New coach hopes to keep St. Mary’s program on the right foot
Donna Dixon brings many years of experience as coach and competitor
After a solid 2014- 2015 season, their first in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference ( ACAC), the St. Mary’s University Lightning cross- country running team is looking to repeat that success as they embark on their second season of existence.
With former head coach Steve Adams taking a break, newly hired assistant coach Donna Dixon will be taking the reins from Adams, who led his four- man running team to an ACAC Provincial and Canadian Colleges Athletic Association ( CCAA) appearance in 2014.
Dixon, another well- known name in the Calgary running scene, brings experience as a coach and student- athlete, competing for the University of Alberta and the University of Toronto in cross country running from 1980- 1986. She has continued her running career as a competitive masters athlete in middle distance and cross- country running.
“We have a great core group of four student- athletes so far, two men and two women, who all have a great attitude toward training and competing for St. Mary’s,” Dixon says.
Dixon also recruited the help of Joseph Mills to add more depth to the coaching side. Mills, a former international endurance athlete, brings more than 30 years of coaching at the national and international level.
When asked about the challenges taking on her head coaching role late in the training season, Dixon’s confidence is unwavering.
“I’m enjoying the challenge of building a strong cross- country program at the University. We are starting with a small but strong base this year and looking to build on it. While I was hoping to be able to recruit a few more runners this year, I’m hoping I can use this year to build a successful recruiting campaign for the coming years.”
Dixon’s group consists of three first- year runners, with sophomore Chris White- Gloria the only returning competitor from last season. After making a provincial and national appearance last fall, White- Gloria is ready to hit the ground running to get there again this year.
“Personally, I’m working toward having a second chance to represent St. Mary’s at the national level, this fall in Ontario. In general, it’s all about constantly improving my abilities, but racing against the best from across the country is still a big goal I’m aiming for,” White- Gloria says.
“As far as the team goes, I think that the focus should be to build a strong base for future seasons. But a strong base shouldn’t only be rooted in athletics. For our team, it will also be important to gain recognition from the sporting community in the hopes that we can grow.”
He also adds that sometimes having a smaller team isn’t always a bad thing when it comes to training.
“There are some positives that come from having a smaller team. It’s great to have a close group of teammates and friends to practice with. It creates a truly unique environment for the sport. With Joe and Donna both coaching, we’re able to get very individualized training programs. The team’s smaller size lets us each have a chance to develop a relationship with each coach, which is certainly beneficial to our progress.”
White- Gloria and the rest of the team will travel to Lethbridge for their first meet of the season Saturday, before returning home to race in Calgary for SAIT’s meet on Oct 3.