Dyestatcal California Girls Coach of the Week 9/9-9/13/02
Dave DeLong (Canyon HS, Canyon Country)

He is involved with both the Boys and Girls programs at his school, but has had such a run of recent successes by both squads, capped by a Girls group with the "girls team performance of the season" recently at the Seaside Invite, where they destroyed the old team time record in averaging right at 18 minutes for three miles, with this week's "DyeStatCal Coach of the Week" for Girls in California Dave DeLong at Canyon HS in Canyon Country. Kind of fittingly he coached the young lady who is currently the most-highly rated Collegian among former Golden Staters, with Lauren Fleshman (Stanford) continuing to blossom since leaving the Canyon Country school.

Super frosh Courtney Granger and Brenda Cohen - race along at Seaside Invite in Ventura - Cohen won in a CR for her grade at 17:48 with Granger 17:51

1) Trace briefly your own running and coaching career--

Thank you for this great honor! My running began at Burroughs H.S. for Greg Switzer. I ran 4:19 in the mile and 15:35 at Sac. Our team ran 79:40's team time which I am very proud of, back in 1978. I continued my running at Point Loma Nazerine College, where I was running at the national level.

2) How long have you been at Canyon and what is your teaching situation
there?

I am in my 16th year at Canyon where I teach math and coach XC and Track.

3) What reasons do you think there are for the recent high quality of success
in both the boys and girls program at your school?

I have surrounded myself with many great coaches through the years, Tom Messina, Bob Messina, Tracy McCauley, Cal Linam, Vicki Goodwin, Paul Broneer and many others. It is typical for us to have more XC coaches than football coaches on our staff. I recruit coaches very heavily. Kids stay with you for a few years but coaches make an impact on the athletes for many years. The reason for our success is we get the BEST athletes the school has to offer and we have a tradition of working very hard.

4) Trace briefly your season so far--

We have worked hard for 3.5 months getting ready for this season and it is only the beginning. This group is unique in the fact we have 30 athletes willing to train at a very high varsity level. Our training is different in the fact we rarely run anything shorter then 3 miles. Almost no interval training. many runs of 3 to 5 miles at a very strict tempo pace.

5) What about the ninth grade Girls group this year, something special?

We have 3 freshman who are veteran runners, and some new comers with lots of ability who have bought into the hard work and dream of being great!

6) Who influenced you most along the way that affected your coaching?

All the coaches that have worked with me have left their mark but my biggest influence has been Greg Switzer. In my mind the best coach at the High school level. I find it interesting that our best years have come when I have not been at my best because of the loss of my best friend and 15 year old son Justin who passed away 2 years ago of leukemia. The PASSION is returning but the great coaches I have surrounded my self with have been a tremendous help while God continues to heal my heart. The secret to having such great depth, I pray to God to send me great athletes, and He does.

Thank You Coach and best of luck
Doug Speck - DyeStatCal

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