TThe coveted was richly deserved by Drew and is recognition of the stunning transformation he has achieved in many of his students in a remarkably short time. Drew graduated from Cranbrook in 2018, returning the following year to begin his coaching career.

“When I was in Year 11 my brother Kurt Fryer (OC 2015) had started coaching at Cranbrook,” Drew said. “I saw how much he enjoyed it so after graduating I decided to come back to Cranbrook with Kurt and we’ve been coaching the Cross Country and the Athletics middle-distance team together ever since.”

Drew had immediate coaching success at the annual Combined Associated Schools Championships (CAS) with one of his students, Nic Rodgers, Year 12, winning the 400m and 800m. Drew recommended Nic seek coaching outside of School, but the talented Year 12 athlete asked the Old Cranbrookian to train him one-on-one. Drew decided to concentrate on coaching, commencing weekly training sessions with Nic for the 2019/20 season. Nic’s times improved dramatically, culminating in him winning bronze in the 800m at the Australian Junior Championships earlier this year.

“With Drew being a relatively young coach, it means he has been through what every single one of us has been through,” said Nic. “This means he not only understands what will help us improve but also what is going on in our lives. He is there on a personal level for all the boys, understanding that our lives have focuses other than running.”

With other promising athletes seeking his help, Drew had two other runners competing at the Australian Junior Championships. Year 10 student George Perkins took his 3000m personal best from 10:30 to 9:06—a staggering improvement—while Year 9 student Matthew Radvin slashed his time from mid-11 minutes for 3000m to 9:43.

“Drew is extremely enthusiastic and caring about everything he does in his coaching,” George said. “He puts so much effort into the boys he coaches, whether during a training session or a race day. Drew is a great person to look up to as well—not only as a coach and athlete but a person. He is always humble and diligent in everything he does and sets a great example for the younger athletes that he coaches.”

Drew received his award at Bankwest Stadium in June after the ceremony was moved from the NSW Parliament due to COVID-19 restrictions. Drew says the honour is, however, not about him but for the students who he says have put their trust in him as a mentor. It is sure to inspire his current crop of talented young athletes, and it is great for Cranbrook to have an award-winning coach running its Cross Country and Athletics programmes.

Humble and modest, Drew says that one of his primary motivations for coaching is seeing the transformation of each individual athlete and their resulting accomplishments. He finds joy in guiding students towards realizing their potential, both on and off the track. His passion stems from his own experiences as a Cranbrook student, and he is committed to paying it forward.

“I don’t do this for the recognition,” Drew explained. “It’s about the students—helping them grow and develop in their own way.”

“The most enjoyable thing for me about coaching isn’t actually the results or when the boys finish a race with a new PB. I always look forward to training – being at training is by far my favourite thing about coaching. Just being around the group in that team environment.

“It’s my responsibility to make all the boys feel like they want to be there. Distance running is one of the hardest things you can do, so you can’t expect kids to put the effort in when they aren’t enjoying who they are doing it with.”

Drew, who is currently juggling full-time study at UTS, a part-time job in retail, as well as running the world’s third fastest 3000m for a Junior (U20) last season, outlined two coaching goals.

WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT DREW

GEORGE SAYS…

Drew is extremely enthusiastic and caring about everything he does in his coaching. He puts so much effort into the boys he coaches whether during a training session or a race day. Drew is a great person to look up to as well – not only as a coach and athlete but a person. He is always humble and diligent in everything he does and sets a great example for the younger athletes that he coaches.

NIC SAYS…

With Drew being a relatively young coach, it means he has been through what every single one of us has been through. This means he not only understands what will help us improve but also what is going on in our lives. He is there on a personal level for all the boys, understanding that our lives have focuses other than running.

HAYDEN SAYS…

His enthusiasm and belief never wavers and he is always willing to adapt his methods to meet the needs of the athletes under his guidance. You only need to mention one of his runners and you can watch Drew’s face light up with excitement at the potential he sees in them.