I've competed in track and field since the 6th grade, when I narrowly missed qualifying for the Hershey Track & Field Games in Hershey, Pennsylvania (the pinnacle of middle school running). After a lackluster high school track career, I attended my local community college. I was recruited there by a coach who saw my potential and helped me to blossom as an athlete. In my sole year at Yuba College I qualified to the California State Championships in both cross country and in the 1500 meters on the track, improving my times by immensely. This success helped me to walk on at NCAA, DII Cal State University, Chico where I specialized in running the 800 and 1500. A few years later I began competing for the Hoka Aggies running club, where I set all of my current PRs from 1500-1/2 marathon. Now, I am member of Club Northwest in Seattle. Although my highly competitive days are over, my love for coaching in all disciplines of track and field are not.

Sadao Itamura was my 7th and 8th grade, middle school basketball coach. My friends and I knew we were good players, but Sud saw a potential in us we weren't able to see in ourselves, individually and as a team. We practiced before school running laps on the track, and again after school, often staying late on the basketball court to hone our craft. This dedication was due to Sud. We demonstrated we wanted to develop, compete and win. He put the "ball back in our court" so to speak, by testing our level of dedication through these optional practices (we went to all of them) and making the same commitment himself, that he expected in us. We were not the most skilled team, but we went unbeaten in our 8th grade year. More importantly, we knew Sud cared for us beyond the court. The X's and O's were secondary.

I can help you reach the next level! Whether your just beginning or looking for a college scholarship. I have extensive experience in aiding both forms of competitor, and understanding the process of recruiting, and transitioning from high school to college. Former athletes of mine have found me to be personable, knowledgeable, encouraging, driven, and effective at motivating. And, although training sessions are disciplined they should also be fun (think drills and skills...) and include athlete input. These are common threads for Cooperative style coaching, a stark parallel from the Authoritarian style many of the parents here may have grown up with. For parents specifically, I appreciate the cost and time constraints of coaching sessions and the value of effective communication in those regards. Moreover, and what I hope you have gleamed from this profile, is that I am here (coaching) because I enjoy it, and find it gratifying and help young people grow and mature through athletics.

In track and field I have coached the gamut of athletes, from Olympic hopefuls to beginners. Much of my coaching experience has come at the NCAA and 3C2A divisions, having spent time as a track coach for California State University, Chico (distance athletes), California Polytechnic State University (distance, sprints, hurdles, and jumps athletes), and for 15 years as the director of track and field and cross country at Cuesta Community College (all event disciplines). In addition, I have coached youth athletes, ages 7-18, and have experience with online coaching, too. Each experience has been valuable, impactful and unique from the last. I also hold a master’s degree in kinesiology, with an emphasis in coaching and sports studies. Coaching Accomplishments: • 3C2A, Women's Track & Field/Cross Country, California State Coach of the Year – 2011 and 2022. • Western State Conference Coach of the Year: 2008, 2010, 2011, 2 x 2016, 2021, 2022. • Coached 12 State Champions, 36 All-Americans, and 57 Conference Champions in XC and T&F. • Coached 21 Cuesta College School Records and 5 NJCAA National Leaders. • Coached the Olympic Distance Triathlon, Collegiate-Club National Champion, 2010. • Coach for the Guatemalan Olympic Committee at the Central American and Caribbean Games, under the guidance of the USOC. Relevant Certifications: • CPR/First Aid Certified. • Certified in Mental Health First Aid. • USATF Level 2 Endurance Coach. • USTFCCCA Track and Field Academy, Sports Psychology, and Injury Management. • USTFCCCA Track and Field Academy, Program Management, and Weight Training.

With over 18 years of teaching sports science in addition to coaching, I have become adept at analyzing multiple disciples of track and field. The focus of my training is on speed and power development, and biomechanic efficiency, utilizing my understanding of physiology and motor behavior. This model of coaching uses effective skill and drill application, strength and conditioning modalities, as well as developing and refining effective sprint mechanics with gait analysis technology. I use strength and conditioning equipment in much of my skill and drill work in addition to the natural environment accessible to the athletes and I.

A typical training session takes 60-75 minutes. My athletes begin with a specific dynamic warm-up (10-15 min) to start the session and progress to one or more of skills, drills and hills (25-30 min). Each session will include strength and conditioning work, toward the beginning or end, depending on the session (15-20 min), followed by active-isolated stretching and self-myofascial massage (10-15 min) to end practice. Beginning sessions are focused on the athlete understanding and effectively applying the dynamic warm-up, strength work and active-isolated stretching. As the athlete demonstrates proficiency and can do some of that work on their own, at the beginning and/or end of a practice, the training sessions transition to more skills, drills, and hills. Conditioning is typically the last phase of a series of practices.