Legends of the fall can be awfully hard to replace.
In one stroke the cross-country team lost its legendary coach, Dr. Duro Agbede, and its greatest-ever champion, Aminat Olowara. Even so, a pair of new runners made the state finals and the new coach is a bit of a legend himself.
David Flores and Agustin Barreto finished 24th and 127th in the California Community College Cross-Country Championships in Fresno. Lady Jaguar Leticia Barcenas qualified, but did not compete, ending the women’s 14-year period of dominance that included 12 conference championships and one state title. Olowara won the last two women’s championships, including a record-breaking 16:59 last year — making her the first woman runner at a California community college to break the 17-minute barrier.
New head coach Tonie Campbell, an Olympic medalist in the 110m hurdles, said he felt optimistic about the future.
“My philosophy is to gradually increase the mileage, intensity and give them the proper training to do the best they can in each race,” he said. “An athlete is not just a physical being, it is a mental being and you must put as much effort into the mental athlete as you do the physical athlete.”
Stocked with a team of mostly new athletes, Campbell did things a little differently this season.
“The captains were chosen for their leadership skills and not necessarily for being able to lead in races,” he said. “Mary York is our women’s captain for her leadership ability. She is a mature and inspirational person.”
Barcenas and Melissa Valderrama are assistant captains, Campbell said.
“Valderrama is a hard worker,” he said. “She is very accommodating and nurturing.”
Barreto was the men’s captain, Campbell said, because he has a positive outlook and trains hard. Barreto said his team was tightly knit.
“We inspired each other as a team and made it to state,” he said. “Coach thought that we could make it all the way to state. We put some faith in him.”
Campbell said he chose Barreto instead of Flores, a natural runner.
“David Flores is probably our top runner, unfortunately he needs the most encouragement half the time,” Campbell said. “He has so much talent and he relies on his talent, but he has to realize there are other people working harder.”
Flores agreed.
“I feel like I’m pushing my teammates to follow me, leading the races, but I don’t really try during practice,” he said.
At the Palomar Invitational it was Barcenas and Flores who led the Jags. Barcenas (21:50) ran the 5k and placed 30th out of a field of 98. Flores (22:16) ran the 4 mile and placed 26th out of 138.
York said Campbell inspired both teams throughout the season. Campbell, the warrior-philosopher, was quick with wisdom.
“The determination of having won or lost is if you gave 100 percent effort, 100 percent of the time,” he said. “If you did, it does not matter where you crossed the finish line.”