CALDWELL, Idaho – As the head coach of The College of Idaho cross country and track programs,
Austin Basterrechea is responsible for around 100 student-athletes on campus.
It's a large task, however one that fits the personality of the 2014 graduate of the school well.
Coaches at the NAIA level have an active role in all aspects of the program, requiring immense time and effort throughout the year.
For many, the summer months can be an opportunity to recharge their batteries and get ready for the new academic year.
Then there's Basterrechea, who spent this past summer serving as a wildland firefighter.
"I initially became involved in wildland firefighting while I was in college and used it as a means to work through school," Basterrechea said. "I originally started working in Shoshone and have moved around the state since."
While no longer fighting fires to help pay for his schooling, he has still stayed involved.
"Last summer I worked in the Boise District up until cross country started," Basterrechea said. "It may sound odd, but I definitely enjoy it in part due to the manual labor. My takeaway from fighting fires has been that there is always something to learn. I feel that it has helped me to be better versed in different disciplines like land management, prevention and safety that I wouldn't be affiliated with if I was just involved in coaching. In a way, it's a testament to the values of the College in staying well-rounded."
With track and field, any coach has to be well-rounded in a variety of technical aspects due to the broad range of events in the sport.
Basterrechea set seven school records during his time as a student at C of I, including in the decathlon, long jump, high jump, 4x400-meter relay and heptathlon.
He says those experiences have helped when working with the student-athletes within the Coyote programs.
"While I am far from an expert in all of the events I competed in, I do feel very confident in writing training. I'm comfortable stepping in and helping out athletes with a variety of events, whether it's our throws, jumps, hurdles or anything else. I've been lucky enough that our coaching staff has excelled and there isn't a huge need for me to assist, but I'm more than poised to do so when necessary."
There has been no shortage of success for C of I in recent history, including cross country claiming the first-ever combined national championship for the school this past fall.
According to Basterrechea, it has taken a key group of people to make all of the positive results possible, including Pat McCurry,
Mike Anderson,
Mark Murdock, Matt Barclay,
Zach Barclay and all other coaches that have been and are still involved in the program.
"I believe our success has come from the idea of a team-first mentality and that everyone matters," Basterrechea said. "What I see, specific to track and field, is that it is very easy for our sport to become about individual accolades. As a coaching staff, it has continued to be our priority to emphasize the importance of doing what is best for the team as a whole. We intentionally seek out athletes who we believe can be a good fit for our team and help grow the values we have in place."
The student-athletes within the program are appreciative of the approach.
"Austin is an amazing coach and cares about the success of his athletes, not only on the track, but in the classroom," said sophomore sprinter
Madison Glascock.
Providing valuable feedback to everyone on the team is an important component of what Basterrechea does.
"Austin is someone I can trust to be honest with me about whether I'm putting my best effort in," said junior distance runner
Madison Kingsbury. "He encourages me to put my best effort into track, school and my other responsibilities. I'm grateful for a coach that coaches me on and off the track."
While there is little doubt about how results-driven the fourth-year coach is, he also has the ability to change the tone when needed.
"He's goofy and fun but also serious for track," said sophomore sprinter
Payton Anderson. "He wants to win and wants us to compete at our very best. He's also caring for his athletes and is always checking up on us."
In addition to working with the student-athletes within the program, Basterrechea enjoys his interactions with all members of the campus community.
"My favorite part about working at C of I is the sense of community," he said. "I don't believe there are a lot of colleges where the track and field coach can have an in-depth conversation with the presidents while walking across campus. Coming from a small community, when I initially came to The College of Idaho, the community aspect gave me a sense of familiarity that helped with my transition to college. It's something that still sticks out to me today."
Basterrechea is one of nine head coaches on campus that have returned to their alma matter to coach.
Picking one favorite moment from his own time as a Yote was a challenge though, with many to choose from.
"We've been doing self-reflection videos with members of our cross country team and I had to do some serious research into my performances in college," Basterrechea said. "I think as an athlete I tended to focus on performances where lessons were learned."
As a senior, he was looking to win the 110-meter hurdles at conference. When seeding came out for the event he was seeded below the top eight, meaning he would have to take the event from the slower heat.
"Unfortunately, there are only eight lanes on a track, so that put me in the slower heat at conference. Not exactly where I wanted to be. To apply a little pressure to myself I started talking with the coaches and some of my teammates about how I was going to win the hurdles from the slower heat. I'm not sure I would encourage or take the same approach today but it's definitely a fond memory given the outcome. The 110-meter hurdles weren't an event I picked up until college and it was a large learning curve throughout my career. To have that stamp on my senior season was a memory I won't forget."
Six years later in his role as a coach, Basterrechea now works every day to help other athletes to reach similar success in their own journeys, something which has been at a surplus in his four years leading the program.
