Girls Prep of the Week: Caroline Barlow, Gulf Coast cross country

• By SCOTT BUTHERUS
• Posted November 5, 2012 at 8 p.m.

Sometimes the relationship between player and coach can get a little complicated if the coach also is your father, but for Gulf Coast cross country runner Caroline Barlow that relationship is all business out on the track.

"She is actually very, very disciplined so it makes it fairly easy to keep that father-daughter/coach-player distinction," head coach Paul Barlow said.

"I like it because I know that he will push me," Caroline said. "Also, he knows me better than other coaches would, so he knows what I can do and really wants to help me achieve my best."

Caroline was all business on Wednesday, finishing second behind Fort Myers' Emily Edwards with a time of 19:28 to lead a trio of Sharks who all finished in the top four, and propelled Gulf Coast to the 3A-District 12 title for the first time in school history.