Joe Dare took over Cabrini’s cross country programs in 2014 when former Head Coach Tom O’Hora stepped down after 31 years at the helm. O’Hora had been the only head coach of the program.
Dare had an accomplished collegiate career in cross country and track at La Salle University, where he was named to the All-Atlantic 10 Cross Country First Team in 2004, 2005, and 2006 and earned all-region accolades in 2005 and 2006.
He also was a three-time All-Atlantic 10 performer in track, earning accolades for the indoor 3,000-meter and outdoor 5,000-meter events.
After stints coaching at his alma mater and St. Joseph’s University, Dare found himself energized to take on his first head coaching job on the Main Line. “This is a great area for cross country,” Dare said.
“The success of local programs like Villanova and Haverford show that this is definitely a place where our program can be successful.”
In just his first season as a head coach, Dare put his stamp on the program. He changed the structure of daily practices and weekly workouts.
“Our training was different than what was done in the past,” Dare says. “We probably doubled the amount of miles the team ran each week.”
Dare also didn’t want the importance of teamwork to get lost in this individualistic sport, so he focused on more team development with the runners.
“I have had the privilege to learn my coaching style from some of the best coaches in the business,” Dare said. “Those coaches have given me the knowledge and the confidence to build a successful program. I am happy that I can do that here for Cabrini.”
After reflecting on his first season of competition, Dare finds that his new practice and workout regiment paid off. Both the men and women competed with full squads at the 2014 Colonial States Athletic Conference championship meet, with the men finishing sixth and the women seventh.
Most importantly, all 14 student-athletes in the program saw significant improvements from the beginning to the end of the season.
With one season in the books, Dare looks to continue to grow the program into a perennial conference and regional contender. He hopes to add solid student-athletes to the program, while increasing alumni involvement with the team.
The Drexel Hill, Pa., native earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 2008, a USA Track and Field Level 1 coaching certification in 2012 and a Gamification Certificate from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School in 2013.
Many people know that Cabrini coaches often wear several hats at Cabrini, and Dare is no exception. He also works in Cabrini’s Campus Facilities department.
“It’s like a big family, and I couldn’t be happier.”