Cross-Country is one of the biggest sports here at RCHS. With 18 guys and 19 girls, the sport is the back-bone of our fall sports presence. As the years go by, and between the two teams, the need for new coaches is ever-present. This year, they welcomed a new coach to the Wildcat leadership pantheon: Assistant Coach Dave Salge. Salge studied at the College of New Jersey and University of Louisville where he has degrees in Art Education and Clinical Mental Health Counseling. 

 On Salge’s opinion of RCHS, Salge said “RCHS is a very different setting than where I went to high school.  I grew up in a densely populated, extended suburb… in northern New Jersey.”  

After Salge got his undergraduate degree, he moved to a close, small West Virginia town. “…RCHS reminds me of this West Virginia community.  I love thinking about how students from all over the county come together to form RCHS.  There are some real characters on the cross-country team, and they are doing a great job of introducing me to what it means to be from Rockbridge County , ” said Salge.

Salge’s coaching goals are based on quality, not quantity. 

“I want to build relationships with student-athletes on the team, support each runner to reach their individual goals/potential, and cultivate a sense of community within the team,” said Salge.  “I also look forward to learning from the other coaches. We all have unique backgrounds.” 

“Running has always grounded me in difficult times and led me to meet some amazing people…I often reflect on what I am running from, what I am running through, and what I am running to,” said Salge. “Competing on a team is a bonus. It is a gift to celebrate finishes with others.” I couldn’t have said it better.