Darcy Ahner, Head Coach UCSD Women – {dahner@ucsd.edu}

Darcy Ahner is in her ninth season as head coach of the UC San Diego women’s track and field program. The Triton women have placed in the top five in the NCAA Championships three out of the last seven years. 2009 proved to be a banner year for UCSD on the women’s side as Ahner led the Tritons to several meet victories, including a fifth consecutive California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) title. Two Tritons went on to win individual national titles in their events, paving the way for an unprecedented third-place team finish at the NCAA Championships and a final ranking of No. 2 in the U.S. Track and Field Coaches Association National Power Rankings. In 2016, Ahner was appointed to the coaching staff of USA Track & Field (USATF) for the Pan Am Combined Events Cup in Ottawa, Canada. Ahner, who also serves as an assistant with the men’s program, has over 25 years of college coaching experience, including 15 seasons on the La Jolla campus. A Level II USA Track and Field certified coach, Ahner is also a NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and serves as the strength and conditioning coach for the Triton track and field program. As an athlete, Ahner was a three-time NCAA Division I Championships qualifier, as well as a World Championships trials competitor in 1990. She graduated from New Mexico in 1990 with a degree in psychology and education.

Melody Axtell – Ventura College –  {melody_axtell1@vcccd.edu}

Melody, who is the head women’s cross country coach and an assistant track coach, help lead the VC women to two CCCAA state championship appearances  In 2017 as head coach, she helped lead the women to a Runner up finish at the Southern California Championships and a third place finish at the California State Championships. Coach Axtell received her Associate Degree from Ventura College in 2013 where she was a two-year standout in both cross country and track and field. She competed in the heptathlon on the track and was the Pirates’ high point scorer as a sophomore. Axtell transferred to compete in the heptathlon for Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. She graduated with honors from PLNU in 2015 with a degree in Exercise Sciences.

Dr. Jamal Cooks – Sprints / Hurdles / Relays – {jamalcooks@aol.com}

Dr. Jamal Cooks, who is currently the Director of Cross Country and Track and Field at Bishop O’Dowd High School, has led his school to 10 conference titles and 2 North Coast Section titles. He was named East Bay Coach of the Year in 2015. He is a certified Level 1 coach for all track and field event areas, a Level 2 coach in sprints jumps, and hurdles, through USA Track and Field, and a past invitee to the USATF Emerging Elite Coaches Camp at the Chula Vista Olympic Training Center. Dr. Cooks holds a Ph.D. in Language, Literacy, and Culture from the University of Michigan and is a full Professor at San Francisco State University.

Cameron Gary  – Jumps – {jump_coach@cox.net}

Cameron is a San Diego-based jumps, sprints, and strength coach. He has coached athletes at the Youth, high school, D-1 collegiate and elite levels.  Cameron is now the Head Track & Field Coach at El Cajon Valley High School. As a competitor, Cameron was a high school and collegiate conference champion, school record holder, national championship and 1984 United States Olympic Trials qualifier in the Triple Jump.

Cameron holds a USA Track & Field (USATF) Level III coaching certification in the jumps, and a Level II certification in the sprints, hurdles, and relays.  Cameron also holds a USA Weightlifting Level 1 Performance Coach certification and is a member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

Venus Jewett – Hurdles – {venus.jewett@pepperdine.edu}

Venus Jewett, who is in her fifth year assisting the Pepperdine cross country and track programs, has coached at virtually every level of the sport. Jewett had an impressive run as the head coach of the girls’ track team at Culver City High School between 2004-13. Her athletes rewrote the school’s records book in almost every event. Four of her athletes placed at the CIF state meet, including one state champion and one runner-up. She also started a track and field program at Culver City Middle School. An outstanding runner herself, Jewett was a five-time All-American at Northwest Missouri State University. She still holds several school records, including the 100, 200 and 400 meters, along with a host of indoor and relay records. She ran an Olympic qualifying time while at Northwest. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in science communications in 1989. She continues to run, and has won a national championship in both the 100 and 200 meters in the USATF masters track and field program. In 2012, Jewett was invited to run at the Olympic trials in an exhibition 400-meter masters race. Jewett was selected as an emerging elite track and field coach by the USATF, and she was trained as a level one, two and three USATF coach.

