By McKenzie Days for the University of Oregon SOJC Track Bureau
On one fateful winter day in 2016, American middle-distance runner and soon-to-be world steeplechase champion Emma Coburn announced on Twitter her separation from her coaches, Mark Wetmore and Heather Burroughs, after “an amazing eight years.” Coburn had been coached by Wetmore and Burroughs since her early promising collegiate days at the University of Colorado.
In addition, Coburn said she would transition to her fiance, Joe Bosshard, as coach. Coburn said this week that it started from a convenience standpoint; she needed a coach, so Bosshard decided to coach her.
They did not anticipate leading an empowering, strong running group in their future, but that’s what happened.
“Joe was an accountant beforehand,” 2018 U.S. women’s marathon champion Emma Bates said. “But he decided to start coaching Emma and just realized his passion for it.”
Related: Emma Bates achieves success in her Boston Marathon debut
A couple of months after Coburn’s announcement, a person called to join. From there, the group steadily increased. It transformed from “one person to two people,” and a “third person wanted to join, and it grew.” Bates said she eventually reached out as well because she “loved what they were doing, and it seemed like a really fun group to be a part of.”
Although there was not an initial gender focus when the group blossomed, Team Boss slowly transformed into an all-women juggernaut running group. It features middle to long-distance runners Coburn, Maddie Alm, Dominique Scott, Kate Grace, Sara Sutherland, Aisha Praught-Leer, Cory McGee, Katie Rainsberger and Dani Jones.
“We’ve had men on our team too, and it’s great,” Coburn said. “But I think women have flocked to us because we have other women. So it kind of just snowballs.”
Coburn, Bates and McGee all made the U.S. team for the World Athletics Championships Oregon 22, and two of them will compete Sunday. Bates will run the marathon in the morning, and McGee advanced to the 1,500-meter final on Sunday night. Coburn will run in the 3,000-meter steeplechase final Wednesday night.
Bates and McGee have found great familiarity and comfort in Team Boss’ current women’s solidarity.
McGee said she grew up with three sisters so she “fitted in” straight away; she perceives the current all-women status as “the best thing in the world.”
Coburn, McGee and Bates attributed their feelings of ease and comfort in Team Boss to being “used to running with competitive women around them.” Bates said it is “not intimidating at all.” Rather, it is an aspect that “lifts her” and “makes her want to be a better athlete.”
“We aren’t opposed to having men on the team,” Bates said. “But I think it’s just because the women on the team are so strong and so confident in themselves and who they are as people and athletes, it attracts the same type of person.”
Bates said that being surrounded by like-minded people who have the same goals helps her and her teammates “elevate each other.” It feels empowering for Bates to know that “you’re right along with them.”
Another unusual aspect of Team Boss is that it surpasses sponsorship. There is not one common sponsor; Coburn, McGee and Jones are sponsored by New Balance, Scott by adidas, Praught-Leer by Puma, Grace by Nike and Bates by Asics.
So while the process of joining is selective, all the members choose to train together.
“Team Boss is a special beast,” Bates said. “I’m really excited to make them proud, to make Team USA proud and Asics, of course. But also my small team of female athletes.”
