Meet Coach Ngo as his athletes call him. Thanh Ngo is a Track and Field & Cross Country Coach. He is sharing his knowledge, experience, and expertise on Track & Field and Cross Country. He is a valuable team member at Omega Sports and has really helped them add some fun and flair to their Track & Field activewear.
Coach Ngo will answer questions during the show and discuss the new Track & Field/XC online shop. He recently curated this shop for Omega Sports to provide essentials and authorized gear, plus a useful resource guide to help parents and athletes find exactly what they need.
Del and Thanh will also talk about celebrating AAPI Heritage Month (Asian American Pacific Islanders) and why it’s important to them.
Meet Coach Ngo
Born and raised in Winston-Salem, NC., Thanh fell in love with running early on and really enjoys the challenge, community, and camaraderie that comes with this inclusive sport. In high school, Thanh really enjoyed track especially the 400 meter, 800 meter, and mid-distance events. While Coach Ngo really enjoys coaching runners at all distances, he really enjoys coaching the mid-distance levels the most. It lets him live vicariously through the kids he coaches and how they perform, learn and rise up to challenges.
Coach Ngo currently resides in Greensboro, NC, and started his coaching career volunteering at local high schools, while an undergraduate at UNC. He has been at Northern Guilford High School coaching since 2009. You’ll find some of Coach Ngo’s enthusiastic young runners at local running events and throughout the running community. Thanh’s passion for coaching his students is apparent when he describes his love for running and training younger athletes. It also shows when you meet any one of the talented, dedicated, and hard-working young runners that he coaches.
Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
The month of May is dedicated to recognizing the influence and significant addition of Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of this country. The Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI population) is comprised of over 40 different ethnic subgroups and is the fastest-growing racial group in the United States. This has been an especially mindful year for the AAPI community due to recent events trending across the country.
AAPI has a special meaning for Coach Ngo. Thanh’s parents are refugees from Vietnam and came to the U.S. during the 1970s. Growing up, English was Thanh’s second language and he learned to adjust and assimilate to the culture here during his younger school years. While his parents learned English, Thanh and his brother were certainly the voices and eyes and ears for their parents along the way. While he did experience his fair share of bullying for his ethnicity during this time, he hasn’t directly experienced any hate crimes to the degree that is currently happening to the Asian American community. As an Asian American himself, it’s difficult and painful to witness any demographic, race, or group experience the violence and recent events we are seeing across the country.
Our host Del is also Asian and can definitely relate to Thanh’s experience growing up in many ways. Del’s mother is from Thailand and moved to the U.S as a young woman in her twenties. English was also her second language and she struggled like many other Asian Americans with acclimating due to the many cultural differences and language barrier. But, being the strong, intelligent, and determined person she is, she adapted and thrived. She also received help from her son and it’s a fairly common experience to help your parents along the way. Del dedicates his childhood too much of his success and who he is today. “It teaches you patience, understanding and you learn how to think outside the box. It’s great that the Asian community are finding their voices while supporting and being allies to other groups that are just as important.” – Del
A vital team member at Omega Sports
Coach Ngo has been a valuable team member with Omega Sports since 2012 and has enjoyed combining his love for sports with his career. Along with the rest of the e-com team, he’s been instrumental in expanding the e-commerce side at Omega Sports. “It’s about learning, evolving and working hard to help further the success at Omega and to continue to grow and improve.” – Thanh
Thanh has been instrumental in creating a new Track & Field/XC online shop for Omega Sports. His years of experience coaching and being an athlete himself came in handy when developing this new shop. Thanh’s main focus was to make the best user experience possible for customers while being easy, assessable, streamlined, and user friendly.
Over the years, Thanh was frequently asked the same questions and frequently offered advice to his young runners and customers. This inspired Thanh to create a resource guide, which highlights the most requested products based on your discipline and specific needs at Track.OmegaSports.com
Track & Field/XC Q & A
Q: When should I invest more money on track spikes?
A: This is definitely a common question. For regular track running, spikes aren’t necessary or required. However, if you’re looking to advance and take it to the next level, spikes are a great addition to help make you competitive. Spikes are designed and based on level and help runners break personal records, beat times, and be competitive. For affordability, it’s great to start with entry-level spikes then move up along the way to mid-level and advanced tier spikes as you progress. So, there’s definitely a price range and a range of levels.
Q: At what age would you recommend introducing a child to cross country running?
A: While there isn’t an exact age that’s recommended to start, many kids start running at a young age. It’s important for the child to show interest in running and take the initiative to start. A great way to start is to join a local club or team and speak with the coach in your area.
Q: What should I be looking for in track & field spikes?
A: Spikes are highly specialized, so It’s best to start with what event or events you will be doing. Once you narrow down the category or discipline area, you should try on several different brands that fit your needs. They should be extremely comfortable or you may experience some pain while competing. We highly recommend you try them on, walk around the store or even have a free Proper-Fit Session by an Active-Play Expert at one of our stores.
Q: Can you order special sizes for track & field shoes?
A: Yes! While track spikes aren’t available in different widths, we are able to order special sizes for runners that may need a smaller size or even larger size. We are happy to special order size if needed.
Q: Are you excited to watch the Olympics? Any favorites?
A: Absolutely! Since the Olympics only come around every 4 years, it’s definitely something to look forward to. Usain Bolt is always a favorite!
Make sure to check out our new Track and Field Footwear Resource Guide for more commonly asked questions and detailed information.
