As the 2017 track season approaches, many students are preparing for another year of track and field. However, as our main running coach and our jumping coach retired last year, many questions have arisen over the new head coach, Michael Walsh. Who is he? What is he like? How will this year be different? Recently I was able to interview Coach Walsh and one of his long distance runners he trained last year, Chloe Almeida, to get the answers.

Coach Walsh was born in Minot, ND. He and his family moved around the U.S. for a while before settling in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he attended high school in Pleasanton, CA. In high school he ran the 400 meters, the 800 meters, and the 4×400 meter relay. Upon graduating high school, he attended the University of Oregon where he ran for one year. After college he began coaching track; he stated, “I have been coaching track for more than thirty-five years. I coached in a couple schools in the San Francisco Bay area and I also operated a track club. My athletes and teams were always competitive and successful.”

Prior to this year, Coach Walsh coached the BUHS long distance runners for track. This year he is the head coach, and told me “The first year you take over a team, is always an evaluation year. You get to know who your athletes are and what kind of needs and goals they have. This year we have a new motto ‘Make Everyone Better Because You Are A Member Of The Team.’” Being a team player is important to Coach Walsh, but he also says that a “hard-working, committed student  athlete inspires me.  When I see athletes achieve their performance goals, that is rewarding.”

Assisting Walsh this year is coach Rick Miears for throwing events. Like Walsh, he is very dedicated to the track team and attends all of the track practices and meets for the competitors. Walsh also states that other coaches will become part of the coaching staff later in the season.

Coach Walsh is “very passionate about track” says Chloe, one of his runners from last year. “He’s a strict coach, all his workouts are tough.” For long distance runners like Chloe, many of Walsh’s workouts consist of lengthy runs of about 3-10 miles with transitions of speeds. Chloe adds that Walsh used to coach in the Bay Area and has the same work ethic here in Bishop. “He says just because we live in a small town doesn’t mean you can’t make a big difference in a sectional meet.” Chloe describes Walsh as  “intimidating, and doesn’t like excuses.” However strict he may be, Chloe says he’s “a definitely good coach.  He comes up with ways to push through that mental barrier of pain, such as little phrases to keep you going. He’ll be a great coach this year, he’ll weed out the weak ones and tell them how to improve on their techniques, but he’ll also distribute team members along different events that work best for them.”

Lastly Coach Walsh would like to say that he “looks forward to all the Bishop High students who come out for track and field to have a rewarding experience this year.” We thank Walsh for his dedication to the team and good luck all the members on the track and field team.

Coach Walsh, Track and Field, Sports, BUHS, Ben Holland, 2017