General Information

Friday, June 14 2019

Welcome to the National Champion

California Grizzlies!

EMAIL us at: CaliforniaRunningCoach@yahoo.com if interested in joining our running club in 2025 (but please do NOT phone us or text us).

Our club is open to everyone, from young beginners to accomplished veterans. We compete in both Track (from about mid-spring to August 1) & Cross-Country (from about mid-August to early December). But we usually do not practice in the winter (between cross-country season & track season).

COACH OF THE YEAR — I was selected by Positive Coaching Alliance as one of the top 25 coaches in the nation for 2022.

NATIONAL CHAMPION CALIFORNIA GRIZZLIES ON TELEVISION! Watch this exciting 19-second video of the California Grizzlies winning the Junior Olympics National Cross-Country Championships on ABC Sports News! Video Link: https://youtu.be/4UfeLSy6P0s

CALIFORNIA GRIZZLY RUNNERS RACING AT THE 2023 NATIONAL X-C CHAMPIONSHIPS: Watch the Cal Grizzlies cross-country team in this exciting 17-second video win the AAU National X-C Championship in the 10-year-old boys division during a torrential rainstorm. The X-C course in Florida was flooded and completely covered in mud & water. The California Grizzly runners are wearing gold jerseys and blue shorts. Video Link: https://youtu.be/1yIu3gUXZ0Y

TO BECOME A CALIFORNIA GRIZZLY

Email me at: CaliforniaRunningCoach@yahoo.com. (But, please do NOT text me or phone me, as I am NOT able to return calls or text messages). After you email me, I will send you our practice schedule, team membership fee, and everything else you need to know in order to join our running club.

2025 PRACTICE LOCATIONS

We have several different training groups, and you can practice at whichever location (or locations) that you prefer.

(A) Fremont

(B) Mountain View

(D) San Jose

(E) Dublin (our Dublin practice group is at a very convenient location as it is only about 1 mile from both Pleasanton & San Ramon, and just a few minutes from both Danville & Livermore.)

2025 Track & Field Meets

We usually have track meets about once every 2 weeks starting in the spring. Most of our track meets are on either Saturday or Sunday.

ELIGIBILITY

This running club is *primarily for boys & girls of all abilities from 7 years old to 15 years old who want to become the best runner that they possibly can. All runners should try their best to attend AT LEAST 1 practice each week & 1 race each month (but if you want to reach your full potential you should run much more often than this). And (if at all possible) please try your best NOT to plan any extended vacations (of more than 2 or 3 days) in close proximity to our championship meets. Most of our championship track meets are in June & July (so the best time to plan a summer vacation would be in August). And most of our championship cross-country meets are from the middle of November to about December 10th (so the best time to take a fall/winter vacation would be anytime after December 10th).

* HIGH SCHOOL runners can also join our running club.

* ADULTS can also join our running club.

AAU 2025 T&F Age Divisions

In AAU competition, everyone only competes against those born in the same year as them. You do NOT compete against those born in a different year than you (like we do in USATF competition).

USATF 2025 T&F Age Divisions

In USATF competition, everyone competes against those born in the same year as them, plus one other year.

Group 1 — Born in 2017 or 2018

Group 2 — Born in 2015 or 2016

Group 3 — Born in 2013 or 2014

Group 4 — Born in 2011 or 2012

Group 5 — Born in 2009 or 2010

Group 6 — Born in 2007 or 2008

California Grizzlies J.O Running Club

— I am a retired public school teacher who has been involved with cross-country and track & field for the last 60 years (since I was 8 years old). Many of my runners have qualified and run in the National Championships. Several boys & girls have made All-American (top 25 in the USA in cross-country and top 8 in track) while 3 runners (Yong-Sung Leal, Chris Dominic, & Ava Padilla) won the Nationals. Yong-Sung & Chris also set National Records as the fastest runners ever in the history of the USA. And Yong-Sung even raced in the World Championships (in Ireland) when he was only in 11th grade as part of America’s National Under 20 Cross-Country team.

