Week of
October 15-20th, 2007
Jim Duarte (Barstow) SS
Coach Jim Duarte (left) Barstow with
his squad at the Running Center/So Cal Invitational
One of the state's
top traditional powers in the sport is Barstow High School. The
school situated on the highway to Las Vegas in the High Desert
area of the state's Southern Section continues each year to turn
out great squads. 2007 is no exception, with
Coach Jim Duarte's squad once again another dynamite crew. This
past weekend the group dominated the Boys Division III-IV Sweeps
event at the Mt. SAC Invitational, scoring 56 to runner-up Galena
(Nevada) with 110. The squad raced a very fine 79:19, and
have earned the top ranking Statewide Division III as they go
in search of a repeat State title at that level later in November.
While others may dwell
on the weather or some other condition that prevents the work
necessary for championship success, the Barstow group has gone
right past that with the biggest task around school probably
figuring out where to put this year's hardware that makes its
way home from the championshp affairs. Seemed like last
week's heat at Mt. SAC made the run just another day at the races
for the Aztec group.
Our DyeStatCal Coach of the
Week Statewide is Jim Duarte from Barstow HS.
Thanks
Doug Speck
DyeStatCal.com
DyeStatCal - Generally how
has the season gone for your squad so far this Fall?
Coach Duarte - Of course, being in athletics
we always strive for better. We always reset our goals.
I think that is the nature of sport, especially the sport of
cross country. We savor our successes. And
then we establish new goals. We pursue greater heights. So, I
guess we can't complain. But we are always
trying to get better. We are presently quite satisfied with our
training. The kids seem to have prioritized the goals of the team.
DSC - Are you entering more Invitational Meets than
in a normal year, or has it just seemed that way with your participation
in the Tri-County,
Pepperdine, Staub/Barnes, and Southern Cal Invite leading up to
last weekend's competition at Mt. SAC? Explain
a bit your philosophy behind the schedule you have to this point
in the season--
CD - Well, as you guys already know we do try to maintain a low
profile. We were surprised to see Pepperdine become such a "big" invitational,
being that it was
their first year. We participated in five invites this year.
Last year we were in six.
DSC - It outwardly looks like the group has made
some good, continuing progress through the fall, how has it seemed
through
your eyes?
CD - You're right. As alluded to in the response
to #1, we are fairly satisfied with how we are
doing. Forgive me, but I just have to mention my varsity eight,
for they are the ones making the fine progress possible
(and kids like seeing their names in the media): Anthony Solis,
Isaac Chavez, Andrew Romano, Ian Barba, Josh Ow, Jeremy Trujillo,
Joshua Gomez, & AJ Kanczel.
DSC - Your teams seem to remain pretty darn healthy over the
length of a season–lucky, or do you think
there are some steps you take to assure continued good luck in
that department?
CD - No shaking hands! "Fist taps",
Yes. Handshakes, No.
DSC - No discussion of running
at Barstow can leave out the heat of the summer through the start
of the fall season.
How
do you
deal with those conditions, and do you think having to deal with
it as much as you have to is a benefit when you face weather such
as Friday's at Mt. SAC?
CD - We've developed this "tradition" or
attitude whereby we don't even talk about it.
Like we don't talk about negatives. We can't change it anyway.
So we don't
dwell on it. During the summer we just make sure that we're well-hydrated. We
really like it, though, when we get to run in cooler weather.
We run faster in cooler weather. As far at Mt.
SAC on Friday, the conditions didn't concern us because
all the teams are having to run under the same conditions.
DSC - A local
article talked about the home course that your school runs. Could
you provide a description and bit of history to the
site and races there-
CD - We know that opposing teams hate it. What's kind of funny
is that I think my
kids hate it too! But, they don't dwell on negatives. They just
run. The course has a lot of hills. It's either
up or down, hardly any flat areas. There's a lot of sand, rocks,
dips, and turns. When we were first
setting up the course back in 1994,
I asked the guys if they wanted a less challenging, a less treacherous
course. If they wanted a faster course.
Their consensus response, led by Ricky Etheridge,
was to keep it as a tough course as possible.
DSC - Do you have any local benchmark
runs or workouts that give you a sense of
where a team is at during a typical season? Could you describe
any?
CD - The invites that we attend give a sense of where we are at.
But, locally, I guess one could say how the kids tackle
some of the hilly workouts, as well as the flat workouts, gives us an idea of where they are at.
DSC - What is your personal athletic, coaching, and employment
background?
CD - I ran for Barstow High in the mid-1960s.
A so-so runner, 10:20 for the 2-mile. Went to
UCLA as a walk-on. Ran a 9:13 steeple. Got a partial scholarship. Lettered
in cross country four years there. Ran with the likes of Hartzell
Alpizar, Ron Fister, Neil Sybert, Randy Hartman, Scott
Chisam, Mike Mullins, Dan Preston, Jim Mosher, Paul
Peterson, and Ruben Mejia. Began my coaching, cross
country & track, at Barstow High in
1994. Started out as an middle school teacher in 1973
at Andres Duarte Middle School in Duarte, CA. Started teaching in Barstow in 1976.
DSC - Who has influenced you most in your coaching style and why?
CD - John Wooden and Antonio Duarte. Both paid
a lot of attention to detail. They were both passionate
in their pursuits. Both seemed tireless and persistent. Both conducted
themselves in very sportsmanlike and respectful manners. Both were very
humble. I admired them for all that. All of you know of John Wooden,
of course. My dad, Antonio Duarte, was a five-time national
age-group champion in racquetball. (Maybe it was six
times.) He was winning national titles all the way up to the age
of 73, when he was finally foiled
by a devastating stroke. He won his first at the age of 55. He
epitomized sportsmanship. Whether he won or lost, one couldn't
tell afterwards. He maintained the same friendly and pleasant demeanor.
He didn't whine or complain after a loss. He just became more determined
to win the next one! His passion for sport mirrored his passion
for the care of my mother, who was crippled by rheumetoid arthritis.
He is no doubt about the finest example of a man that a man can
have. Both my dad's and John Wooden's patience while pursuing their
passions was a great example to me. To coach, I believe, one needs
patience, sportsmanship, respect, and determination.
DSC - How did you
and your team approach the Mt. SAC Invitational this past weekend,
where you took your Divisional Sweeps race with
a fine 79:19 team time?
CD - Even though it is the most awesome invitational
in the world, we approach it
as any other. The guys loved winning Sweepstakes. It is such
a prestigous event. We see it as a learning experience.
DSC -
What advice would you have for a coach who is new to the sport
of cross-country and trying to build a program at a school that
maybe has not had a great deal of success in the past?
CD - Get out as many kids as possible. A lot
of kids! Create an atmosphere that promotes a desire in each
of the kids
to run
everyday. An
atmosphere where they like being around each other, doing things
together, running together. Put together a great support group, whether it's parents or
staff. My assistant coach, Keith Shipman, has been the greatest
thing
that has happened to the program. He's willing to put into
this sport as much as I do. And it definitely always helps
to have
a great woman supporting ones dreams, and for me it's my wonderful
wife Debbie! A lot of coaches know so well that this is so
very, very true!
Thanks Coach Duarte - continued good
luck
Doug Speck
DyeStatCal.com
Coach Duarte and group at the Pepperdine Invitational with a meet
that had all the
extremes from serious rain/mud (check the uniforms) to nice sun
Message
board! Message board!
