Coaches & Rec Dept. Contacts

PIEDMONT RECREATION DEPARTMENT

David Weisgerber

510-420-3074

dweisgerber@ci.piedmont.ca.us

Lenny Parker

Phone: 510-420-3074

E-mail: lparker@ci.piedmont.ca.us

CROSS COUNTRY COACHES

Len Goldman - Head Coach

E-Mail: lgoldman@pacbell.net

Cell Phone: 510-304-9533

Home Phone: 510-339-2430

Len started the PMS cross country program 6 years ago. Prior to that, he was the coach and founder of the Orinda Intermediate School cross country program. Len is a RRCA certified adult running coach, Past-President of the Lake Merritt Joggers and Striders running club, and is a nationally ranked as a age-group distance runner. He is also a Running USA "Ambassador for Youth Programs" and has been a speaker at their 2007 and 2008 National Conferences. Recently, Len was selected by the Piedmont Recreation Department as its volunteer of the year and received the "Betty C. Howard Award" for his contributions to youth running in Piedmont.

Steven Merigold - Senior Assistant Coach

Steven is a Piedmont resident, and he and his wife have a daughter who attends PMS. Steven started running in high school where he was a sprinter and jumper. About 10 years ago, he made the transition to distance running and has been running ever since. He has run one marathon, Chicago, and is a regular at the Lake Merritt runs. He helped Len start the cross country program
6 years ago.

Melissa Ownby - Assistant Coach

Melissa has competed in over 70 races since 2000 including 6 full marathons, 14 half marathons, 7 triathlons, 5

adventure races, several long distance road cycling events and various distance runs. Melissa is also a RRCA

certified adult running coach. This will be her 4th year coaching cross country.

Simone Adair - Assistant Coach

Simone will be starting her 3rd year as a coach with the team. She is both a Level 1 USATF coach and a RRCA certified adult running coach. As a longtime American Red Cross volunteer, Simone teaches CPR and Disaster Preparedness classes. She also continues her service to her country through the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary where she serves as Division Vice Commander overseeing an area from South San Francisco to Marin County. In addition, Simone is the State RRCA (Road Running Club of America) Rep for "Eastern" California and Nevada, plus locally is a member of the East Bay Front Runners running club.

Minori Tsugé - Assistant Coach

Minori joined the cross country program in 2010 and this will be her second year as a coach. She grew up participating in a number of sports, including swimming, gymnastics, ice skating and judo. She was a competitive athlete in swimming and judo and holds a black belt in judo. Minori has previous experience working with youth in judo and developed a training program for high school athletes on a national and international level for USJI (United States Judo Institute). She is a relatively new runner, but has already completed a number of half marathons and quite a few shorter distance races.

Christine Chapon - Assistant Coach
Christine is a Piedmont resident and her son is on the high school cross country team. She is an avid runner and regularly competes in marathons and ultra races. Also, she is one of the key volunteers for the "Students Run Oakland" program which works with inner city teens in Oakland high schools and trains them to run a marathon.
She will be starting her 2nd year as a cross country coach.
Sarah Potterton - Assistant Coach
Sarah is one of our newest coach and recently moved to the Bay Area. She has a Master's Degree in Elementary Education and is a former 5th Grade elementary school teacher. She was a competitive figure skater and skated for about 15 years and has 10 years of coaching experience in that sport. She competed in track in High School and cross country in College. This will be her 2nd year as a PMS cross country coach.
Jon Potterton - Assistant Coach

Jon started running competitively 20 years ago in Connecticut , as a way to get in shape for wrestling. Over the

years, running became more fun than wrestling, and he eventually started doing triathlons in college. Highlights

of his running career include; running under 5 minutes in the mile as a Freshman in High School, competing in

Collegiate National Championships for Triathlon, and various age group wins in triathlons. Although this is his first

year coaching in Piedmont, he coached 5th & 6th grade Track and Cross Country in Michigan . Jon is an Officer in

the U.S. Coast Guard, and recently earned two Masters Degrees from the University of Michigan in Marine

Engineering. He has competed in multiple Half Ironmans and both Full and Half Marathons, and has the ultimate

goal of competing in Ironman Hawaii and the Boston Marathon.

Hilary Cooper - Assistant Coach

Hilary is a Piedmont resident and her daughter, Minnie, is on the PMS Cross Country team. Hilary is a former 1st Grade teacher and also coached cross country at Redwood Day School in Oakland. This will be her first season as a PMS cross country coach. Hilary got into running thanks to her husband, Graham, and finished her first marathon the same year he finished his first Western States in 2005. She has since completed three more marathons and enjoys running with her family and dog on weekends.

Rich Harper - Assistant Coach

Rich started running as a youth and was an All-City San Francisco track star in high school and an All-American in

track at San Francisco State University. He has had a distinguished career in the fitness industry and his credits

include manager of nationally recognized fitness center, certified high school track and fitness trainer and coach,

coach and trainer for 25 All-American and 75 high school All-City athletes, and adviser and coach on family fitness

for several local non-profits. Rich is a certified fitness trainer through the National Strength and Conditioning

Association. This past Spring he was a coach for PMS track and field team and this will be his first year as a PMS

cross country coach.

Audra Nemir - Assistant Coach

Audra ran sprints and hurdles through middle school and high school in her home town of El Paso, Texas. After
being a Assistant Coach for the Piedmont Middle School track and field team in 2007, Audra took her first steps
into the world of distance running, completing the Nike Women's Marathon in 2008. Audra is training for her first

half marathon this Fall.

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