As a physics teacher at Fox Chapel Area High School and head coach of the Foxes’ boys’ and girls’ track and field and cross country teams, Tom Moul understands the relationship between the sports and how motion, energy, and acceleration affect training and peak performance.
Coach Moul’s athletes might not be aware of the complicated physics and mathematic calculations behind these concepts — they just know they work. They also know the coach’s supportive emphasis on goal setting is a very effective way to achieve improved results.
Coach Moul is now in his eighth season as head track and field coach and last fall completed his third season leading the cross country teams. He’s well-known for collecting data and statistics and then using them to individualize his athletes’ workouts. He usually has the most information on higher-level runners, but is fastidious about designing workouts that will help all runners get better.
“I like to develop strategies for practices,” says the coach, who holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University, an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh, and teaching certificates in both math and physics. “I like numbers and how they can prepare every athlete to maximize their potential. My goal is to help all of them continually improve themselves, no matter what their skill level.
Because I didn’t run when I was young, I think it’s made me extra motivated to continue learning and to prepare well for every race.”
A former football player at North Hills High School and Carnegie Mellon University, he first was asked to coach track when he was a young teacher and football coach at Pine-Richland High School. His knowledge of the sport was pretty much limited to watching his father coach it. Tom Sr., a track and football coach for 35 years, helped bring his son up-to-speed. Coach Moul also read extensively, talked with experts who study the sport, and had many conversations with competitive runners. In other words, he did what scientists and mathematicians do — research, observe, and analyze.
As his interest and familiarity with the sport grew, Coach Moul started running himself. He acknowledges it helped him appreciate what it takes to become competitive and made him a better coach as well. He and his wife, Laura, now like to compete in triathlons and run road races for fun.
He also is an avid mountain biker, but adds, “only when the weather is nice,” and enjoys home improvement projects.
“I can do a lot of things, but I don’t consider myself an expert in anything,” he quips.
Many of his athletes would dispute that comment.
Under his leadership, each year the Foxes send numerous cross country and track and field athletes to the WPIAL and PIAA championships. Many of his former athletes say Coach Moul is one of the best coaches they ever had and is someone who cares about each and every athlete, no matter what their skill level. Other graduates enjoyed their experience so much that they occasionally attend meets when they are in town. This season three former team members are helping out as volunteer assistants.
“Beginning with the first few days of track, Coach Moul emphasized the importance of goals in running, and as a result, the importance of goals in life,” says senior Elias Graca, who is ranked second in Pennsylvania and third in the country in the indoor 800-meter race. “Coach’s method of directing me toward personal records and goals early on helped me to develop an ability to deal with losses and continue to improve my own performance. Looking back, it’s pretty clear that this mindset helped me to transition from beating my own times to trying to beat others in important races.”
Something else is pretty clear too: Coach Moul’s natural inclination might be scientific, but judging from the appreciative comments of his current and former team members, his influence has reached well beyond statistics and calculations.