This year, Cinnaminson High School is losing girls cross country coach Mrs. Guscott, who had been at the helm for six years. She has decided to put her coaching days aside. Under her supervision, the girl’s cross country team has had won numerous division titles and qualified for several NJ State championships and had overseen some individual qualifiers for the NJ Meet of Champions.

In total, Mrs. Guscott has been experienced in coaching for 18 seasons in two different schools. From spring track to cross country to even cheerleading, she has witnessed the highs and lows of being in charge of a group of girls.

Walking into her second school as a special education teacher at Highland Park, Mrs. Guscott also received her second chance as a spring track coach. With no experience other than one year of coaching at the previous school she worked in and a love for running as a student herself, she decided to commit to the job.

After coaching two seasons of track she was then offered the position of head cross country coach at Highland Park.

“They fired their male coach and then they hired me, and it was just a disaster because the girls were very resistant to me being a coach. So it was hard for a couple of seasons,” Mrs. Guscott recounted.

With a new teaching and coaching job, Mrs. Guscott was unsure of her strengths as a coach especially with a group of girls who were unwilling to let her coach to the best of her ability.

“I did not really know how to motivate people back then; I’ve really learned how to motivate through my years of teaching especially teaching kids who didn’t want to learn,” she said.

Entering a tough atmosphere with a group of girls who didn’t accept their brand new coach she still remained able to perform well as a rookie instructor.

In the fall 1992, Mrs. Guscott started teaching at CHS where she has been ever since. Before coaching at CHS, she was involved in special events and the position of being a class advisor for three separate classes. Once her two kids graduated high school, Mrs. Guscott knew she was ready to throw herself back into coaching, ready to focus on a team again.

“Here, I knew I wanted to get back into cross country, for the five years I was waiting for the job all I ever did was tell everyone how much I wanted the job,” Mrs. Guscott explained.

Unfortunately, the timing of her desire was not right once she became available. Mrs. Guscott filled the time coaching cheerleading, and then, in 2010 took over the position as the girls cross country coach after the retirement of the previous coach.

As the Cinnaminson girls cross country coach, Mrs. Guscott has created a welcoming atmosphere for all girls who wish to join the team regardless of their strengths. She has created many of her own traditions from cupcake Fridays, to even fun run Fridays. She has grown as a coach and as a teacher for the past 33 years.

Mrs. Guscott has enjoyed every season and team that she has coached but is ready to hand over her title.

“I’ve wanted more time to do things with my family; I wanted to be more available for them,” she said about her stepping down from the program.

As the seasons have added up, Mrs. Guscott has appreciated her time coaching such diverse groups of girls and getting to know various types of people through the sport. She has had many memorable moments from winning divisions, beating rival teams and helping her team to qualify for the state championships in her last year of coaching.

Mrs. Guscott is proud of the group she created with each XC team.

“We had such a good support network going. We had zero negativity on the team and when you shut that down it makes the girls more comfortable. I think it was a place where girls could just be themselves, and not be judged. And I’m hoping that that sort of community can continue with the next coach,” Mrs. Guscott finished.