Harry Marra – Combined Events – {harry.otcelite@gmail.com}

Harry Marra is the coach for Ashton Eaton–2012 Olympic gold medalist, two-time World Champion (2013, 2015) and world record-holder in the decathlon: 9,045 points—and Brianne Theisen-Eaton–: 2012 Olympian and two-time silver medalist at the IAAF World Championships (2013, 2015) in the heptathlon, Canadian national record-holder with 6,808 points. Gold medalist in the indoor pentathlon at the 2016 IAAF World Indoor Championships. Marra joined Oregon Track Club Elite’s coaching staff in the summer of 2010. He served as the team’s combined-event coach. He served as the Ducks’ assistant coach for both the indoor and outdoor seasons in 2010. A former decathlete himself, Marra served as Head Coach of the USA National Decathlon Team from 1990 to 2000. During that time, the team set every possible World Record in the decathlon, highlighted by Dan O’Brien’s gold-medal victory in the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. Prior to serving as the National Team coach, Marra spent 12 years (1981-1993) as the Head Track and Field Coach at San Francisco State and four years in the same position at Springfield College in Springfield, Mass. He also served as Assistant Track and Field Coach at the University of California at Santa Barbara from 1975-77. Marra has teaching/coaching experience at all levels of education and has authored numerous articles on track and field training. He has lectured around the world on athletics training and has recently completed a video on Sprint/Speed Training.

He was twice named “Coach of the Year” for the Northern California Athletic Conference. He is founder and director of “Deca-Jam” – the first international decathlon competition to be held in the USA with major prize money.

Patrick McCrystle – Distances – {pmccrystle@bcp.org}

Patrick McCrystle began teaching and coaching at Jesuit High School, Sacramento, in 1986. He has been teaching and coaching at Bellarmine College Prep in San Jose, California, since 1989. He has coached football, basketball, baseball, JV soccer for nine years at BCP, and most recently Track and Field (1990-92, 2009, head coach 2010-present), and Cross Country (head coach 2001-present.)  His teams have won 6 CCS titles in track and 6 CCS DI titles in cross country, and 9 track and 10 cross country titles in the West Catholic Athletic League.  

Timo Mostert – Distances – {timo.mostert@gmail.com}

Timo Mostert has coached the boys cross-country team at AFHS since 1998 after 10 years at Murray High School, Utah. His American Fork boys team has competed at the Utah State Championships every year he has coached, including 7 State Championships, 4 Runner-Up trophies, 15 top 5 finishes, and 10 Region Championships. They have been ranked 10 of the past 12 years in the Southwest United States. His 2009-14, ’16 teams all won NXN Southwest Regionals with 4th place finishes in 2008 and 2015, placing 8th, 8th, 6th, 2nd, 7th, 5th, 2nd, and 2nd at Nike Cross Nationals with 9 All-America honors and a two-time Individual National Champion. At AFHS his boys have earned 38 All-State XC honors and 19 individual State Championships in Cross-Country and Track. In 2017 his boys set the National Record in the 4X1600m Relay.  He has won several coaching awards, including 2016 NHSCA National Boys XC Coach of the Year.

Tim O’Rourke – LA84 Foundation Cross Country & Track Clinic Coordinator  – {tim.orourke@emuhsd.org}

In his 22 years at the helm of both the Arroyo High School track and cross country programs, O’Rourke’s teams won one national championship, two state championships, six southern section titles and 52 varsity league championships. He was named the Gatorade National Coach of the Year in 1995, the California Track Coach of the Year in 1997, and he has been inducted into the California Cross Country Coaches, Mt. Sac Invitational, City of El Monte, Mt Sac Relays, and Footlocker Halls of Fame.

He currently is the director of the cross country and track and field coaching education programs for the LA84 Foundation, and he is the meet director of the Mt. SAC XC Inv. and the Mt. SAC Relays.

Ramona Pagel – Throws – {ramonapagel@aol.com}

Ramona Pagel has been a member of four Olympic Teams in two throwing events, broken the American Record 13 times over her 20-year career, was the first World-Ranked American in her event in over 30 years, threw 12 straight years over 60’ in the shot, and is coach of the American Record Holder in a third throwing event. In 1985, Pagel threw 62-9.25, to break the American Record for the first time, For four more years Pagel dominated the shot in the United States. In 1987, she popped a monster throw indoors, 65-0.75; it remains the American Indoor Record. The next year, she showed her readiness for the Olympic Trials the following month by pushing the iron ball out to 66-2.5 at San Diego. She followed with a win in the Olympic Trials.

In 1995, Ramona placed 7th in the World Championships in Goteborg, Sweden and was ranked in the top ten in the World, the first American Shot putters since 1960 to achieve such an honor. In 1996, Pagel made her fourth Olympic Team and finished 9th in the Atlanta Olympics. Pagel has ranked as high as No. 2 in the U.S in discus, in 1986 and in 1988, the year she finished 15th in qualifying at the Olympics. Her best of 203-2 came in 1987.

