A disc golf course and landmark ice cream shack might seem an unconventional venue for the first practice of two college cross country teams. But Roy’s All Steak Hamburger and Golf Center in Auburn proved to be the ideal gathering spot for the Bates men’s and women’s teams as they embark on their second season as one program.
As head coach Danny Feldman called out ice cream orders in the age-old practice of snack shacks everywhere, the 49 runners who surrounded him at the counter one by one grabbed their soft-serve celebratory cones and — having just run anywhere from nine to 13 miles — had at it.
For a half century, the Bates men’s and women’s cross country teams were run as two separate programs until the college changed that last year. When Feldman took over as head coach of the program in the 2022 season, he wanted to build a unified culture. Quirky and silly as it may sound, Roy’s was a part of that.
Using the iconic venue for the program’s first workout — and as a fun way to welcome Bates’ first-years to the teams — is just one of many new practices Feldman is using to shape the two teams into a single culture focused on community and transparency. The team used to use the disc golf course on occasion. Now the Auburn landmark is their regular Wednesday-workout training ground.
“It started last year when I arrived, but I’m making it a tradition,” Feldman said of Roy’s. “I thought that after a summer of training, much of which was completely individual, it would be special and symbolic to celebrate our first workout of the year as a team — and our new team members, with ice cream.”
Some other ways Feldman aims to build community in the program is by requiring the runners to report their mileage on the GPS app, Strava, something that was done occasionally in the past, but now occurs program-wide. He also instituted “community runs” every Thursday, when the men’s and women’s teams run together (sometimes joined by fans from faculty and staff). The relaxed runs are intended to emphasize rest and recovery — something Feldman is big on.
“They’ve all picked a silly sport to do. You’re competing in three (consecutive) seasons. It’s physically, mentally and spiritually draining,” Feldman said. “They need to recharge.”
The regular Wednesday training runs at Roy’s is yet one more new custom added to the Bobcat’s newly unified program.
“Whenever I start a new coaching job I look up places to run on Google Maps. I asked the seniors for suggestions,” Feldman said. “This place is five minutes away. The grass mimics a cross country course. I love Roy’s. The workouts are hard, but they build confidence. They also should leave feeling they had a bit more left. We’re looking for consistency.”
While a disc golf course may be a bit unconventional as a regular training ground for a college cross country team, Roy’s has quickly become a favorite among the Bobcats. They used to train more at their home race course, Pineland Farms in New Gloucester, a half-hour drive from campus. Now they consider Roy’s their home turf. (Another occasional local workout spot for Bates cross country teams has long been Riverside Cemetery. Back in the mid-1970s during the Walt Slovenski era, workouts here were called “graveyards.”)
“When we were running on the course last year, someone was throwing a disc while we ran past, that was definitely odd,” said Kahryn Cullenberg ’24 of Chesterville, Maine, with a laugh.
“We also use Strava more. This summer we could see what everyone was running. It was fun to check and see their photos and maps of their courses. Everyone is running fast paces early. “
Cullenberg said she prefers Roy’s because the disc golf course is closer to campus than Pineland Farms and it’s more similar to other NESCAC courses, which mostly run through grassy, flat fields, rather than woods. She also appreciates that Roy’s offers far-reaching views, so she can see her teammates training hard in the distance.
Feldman’s efforts to build community and unity have been welcomed by Bobcats on both teams, which have already seen success in his short tenure. Last season, the women’s team finished 14th in the country at the NCAA Championships, matching their best showing ever on the national stage, while the men’s team qualified for the national meet for the 11th time in program history, placing 22nd.
The one-program approach at Bates also is now the norm in track and field. Come the indoor season, Curtis Johnson serves as the head coach of both teams, while Feldman is one of the assistant coaches.
On Aug. 23, after a lengthy warmup, four groups of women, five groups of men, and one group made up of both, set off one-by-one at near-race pace. According to Feldman, putting male runners rebounding from injuries in a group of women learning to run near race pace can serve both.
“That was my group,” said Ben Huston ’25 of Vergennes, Vt. “Myself and two other guys are getting over injuries. We helped the women with pacing and they helped us get back to training. It’s a nice way to get to know them. We’ve had different training programs the past two years. People really like it. People are really committed. As a team, we look really good.”
As the Bobcats circled the half-mile circuit around the disc course a dozen times, Feldman stood at the flagged starting line yelling encouragement, joined by assistants Art Feeley and Alison Leonard ‘10. The pace run by the 10 groups varied widely, but the message delivered by Feldman in myriad cheers was the same.
“Ladies and gentlemen, you look great. Keep it up,” he said to one group, before turning to another with: “Nice job, ladies. Welcome back to cross country!”
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