I interviewed first time Head Track and Field Coach Valerie Holmes, about how her first year as coach went and how the team did this season.
Pepper Bough: How many years have you been track coach?
Coach Holmes: I have been coaching for five years, mostly shot put and discus. A couple of years ago I started working with high, long and triple jump. This is my first year as Head Coach.
Pepper Bough: How was your first year as Head Coach?
Coach Holmes: This year has been a real learning experience. I had worked mostly in field events, so learning how to coach all of the other events like distance and sprints was difficult. I had some great coaches who helped me out this year, Pat Contreras, Distance Coach, Shawn Collins, Sprints Coach and Zied Tejan, Jumps Coach. I couldn’t have done it without them.
Pepper Bough: Are you close as a team?
Coach Holmes: Yes, I believe we are. I changed things up this year by having all of the athletes run and warm up together. After warm ups we would then go to our separate events and practice. I changed this because I found in past years that athletes didn’t know their teammates, because they always worked out separately. I found that working out together, brought them closer as a team.
Pepper Bough: How was your season?
Coach Holmes: I felt we had a good season. We didn’t always win every meet, but if the athletes made their personal best each week, then I consider that successful.
Pepper Bough: Did you have anyone go to league finals?
Coach Holmes: Yes, we had 37 athletes qualify in 13 different events for the Sunkist League Finals. We had seven place in the top three in their events. From that we have, Napo Taufahema, shot put, Alysa Avila, 3200m and our boys 4X100m Team, which consists of Malik Patterson, DeAndre Graham, Jason Taylor, Isaiah Cisneros and alternate Cyron Byrd, all going to CIF, this Saturday, May 11th at Trabuco Hills High School, in Mission Viejo.
Pepper Bough: Will you coach again next year?
Coach Holmes: I would love too! I would like to take what I learned this year and apply it next year, and hopefully come out with more athletes going to CIF.
Congratulation to Track and Field on a great season!