Kent Pagel – Throws – {Pagelshot@aol.com}

Kent Pagel joined the UCR Track & Field program as throws coach in 2014 following coaching stops at both the national and international level. Pagel has worked with throwers at Fresno City College, LSU, Radford, Kent State, Long Beach State, San Diego State, and San Diego Mesa College, as well as for international competitions in Japan, Switzerland, Sweden, and England. Pagel served as the Head Men’s Track & Field Coach and Assistant Women’s Coach at Fresno City College from 2005-11. He was named the CCCAA California Community College Event Coach of the Year in 2011, and earned CVC Track & Field Coach of the Year honors in 2009, 2010, and 2011. Prior to working with the Rams, he was the athletic facilities director at Southeastern Louisiana University from 2004-05. He came to Southeastern from LSU, where he was an assistant coach from 2001-04. During his time with the Tigers, Pagel guided four of his athletes to NCAA appearances, and produced LSU’s first scorer in a throwing event at a national meet since the 1998 season. Prior to joining the LSU track and field program, Pagel spent five seasons as the associate head coach at Kent State University in Ohio. He is certified as a USATF Master Coach and is qualified as a Level III instructor. Overall, Pagel has developed six Olympians, 36 NCAA Division I All-Americans, and 42 junior college All-Americans. Also an accomplished athlete, Pagel was a four-year letterman at UCLA, competing on three NCAA national Championship teams (1971-73). He placed second in the shot put at the 1975 Pac-8 Championships with a throw of 61-11 and had lifetime bests of 62-11 in the shot put and 181-11 in the discus.

Ken Reeves – Distances  {kenreeves@venturamail.net}

While head track and field coach at Nordhoff High School, coached 16 individual CIF champions and 3 Masters’ Meet Champions.  Dual meet record for on the varsity level was 222-14 over the course of his career.  During his tenure as head cross country coach, the Nordhoff teams won 11 state team title–that is more state championships than any other coach in any other sport in California State history. The Rangers also won 14 CIF-SS titles. Ken has also been selected as the Ojai Valley educator of the year and is a two time national coach of the year. Ken is presently the head girls’ and boys’ cross country coach at Foothill Technology High School in Ventura. In the first four years of the cross-country program, the Dragons have qualified for CIF SS and State all four years. They have won two CIF SS titles and three California State titles in that span.

Chris Richardson – Jumps {crichardson@cerritos.edu}

Chris Richardson holds the position of Director of Track and Field/Cross-Country at Cerritos College where in his last four years has won 6 South Coast Conference Titles, 5 Southern California Regional Championships, and 4 State Championships. Other then the direct management and leadership of the Cerritos College Track and Field/Cross-Country program Richardson has personally developed 25 All-Americans, 15 State Champions, and aided the matriculation to four year universities of 148 student athletes. Chris has taught USATF level 1 coaches education since 2011 and has Directed numerous coaches’ education schools and clinics. Professionally being a product of the USATF Coaching Education system by obtaining Level 1, 2, and 3 certifications, while staying involved in IAAF, NACAC, and Podium Education opportunities. 

Gregg Simmons – Sprints – {tracstarzz@yahoo.com}

Gregg has over 20 years of experience coaching track & field and cross country at the collegiate and high school levels. He holds a Level II USATF Sprints & Hurdles Certification and has coached Olympic Trials Qualifiers from several countries, has extensive experience in Speed Development and Speed Performance. He currently is the Sprints and Hurdles Coach and Speed Coach for the World Record Camps and San Diego Sports Institute. Coach Simmons is the Executive Director for Hire Ethics Pro where he manages the career transition program for elite & professional athletes transitioning from their sport and into their next career.  He also holds a Master’s degree in Education with emphasis in Counseling and Bachelor’s degree in Business Management.

BJ Vandrovec – Pole Vault – {bj@victoryathleticspv.com}

Coach Vandrovec has competed in every level from high school, Community College and to NCAA Division 1. In 2010 Coach Vandrovec, began coaching at Mission Viejo High School.  Coached an athlete to the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Trials, 2016 NCAA D1 All american and Rachel as the 3 x Jr Nationals champion including 2 top 10 finishes at world Jr’s, Pan am champion with a meet record at 14-05.5 and a top 5 World ranking in U-20 in 2017.  No. 3 all-time nationally in the United States.

Micheal Wellington – Hurdles – {mwellington@alemany.org}

Micheal Wellington is a USATF Level 2 certified coach specializing in Sprints, Hurdles, and Relays, as well as a Certified Personal Trainer. He is in his 6th year as the Alemany Warrior Head Coach.  His girl’s team won its first ever team championship in school history in 2013, and his boys and girls team finished as runner ups in 2014.  He has been able to send 15 athletes to college including 6 hurdles on athletic scholarships in his 5 years. Some of the hurdler include Skylin Harbin (14.1/41.79) who had the 9th fast 300 hurdle time in the nation, Mason Guzman-Sanchez (14.15), and Brisa-Guzman-Sanchez (14.22/43.78).  Micheal holds a bachelor’s degree from CSUN, and a Master’s in Education from the University of La Verne.