New track and field coaches help distance running and sprinters

Coach Osayi Omorodion gives sprinting suggestions to sophomore Steven Sun.

Andy Legati and Osayi Omorodion are working to improve runners’ fitness and form.

The girls’ varsity team won against all three opponent schools in the third meet of their season at Cupertino on March 28: 76-50 against Cupertino, 75-0 against McDonald and 55-37 against Wilcox.

Standout runners included freshman Katie Lu, who placed first in the 400m, junior Natalie Zaragoza, who placed first in the 100m, senior Jacob Merrill, who placed second in the 1600m and junior Dylan Wilson, who placed first in the 100m.

The newly hired head coach Andy Legati boasts an impressive resume in running and coaching experience. Nevertheless, Legati is more experienced in distance running, which makes it difficult for him to provide strong technical advice for sprinters on techniques such as running form and block starting.

However, new assistant coach Osayi Omorodion, a sprint and high jump coach who is currently a part of the San Jose State University track and field team as a hurdler and jumper, has been able to fill in the gaps of Legati’s knowledge.

According to Omorodion, she discovered the school team through online advertisements and her teammates at SJSU, who were also coaching for other high schools.

“I think the team is really good, actually better than I expected. They are very hard working and don’t complain,” Omorodion said. “Sprints are really good and the team has a lot of people that are ready to work.”

Omorodian plans to work more on sprinters’ running form and block starts, along with improving runner’s fitness for races.

“By the end of the season I just want everybody to be able to PR (personal record) the fastest times that they have, jump the highest that they have and the farthest that they have,” Omorodion said. “And that’s really all you can ask.”