John Covert’s influence as a coach during his Ossining High School tenure extended beyond the boundaries of the Town of Ossining. One of Croton-Harmon High School’s premier runners, a state champion, Bob Cook, petitioned his coach to allow him to train with the Ossining runners under Covert. Unusual? Yes. Successful? Very. Cook trained with Ossining’s cross-country team most of the days in the week, and when the gun went off to start that year’s cross-country championship, the runner to finally take home not only the spot as the top Class C runner in New York, but the runner whose time was the absolute fastest of the day, over all the classes, was Bob Cook.
But the best was yet to come. Two of Croton’s top cross-country and track & field athletes, Jim Burhans and Bill Murphy, enrolled as students in their junior year at Ossining High for the express purpose of running for Coach John Covert and his teams. Croton has just dropped both its cross country and track programs. While Murphy in time had his own car to make the daily trip from Croton to Ossining, about 5 miles, Jim Burhans, whose father worked for the railroad, hopped a train every school day for the next two years, and after disembarking at the Ossining train station, began the mile hike to the high school, mostly uphill all the way. Murphy had great success with the Ossining squads, and it was Burhans who made his mark over and over, setting records along the way, an integral part of Ossining’s cross-country and track power, helping to bring home both state and local championships. During his years at Ossining, he and John Lengers, another Ossining super star, dueled for the top two spots whenever they ran together.
They came because of John Covert. When you want to win, find a winner to work with you.
But the best was yet to come. Two of Croton’s top cross-country and track & field athletes, Jim Burhans and Bill Murphy, enrolled as students in their junior year at Ossining High for the express purpose of running for Coach John Covert and his teams. Croton has just dropped both its cross country and track programs. While Murphy in time had his own car to make the daily trip from Croton to Ossining, about 5 miles, Jim Burhans, whose father worked for the railroad, hopped a train every school day for the next two years, and after disembarking at the Ossining train station, began the mile hike to the high school, mostly uphill all the way. Murphy had great success with the Ossining squads, and it was Burhans who made his mark over and over, setting records along the way, an integral part of Ossining’s cross-country and track power, helping to bring home both state and local championships. During his years at Ossining, he and John Lengers, another Ossining super star, dueled for the top two spots whenever they ran together.
They came because of John Covert. When you want to win, find a winner to work with you.