Robinson makes best of 'second career'

By Joey Schwindt
Sports Writer

James Robinson, the current and long-time LCC cross country and track coach, has made quite an impact on both programs throughout his time at the college.

Throughout his 19-year tenure with the school as a coach in some capacity, he has played a role in six of the school’s national championships.

“It is one of the most rewarding things I have done in my life,” Robinson said. “I started coaching later in life and it is really a second career for me in retirement, but it has been exceedingly fun and very rewarding.”

Robinson started his coaching career as the Portland High School cross country and track head coach from 2002 to 2005. From there, Robinson began his tenure as a Star with Lansing Community College in 2005, serving as the volunteer throwing coach for the track and field team.

In his very first season as assistant coach for LCC’s cross country teams in 2007, the men’s team won the NJCAA Division 1 National Championship. That team was led by then-Head Coach Chuck Block.

Robinson took over for Block as head coach of the cross country teams in 2014.  Since becoming head coach, Robinson has coached the Stars to four women’s cross country national titles and one men’s cross country national title. The women won back-to-back NJCAA Division 1 National Championships in 2015 and 2016.

A few years later, the women won back-to-back NJCAA Division 2 National Championships, in 2021 and 2022.

This past season, Robinson won his first NJCAA Division 2 Men’s Cross Country National Championship as head coach.

Outside of LCC, Robinson has also led the Playmakers running team to a USA Track and Field (USATF) 8K team national championship. This puts his current national championship total to six as a head coach and one as an assistant.

“Turns out that I really like working with college-aged people in this capacity,” Robinson said. “It is fun and rewarding to be able to (play) a role in helping them make that transition from high school to college, and having an effect on their maturing as people and runners.”

Currently, Robinson and the Stars are looking for their second Men’s NJCAA Division 2 National Championship in just as many years. This year's squad has a lot of trust in the coach in helping lead them to do so.

“To me, coach represents a great leader,” LCC sophomore Cameron Pierce said. “Without him I do not think we would have ever come as far as we have now.”

A large amount of Robinson’s success can be credited to his coaching style and trust he builds among each of his runners year in and year out.

“I think (coach) is a huge asset to the team because he has a high knowledge (of) running and brings a lot of positive energy,” LCC sophomore Tomás Rampe said. “We can all put our trust blindly in him because we can see what he has done in the past and what he has done for us (in) our own running careers.”