The Connecticut High School Coaches Association, along with Wesleyan University, are co-sponsoring a track and field and cross country coaches clinic on Saturday, November 22. There will be four sessions in the indoor track area and adjoining classrooms from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 pm. The cost is $50 with checks made out to CHSCA. For more information, contact Deb Petruzzello at petruzzellod@mpsct.org or visit their website www.cthssports.com.
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SCHEDULE
8:30 – 8:40a.m. – Welcome
SESSION 1: 8:45 – 9:30 a.m.
Rules Presentation – Steve Wysowski
SESSION 2: 9:35 – 10:50 a.m .
Injury prevention and Rehab Exercises – Cheryl Dufault
Pole Vault – Bob Gemske
SESSION 3: 10:55a.m. – 12:40 p.m.
Relays – Latif Thomas
SESSION 4: 12:45 – 1:30 p.m.
Guilford Girls’ XC and Middle Distance Programs and Training – One complementing the Other - Jim Ford
Discus – Matt Ellis
MEET THE PRESENTERS:
Latif Thomas
Latif Thomas is entering his 5th season as the sprints, hurdles and jumps coach at Bishop Feehan HS in Attleboro MA. A former All IC4A sprinter, the University of Connecticut grad excels at simplifying program design in a way that addresses the unique situations and limitations found at the HS level.
Latif has coached multiple school, league, divisional and state records in the sprints, hurdles and jumps, including 10 consecutive MIAA Divisional State Titles in the relays, as well as the MA State Record in the girls 4x100.
Latif holds both a USATF Level II Certificate and USATFCCCA Event Specialist Certification in the Sprints, Hurdles & Relays and has presented at some of the premier coaching seminars in the country. Owner of Complete Track and Field, LLC, a popular website catering to high school coaches and is the director of the Complete Track & Field Summer Clinic, the largest clinic in the United States.
Latif has coached multiple school, league, divisional and state records in the sprints, hurdles and jumps, including 10 consecutive MIAA Divisional State Titles in the relays, as well as the MA State Record in the girls 4x100.
Latif holds both a USATF Level II Certificate and USATFCCCA Event Specialist Certification in the Sprints, Hurdles & Relays and has presented at some of the premier coaching seminars in the country. Owner of Complete Track and Field, LLC, a popular website catering to high school coaches and is the director of the Complete Track & Field Summer Clinic, the largest clinic in the United States.
Matt Ellis
Owner - Primal Athlete Training Center, Cranston, RI and EliteThrowsCoaching.com
Matt has spent the past 21 years neck deep in the sport of track and field. A top high school and college thrower, gym owner, private throws coach, throwing camp director, author, throwing video producer, and speaker at coaching clinics around the US, and is an original member of the National Throws Coaches Association.
In the past 4 years, Matt has helped coach athletes to 11 state championships in the shot and discus including a RI discus state record holder and a New Balance Emerging Elite shot put record holder. He has posted over 500 free online videos that have helped throwers from all over the world.
Cheryl A. Dufault, ATC, LAT
Cheryl graduated from Quinnipiac University in May of 2011 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Athletic Training and Sports Medicine. Following graduation, she accepted a position with a Physical Therapy company that provided Athletic Training services to multiple high schools throughout Connecticut. From there, she began a 3 year journey as the Athletic Trainer at Coginchaug Regional High School in Durham, CT, where cross country and track and field seasons were a big part of the athletic community. After transitioning out of the high school setting, Cheryl moved on to work as the Head Athletic Trainer at Middlesex Orthopedic Surgeons Physical Therapy department. In her current position, she develops exercise routines in order to prepare athletes of all ages for their return to sport specific activities following a wide variety of injuries. When she isn’t working with athletes, she enjoys spending her free time riding and training her young horse, Artie.
Jim Ford
This will be Coach Ford’s 37th year at GHS. His teams have won 12 SCC Championships, 10 State Championships, and 10 State Runners-up. He has been named CHSCA Coach of the Year twice and in 2001, he was named by the NHSCA as National Coach of the Year and named as the NHSCA National Girls Cross Country Coaches Chairman. He was the CIAC Girls Cross Country Chairman, SCC Championship Meet and Site Director, NCAA Site/Course consultant for the 2010 and 2012 Division I Regional Championship held at Hammonasset Park.
Jim is a 1978 graduate of SCSU, where he was a 4-time varsity letterman, a 1977 team captain, and ran in the NCAA Division II 1977 National Championships in Chicago, IL.
Bob Gemske
Bob is a man involved in many facets of track and field with experience in coaching, officiating and administration for the past 15 years.
He has concentrated on the jumps as an official and coach. He is the pole vault coach at Wesleyan University and jumps coach at Cheshire High School and has guided the current men’s and women’s school record holders at Wesleyan University and girl’s record holder at Cheshire High School in the pole vault.
Outside of coaching he is a top level official for pole vault in the Northeast and he is a current board member of USATF-CT and past Vice President of the Hartford Track Club. He has been also been involved in the planning and running of Wesleyan Developmental meets and USATF Junior Olympics