Photo via Ashley Ingebrigtsen ’25. South Salem High School’s racing track.
Robert Salberg has accepted a new position at South Salem High School this year as the head coach of the track team. He has been coaching at South since 2018 as a cross country coach, as well as a long distance and sprints coach for track and field since 2020. He will still be coaching long distance this season to add onto his new role in the program.
Salberg is currently a teacher at Howard Street Charter School as well as a director for the Children’s Educational Theater (CET) summer program at South. With Salberg’s experience and ability to direct, he has directed many plays at the Pentacle Theater.
“Theatre is a secret weapon of sorts; it prepares you for the unknown and unknowable. Having been a director and actor most of my life, those skills translate to coaching,” Salberg said
Salberg believes that his experience in being a director and working in theater for a large portion of his life has, and will be, a very effective skill in being a coach.
“Theatre teaches confidence, creativity, flexibility, empathy, collaboration and teamwork in a different sense than sports but also absolutely applicable. Every skill I have learned through the performing arts is utilized in my coaching on a daily basis and I do think it makes me a better coach,” Salberg said.
Why South?
In Salberg’s experience of working in Salem, South has proved to be one of the best schools in the district to him. He is very excited to have the opportunity to be a coach at South Salem High for years to come.
“I have been connected to South Salem High School in some form or another since 2002. Before South’s most recent remodel, Howard Street was located in the old Leslie Middle School part of South. I have taught at Howard Street since 2002, and Children’s Educational Theatre’s summer program and year-round office were also located at South. So, for me coaching at South is a no-brainer. I live in the neighborhood, I know a lot of the kids and I have always loved the culture of South. The students at South are the best and it is hands down the best high school in the district,
Salberg said.
Overall Goals for the Season
He is hoping that as a head coach for the track and field team, he will help every athlete grow at their own pace. Going into this year, because this will be his first year as a head coach, he does not want to hold his athletes to an extremely high standard and he is just wanting to see his athletes succeed in their own ways.
“My overall goal for every student-athlete is to see improvement, which will look different for everyone. Track and Field being a no-cut sport means we welcome athletes of all ability levels. We had great seniors last year who modeled strong work ethic, it is going to be exciting to see what this year’s group is going to be able to accomplish,” Salberg said
Salberg is ultimately hoping that this year’s team will be able to balance getting better at the sport but also making sure they can focus on bettering themselves. He finds it important that everyone on the team focuses on being a student as much as they focus on becoming better athletes.
“As a first-year head coach, I am hesitant to measure success in the number of state qualifiers. Success looks like committing to a culture that encourages athletes to be the best student-athletes they can be. I am not going into the season with any preconceived expectations. I will be introducing a bit of an accountability culture shift in the program; hopefully, those are our building blocks to success, but we plan to meet each athlete where they are,” Salberg said.
