Coaches

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My wife Marie and I met in high school on the track team, so running seems to have been a theme in our relationship and family from the very beginning.  All 3 of our kids have competed as distance runners at Whitney. Jenica (2014), Logan (2017), and Ethan (2020) each ran both XC and track all four years, then pursued their running careers at the college level.

Running has been a big part of my life since high school back in the early 1980’s. I didn’t even know cross country was a sport til I was at Oakmont High School, but picked it up there and other than a couple lazy spells in my early adulthood, I’ve been running and/or training ever since.  My best race distance in high school was the 800m, but my real love of distance running is cross country, especially coaching it.

Our approach at Whitney emphasizes patience, purpose, pacing and team work in training and racing, while paying respect to the math and physiology of the sport. Because I was not naturally elite as a cross country athlete, much of my focus over the decades was on how to maximize potential and technique so that I could outperform someone with more talent in a big race when it counted.

And so through much of my 30’s and 40’s, I spent a lot of time studying what was effective and what was ineffective, not just for me personally, but for other runners as well. I don’t compete nearly as much as I used to, but still run and train. Immersing myself into the Whitney Distance Team, training these runners and building relationships, has become my biggest passion.

I am humbled and honored to be a part of the Whitney distance program. My family
has been part of this program since the fall of 2019 and since that time we feel so
fortunate that we have been able to positively impact the program and be a part of
its success.

My two daughters were able to be a part of many memorable moments and
victories, as members of Whitney Distance. Both teams have had several league
and section champions over the years. However, one of the most memorable
moments was in November of 2023 when the girls XC team was 2 nd at the State
Championship with a 5K team average of just over 18:30.

This program truly changed their lives for the best and put them on a trajectory for
success. Katie competes for Oregon State and Ava for California.

Both learned so much about leadership, dedication, training, teamwork, and how to
make sacrifices to achieve team and individual goals.

A little bit about me. I grew up running trails in the Silicon Valley and I have always
had a passion for athletic competition, but especially for running. I attended track
powerhouse, Independence High School. There I learned dedication and
commitment from legendary coach Stan Dowell.

As a member of the 76ers, we won three Central Coast Section titles in Track while I
was a member of the distance squad. My high school 1600M time was 4:16.3
(Everyone always asks)

I had terrific mentors in HS and college that were positive influences in my life. I had
unique and rewarding experiences in competing at the Div 2 and Div 1 levels for
Stan State and Arizona. I ran every race available to distance runners in HS and
College, including the 4x400m relay. I have great enthusiasm for the success of our
student athletes and really enjoy being a part of their journey to adulthood and
beyond.

After receiving my Business degree, I spent a year as a grad-assistant for Kim Duyst
at Stan State. Soon after that, in the mid – 90s I taught and coached at Piedmont
Hills with Sprint Coach Bill Frost. In 1998, I left education and have been a Territory
Sales Manager ever since. My wife, Linda and I have been married for 22 years and
enjoy traveling, live music and spending time with friends and family here in Rocklin
where we have called home since 2005.