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DyeStatCal Boys Coach
of the Week 10/7-10/11/02 - Jim Duarte (Barstow) SS
Faced with a preparation period in some of the most challenging weather
in the State, Barstow, Coach Jim Duarte has built a program that has impressed
with its recent successes. As summarized below, his team has been to the
Southern Section Finals for the last eight years, with five appearances
in the State meet in the lst six years. They are the defending Division
III State Champs and look very strong this year as they build towards
November. Their team gap is very impressive. Jim's background and information
below, as usual, is great for anyone associated with the sport to read.
Continued best of luck Jim - Doug Speck - DyeStatCal
1) Briefly trace your team's season so far this Fall--
1) We've raced in the Bronco (Prado Park), Ojai, Nogales, & Yucaipa.
We've had
the fastest team time in all four, except for the Bronco where Murrieta
Valley ran
super. It has been an exciting season thus far because the team gap has
been a
dream: 25 sec. at Bronco, 22 sec. at Ojai, 24 sec. at Nogales, 17 sec.
in a dual w/
Sultana, 19 sec. at Yucaipa. Instead of one, two, or three stars, it's
like we have
seven: Adam Rodriguez, Joey Sena, Avery Himes, Sergio Chavez, Chris Grow,
Jason
Elkins, and Junior Salas! On any given race day any of these guys can
be right
there with our top star, Adam Rodriguez. Our girls don't have the notoriety
that
our boys have, but they still make things exciting around here in Barstow
as they
attempt to win their fourth straight league championship.
2) Briefly discuss the success that your program has had in recent years-
When I had the good fortune of taking over the reigns of the program in
1994,
we were able to go to the CIF Finals for the first time after a 10 year
hiatus.
We've gotten really lucky from then on, for we have not missed a Finals
since.
I believe ('n you can check your records) only Nordhoff, Rubidoux, and
Barstow
have attended the CIF Southern Section Finals for eight years straight,
1994 thru
2001. We've attended the State Finals five of the last six years. Champs
in 2001,
4th in 1999, 6th in 1996, 7th in 2000, and 10th in 1998.
3) What is your personal athletic and coaching background?
I was a so-so distance runner in high school (Barstow High!), a 10:20
two-miler.
I then ran for UCLA as a walk-on. Lettered all four years. Ran with Scott
Chisam,
Hartzell Alpizar, Ron Fister, Mike Mullens, Randy Hartman, Neil Sybert,
Dave Smith,
Rick Romero, Dan Preston, George Husaruk, and other fine people. Fastest
4-mile (we
ran 4 in those days) was a 20:20 at Berkeley.
Started coaching junior high runners in Barstow back in late 1970s (about
the same time I met and married my lovely wife, Debbie!). Anyway those
junior high kids went on to win a couple of CIF cross country titles.
Most of the years since the late 1970s up to 1994 were spent playing racquetball
with my dad, Tony Duarte. Those were wonderful years in which I had the
opportunity to prepare him for National Age-group Championships. He won
6 National Championships! That was quite a special time in my life, being
able to share an athletic passion with my dad!
4) You are in a challenging weather situation getting ready for the cross-country
season in the warm weather in your area--how do you work with or around
that situation?
Warm weather! More like HOT weather! How do we prepare? Be hydrated. Be
hydrated. Be hydrated. And don't think about it. Don't complain about
it. None of
that changes it. We just cope with it. Run in the early mornings, or run
in the
evenings. I used to personally, up until a couple of years ago, run in
the middle of
the day and enjoy that time. Your body adjusts; it cools itself. The kids
learn that
they can do more than what they think, or what other people think.
5) Generally, what kind of training did you have your team do this summer?
Mileage is important. But not all the kids can handle it. So it's quite
individual.
It's basically "listening to one's body". Most of all, they
have to believe that whatever
they are doing is the best thing to be doing. Believing in themselves
is crucial.
6) How did you approach a race such as Yucaipa last weekend as a Varsity
group as far as strategy?
How'd we approach Yucaipa? No differently than how we approach any early
season
invite. We don't talk strategy. Not yet, anyway. I want them to just go
out there and enjoy themselves. They are a tight pack and they know it.
So, they just pull each other along. Their focus is on teammate Adam Rodriguez.
If they run close to him, then they know that they are running well. He's
definitely their inspiration. Our teams these last several years have
been slow starters (at the beginning of the season, that is). If we stick
to that pattern, then Adam and the rest of the team will get faster. We're
hoping that happens because there are some really good teams out there!
7) Who has influenced you most along the way in your style of coaching?
Who has influenced me the most as far as my style of coaching? My dad!!!!!!
Work hard, go that extra mile, dwell on the positive, when you get knocked
down get back up and continue fighting, respect others, and truly enjoy
what you are doing.
These are all the things I have learned from him, not by him telling me
but by his example. Pursuing excellence with extreme fervor and at the
same time respecting
others were important qualities to him. They're important to me
8) If you had to bring up one thing that you center the core of your
training program on, what would it be?
The core of our training program. Be consistent. Don't miss a day.
9) Advice for a new coach? Get a lot of kids out! And then try to make
it fun to run. And make it fun for them to be around each other. Vary
the workouts. Have get-togethers, such a potlucks or pool parties. Pool
parties are a good idea in Barstow, of course. Find a great assistant
coach. Ever since Keith Shipman started helping me out, the team has gotten
even better.
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