Coach Woodbury with former runners Brian and Michelle Atkinson.
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Melbourne High School cross country coach T.J. Woodbury has been a fixture on the running scene in Brevard County for over a decade. It’s where he first found the sport and where he would retire from that love.
After graduating from Palm Bay High school in 1991, he decided to give back to his alma mater.
“I got started back in 1992 when I volunteered at my high school. I only ran one year in high school. I was a swimmer. My coach had stepped down while I was at a nearby community college so I asked the athletic director if I could come out and help. The track coach was happy to have an unpaid assistant come out and coach the distance kids.”
That help turned into three seasons of coaching track (92-94) and two seasons of cross country (93-94). The 1993 boys cross country team placed fifth at states and over that time Woodbury coached some top qualifiers including Tom Williams who went on to run for FIU as well as a couple of other runners who signed with Eastern Illinois and Tulane.
After getting a college education at the University of South Florida, Woodbury returned to Brevard County to accept a teaching and coaching position at Melbourne High School in 2002. In the classroom he teaches students advanced placement psychology and world history, as well as regular versions. Outside of school, he has been the track coach since 2002 and coaching cross country since 2004.
Over the years he has plenty of memories including two state championships.
I do a yearbook with all the kid’s times from their races and any fun stories whether it be from camp or what not. Every year our yearbook has pages of pages of great stories we try to capture forever. In 2006 when the girls won I remember being mugged by them and handing out the team scores. Brian Atkinson and I were actually walking across the infield in 2007 and they announced the boy’s team championship, so I remember that.”
Despite the success, he says the main reason he does it is for the kids.
“We are the sport, we are the group, we are the family that takes everybody and that’s what I enjoy most about the sport. Yeah, I never imagined winning a state title. All my mentors never won state titles. They were always kid first coaches. They were always in it for the kids. The kid that ran a 20 minute 5k and watching him break the 20 min mark. For cross country it’s just a great group of kids and watching them achieve success and their goals is something I remember and take the most pride out of.”
It will be bittersweet for Woodbury who is stepping down to spend time with his family. Woodbury and his wife are expecting their second child in a couple of weeks. He realizes he couldn’t give his undivided attention to both his running family and family at home.
“I couldn’t give what I wanted to cross country and be the dad that I wanted to be it just wasn’t going to happen. It wasn’t fair to the kids. They deserve my best effort or they deserve someone else. I was blessed to find someone who loves cross country as much as I do to take over, Bob Terry, he’s been coaching for decades, and I’m lucky enough to have him do it.”
All those years of teaching, coaching, and being a family man, he admits he couldn’t have done it alone. He thanks his wife and great support staff for a successful career.
“It helps to have a very understanding wife and I’ve had other coaches who have helped. I’ve had Brenda Sadowski who was the girls coach but we were really co-coaches. Nobody is out there doing it by themselves and those who do are cheating someone either their family, kids, or athletes.”
Not one to bask in the limelight Woodbury says he would like to be remembered not for the state titles but for the passion he brought to the sport.
“If people think about me I guess they hope that I was an approachable person and put kids above everything. I was a coach that you could come talk to. I was happy to talk about cross country. There are no secrets in this sport. We’re all in this for the kids.”
Message From A Former Runner
Brian Atkinson, a 2010 Melbourne graduate, who is now running collegiately for the Duke Blue Devils talks about what makes Coach Woodbury such a special coach and person.
“Coach Woodbury was such an awesome coach, incredibly knowledgeable about the sport, and very good at making kids work hard. With his psychology background he's a master manipulator (which was good for a stubborn speed work hating runner like myself), but he also heeded every runner's concerns and took note of them. I think that quality is why we hardly had any injuries.”
“He is also pretty hilarious. He is never without a comeback, and he often comes up with some terribly corny puns. Everyone on the guy’s team has been dominated verbally by coach at some point (all in good fun, of course).”
“The year we won states was spectacular. Coach Woodbury peaked us to perfection with four of our top five guys running huge PRs (everyone except myself) at the meet. That year the guy’s team really meshed well -- everyone on the varsity squad wanted to be good, and that desire is really all Woodbury needs to make someone good. More importantly, Coach Woodbury is a great role model for all of his runners and former runners. He always has helpful advice to those in need (about running or anything else), and he is a dedicated father and teacher.”