Jerry Miller
Jerry Miller – Capital High School
Jerry was born in 1948 and grew up in Ashland, Ohio. In high school, he ran CC, indoor, and outdoor track where he set several school records and was a captain of his track and cross country teams. He did play football in junior high and says “the best part of that experience was the half mile run around the field every day.He attended Ashland College where he ran CC, indoor & outdoor track. While there he was the 800 meter record holder and ran on the 4×4 record team. He graduated in 1971 with his Education degree. He then went on to do post graduate work at the University of Oregon.
Jerry began his teaching career in Burlington at Allison and Edison elementary schools. While teaching there, he created a track team from scratch. They burned a 400 meter track into the grass playing field using diesel gas to draw the lanes. They dug their own long jump pits by hand. His team was from students at both schools and they called themselves the Bow Track Club. He moved up to the junior high and began coaching track. He was also involved with starting the Skagit Runners Club in the Mt. Vernon area.
In 1979 he moved to Olympia where he continued to coach junior high track for another 13 years. In 1990 he moved to Capital High School where he was an assistant. After one year he became the head coach. His boys team won the State CC Championship in 1997 and placed 2nd in 1996. In 23 years of coaching high school, Capital had 24 teams (boys and girls) qualify for the state meet. He has been a race director in numerous Olympia area distance running events such as the Lakefair Run and the Capital Invite. Jerry’s track programs have turned out 10 State Individual Champions and 2 National Champions.
Jerry retired from teaching in 2003 but still continues to coach. He also helped with the first women’s Olympic Trials Marathon and the Goodwill Games. He has been an Advisory Board member of the WSCCCA, race director of the Lakefair Run and Capital Invite. He has been married to his wife Helen for 35 years and they have three children, Ginger, Katie, and Donald.
Julie Coburn
Julie Coburn – Marysville Pilchuck High School
Julie came into the world in 1961 and graduated from Shorecrest High School. While there she played varsity soccer and basketball for three years as well as one year of field hockey. Interestingly enough, in Junior High she ran for Pat Tyson while he was coaching in the district.
Julie attended the University of Washington where she earned a degree in education with both Art and English majors. But she wasn’t done, and went on to Seattle Pacific where she added a PE degree.
She taught at Kellogg Middle School, Marysville HS, and Meadowdale HS. Her Marysville girls won the State Championship in 1998. In addition to the state title in 1998, Julie’s girls finished 2nd in 1999, 3rd in 2000, and 10th in 2001. She has spent over 20 years coaching at summer distance running camps including White Pass, Falcon Running Camp, and Flathead Lake in Montana.
Julie has been married to husband Jeff for 30 years. She is is now competing in 6 man canoe races and is a Seahawk Superfan. She is also a self-proclaimed house cleaner extraordinaire.
Two of her top runners were Camille Connelly and Amber Simkins. Her father Bob was the founding president of the Shoreline soccer club and her mom Sandy was on the Title 9 committee so she came by athletics and coaching naturally.
Clyde Carpenter
Clyde Carpenter – Moses Lake High School
Clyde Joel Carpenter was born on Oct 10, 1935 and grew up with a farm family in Granger. He attended Granger HS and graduated in 1957. While there he played FB and BB and was 5th in the State Mile in 1955 He became the State Champion in 1956 & 1957.
Coach Carpenter attended Eastern Washington and graduated in 1961 with a BA in PE and Biology. He then picked up a Masters in Athletics in 1965. At Eastern he placed 5th in the mile at the NAIA National track meet in 1958, 1959, and 1960.
Clyde taught for 30 plus years in the subjects of physiology, anatomy, and biology. He spent 2 years at Granger and 28 years at Moses Lake. He then put in 7 years part-time at Big Bend College teaching medical science and physiology. He also serviced 26 school districts in North Central Washington in science and technology for 12 years at the North Central Educational Service District. When he applied for a teaching position, he also applied for coaching CC & track for both men and women. He says “I wanted to repay the rewards I had received from track thru coaching and motivating other young runners.” Clyde coached 2 years of BB and FB at Granger. At Moses Lake he coached both CC and Track. He was CC coach from 1964-77 and 1982-88.He coached 3 girls League Titles and had 2 boys and 3 girls State qualifying teams. Clyde had 7 or more top finishers over the years and several District Championships. In 1988 his girls team had beaten over 14 of the top 16 state teams but they didn’t make it to State because the number of district teams was limited”.
Other notable coaching involvements included serving on an international coaching team that took 250 athletes to China and a 2nd exchange to London and Wales. He also coached one of his own athletes at the Olympic Trials in New Orleans.
He considers his most rewarding and outstanding accomplishments were “having the opportunity to work with and develop life-long relationships with athletes who were willing to develop their individual talents and contribute their talents to the team. These opportunities took place locally within the Big 9 League, at the state level, and with a taste of international competition for some”.
Coach Carpenter continues to remain in contact with large numbers of his former athletes. His daughter-in-law,Jennifer Bannon Carpenter coached the team for several years and now his daughter, Cathy(Carpenter) Lane is coaching the team. Clyde continues to serve as the starter for home meets.
Clyde has been married to his wife, Carolyn,for 56 short years. They have 6 children; Cheryl, Collene, Joe, Cathy, Cara, and Curtis.
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