Hi Dave :
Retirement didn’t last long for me.
As of August 1, I will be the new Assistant Track and Cross Country Coach for men and women at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona. We bought a second home in Prescott last fall and I had hoped to get a college coaching job again once I had retired from Chamber of Commerce work, but there are not too many opportunities in Arizona (just not a lot of colleges in the state). Prior to Chamber work, I had coached college track and cross country for several years in Nebraska and South Dakota.
Guess I lucked out as their assistant coach had quit just a couple of weeks before I inquired out of the blue. After the first interview, they offered me the job. The University specializes in aeronautical engineering, global and cyber security, air traffic control, pilot training and prepares a number of student for jobs with NASA. To say our students are “rocket scientists” is an understatement! Won’t have to worry about eligibility issues or cutting class with these athletes!
The University competes in the NAIA (as opposed to NCAA) and is a member of the Cal-Pacific Athletic Conference. The school has only had the running programs for 4 years and both men’s and women’s teams won the Conference Title in Cross Country and both also placed at the NAIA National Cross Country Meet in Charlotte, North Carolina last year. Right now, they only compete on a limited basis in the spring in track, but are planning a full fledged program in the future.
The head coach was a professional bi-athlete (running and road biking), and is an accomplished coach and active marathoner. I will learn a lot from him as he is great guy and we have several new runners coming this fall that should make the team even better!
Look for the “rocket scientists” to set the NAIA on fire this fall, even with an old fart like me running a stopwatch!
Regards,
Don Rinehart