Marble Falls running coach Schrader to retire
Marble Falls High School cross country head coach and distance running coach Chris Schrader officially announced his retirement, which goes into effect at the end of the 2023-24 school year.
Schrader had told those close to him during summer 2023 he would retire at the end if this school year.
“We worked pretty hard for 30 years,” he said. “(My wife Gina and I) have made good decisions. We’re not big spenders.”
Schrader, who is originally from Australia, came to the United States on a running scholarship thanks to the help of Pat Clohessy, another runner from Australia. Clohessy won the NCAA title in the three-mile run while competing for the University of Houston in 1961 and 1962. Clohessy was coaching and teaching at Xavier College in Melbourne. His path crossed with Schrader.
“He coached the best kids in Australia,” the Marble Falls coach said. “My times were pretty good.”
He soon discovered that while he had the times to run on the Division 1 level, his test scores needed to be higher. So he enrolled at Blinn College and transferred to Texas State University.
“It was the best decision I made,” he said of running at Blinn. “It opened up a whole new world. I had four or five friends who took me to their homes on the weekends.”
After he completed his studies, he spent 54 years coaching and excelled at “taking a kid who’s a beginner and in four years, here we are. Cause you can do a little bit every day, and your body adapts.”
The Mustangs advanced to the cross country regional meet all six years Schrader has been at the helm.
And he believes the program will continue to excel.
“I think we can get even better,” he said. “There are freshmen who are coming. They like the camaraderie and the work.”
One is Graham Goggans, younger brother of Garrett and Bailey Goggans. Bailey Goggans, who is a member of the Texas A&M women’s track and field team, won the 400- and 800-meter state titles in 2019 after taking gold in the 800 meters and bronze in the 400 meters in 2018.
She and current Marble Falls runners Nick Dahl and Tyler Hamblin ran at state meets under Schrader’s guidance.
Rising senior Tyler Hamblin, who is a three-year letterman, returns in 2024-25 along with Blake Cockrell. Rising sophomores Owen Martin, Colton Rutland and Connor Yaklin also are expected to return.
“Yaklin has won several 800(-meter races),” Schrader said. “Hunter Holder won the mile of the junior varsity division at the district meet.”
He also is Canyon Lake senior Cadence Patterson’s private coach. Patterson, who is headed to the University of Houston, is the District 27 and 28-4A area meet champion in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters.
Schrader credits the late Rick Edwards, who served as Marble Falls Independent School District president, for ensuring the Mustangs’ home cross country meet had an electronic timing device. Schrader said he requested the device, and Edwards made sure the program had it for one reason.
“I’ve never seen anybody make running 10 miles seem fun,” Schrader recalled Edwards telling him. “The kids are laughing and joking and cutting up.”
As for what he’ll do in retirement, Schrader said he and Gina have big plans.
“I need to go home and visit my son and grandson,” he said. “He’s 15. I’ve had little time over the years. I want to be able to walk on a plane and see things and do things with her.”
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