By: centraljersey.com
On Sunday, Rich Refi will be honored as Northeast Regional Coach of the Year for girls cross country.
It’s the second time that the Hillsborough track and cross country head coach has earned the distinction. He was named the spring track Coach of the Year in 2003.
"It means a lot because you figure just comparing yourself even to the coaches in New Jersey is a big deal," said Refi, who will be honored at a luncheon Sunday at Pines Manor in Edison by the New Jersey State Coaches Association. "Now it opens up to the whole region. I told the girls at practice that they’re making me look smart. They’re accomplishing so many things that it makes me look like a really smart guy." Refi’s girls put together quite a 2010 cross country season that culminated with a second straight team title at the Meet of Champions and another trip to the Northeast Regional meet. They also won the Shore Coaches championship race and championships in the Somerset County, Central Jersey Group IV and state Group IV meets.
"I always thought some of my better jobs were when we didn’t win as much," Refi said. "The year we came in third (in 2008), I thought I might have done a better job. You usually get awards when you win. They didn’t really think they had the capability to be near the top. It’s a matter of getting them to believe in themselves."
Refi has been working to help kids believe in themselves since he took over the Hillsborough boys in 1997 and the girls in 2003. Four years after taking over the girls, they reached the Group IV meet. The next year, they made the MOC as a wild card entry and finished third. They have won the last two state titles.
"I don’t think I do things much differently," Refi said. "What I try to do now is try to get the kids to understand why they’re doing certain things. I think when the kids know what they’re doing, they do it better.
"Kids are kids. You’re going to get kids with more talent certain years and kids without as much talent certain years. It’s how can you maximize the talent."
This year was impressive in that Refi’s Raiders lost their top runner, Ashley Smolinka, to graduation, but saw significant improvement across the board, including developing Julianna Miller into a top-level runner who actually snapped most of Smolinka’s best marks. Along the way, the Raiders set several team marks for course times.
"Teenagers, they’re full of uncertainty by nature," Refi said. "Getting them to become confident is a lot of the battle.
"I think every human being, teenager or adult, is capable of more than they think they are. It’s just a matter of getting them to do it."
Refi’s ability to do so helped earn him recognition by the NJSCA, which named him the state Coach of the Year. A month ago, Refi found out that he had been named the regional Coach of the Year as well, and he’s happy to be able to represent the high level of coaching at Hillsborough on Sunday.
Said Refi: "It’s a nice honor."

