and be great, or as little and be average," said the former New Jersey State six -mile champion.
The cross country team consists of six men, and six women. The team captains are Tom Kurtovic for the men, and Cathleen Dale, Sara Salfeety, and Taryn Townsend for the women.
Pasternack's goal is to bring MSU's cross country team to prominence in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. The first step, Pasternack said, is to get more runners.
"If Rowan can come to meets with 60 kids, and TCNJ can come with 40 kids, why can't we come with 25?"
It seems a simple and fair enough question, but one without such a simple answer. With 16,000 plus students enrolled at MSU, to get 10 or 15 more kids to run should be easy.
"If you like running you can join the team. I'm just happy to have a kid finish a race." Pasternack then added, "I've got the knowledge. If the kids want to get better and reach their potential, I can give it to them."
But how does Pasternack replace a coach like Bennie Benson? Benson has produced 43 All-Americans, and over 100 conference champions during his tenure as head coach of the Red Hawks. Pasternack insists that he does not feel pressured to fill the late coach's shoes.