And Chris Dominic set the 12-year-old WORLD RECORD in the 800 with a time of 2:02 on May 15, 1999. And his 800-meter world record lasted for 25 years! But it was finally broken on June 15, 2024. And Chris also set the 12-year-old WORLD RECORD for the mile with a time of 4:42 in May of 1999. But this record was eventually broken in 2008. And Chris' national 3000-meter record (9:38) that he set in 1998 was finally broken in 2022. But Yong-Sung Leal's national 5000-meter record of 14:27 that he set in 2001 as a sophomore in high school has never been broken!

I have also coached a California High School State Champion on three different occasions and a 3rd place finisher twice. Altogether, my runners have won 19 national championships and 3 California HS state championships, as well as set 5 NATIONAL age group records. These records and national titles were set in the 800, 1500. 3000, and 5000. And most years nearly 90% of the members of the California Grizzlies Running Club qualify & run in the USA Junior Olympics Cross-Country NATIONAL Championships.

{National Records: https://www.usatf.org/special-pages/usatf-american-records }

Also, in 2019, we had the best 4th/5th grade cross-country team in California & Nevada (as well as one of the top teams in the nation). Finally, in December of 2019, two of our 5th graders (Gabe Heule & Shaun Mathew) set WORLD records in the 4-mile run. Shaun set the world record for 10-year olds with a time of 25:17 (6:19 per mile) while Gabe set the world record for 11-year olds with a time of 23:58 (5:59 per mile!).

3-Time California HS State Champion and National Champion & National Record Holder Yong-Sung Leal, after being informed of Gabe & Shaun's 4-mile world records, replied: "This is great news! Wow—very impressive times. This is so great that you are still finding kids to coach. Honestly, running was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. I take the same discipline that I learned from you and running and I apply those principles to other aspects of my life. I became the person I am with your guidance and from the greatest sport in the world. So glad that these two kids will learn about goal setting and hard work.... Thanks again for keeping in touch with me and even more thanks for your love and guidance growing up through running. God Bless you, coach. Amen!"

Link to newspaper article: https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/04/06/two-los-gatos-middle-schoolers-aim-to-break-world-record-at-great-race/

And now in the spring of 2022, two more world records have been set by California Grizzly runners in the 4-mile. Sixth grader Ava Padilla ran under 26 minutes (averaging about 6:18 per mile for the 4-mile course) to break the world record for 12-year old girls. And seventh grader Gabriel Heule set another world record as he finished the 4-mile course under 23 minutes (averaging about 5:33 per mile) to set a new world record for 13-year old males. Yong-Sung Leal (who has the American High School 5,000 meter record for 10th graders (14:27; 4:38 per mile average for over 3 miles) stated: "Congrats Coach! This is amazing. You’re the best at what you do for these kids. It’s because of you that I was able to accomplish so much with running." UPDATE: Ava ran 4 miles in 23:32 on Oct. 2, 2022 to unofficialy lower her 12-year old world record by about 2 minutes!!! And teammate Charlene Evangelista also unofficially broke the 12-year old world record by finishing slightly behind Ava in 23:41!!! Both of them not only broke the girl's 12-year old world record, but they also broke the girl's 13-year old, 14-year old, & 15-year old world records!!! Plus, they broke the BOYS 12-year old world record as well!!!

Link to TV coverage of 4-mile race announcing the new world records: https://www.facebook.com/losgatosrotary/videos/684811546085239

Link to World Records: www.RoadRacingWorldRecords.com

And now in the summer of 2022, the USATF Junior Olympics National Championships concluded this past weekend. And incredibly, Ava Padilla won not just one event but all three events that she competed in! She won the 800, 1500, & the 3000. And her fellow teammate & friend Charlene Evangelista came in 2nd place in the 3000 (just a 1/2 second behind Ava)! And both Ava & Charlene were a whooping 19 seconds ahead of their nearest competitor (the 3rd place finisher)!!!

To win a national championship is BIG. But to win 3 national championship races is ENORMOUS & rarely ever happens in national track competition. The last time that I remember someone winning all 3 of these particular events was way back in 1998. And that was a boy (Chris Dominic). I can't recall a single time that a girl ever achieved such an INCREDIBLE feat.

Ava & Charlene started off this miraculous weekend at the 2022 Junior Olympics T&F National Championships by first racing in the 3000 meter race early on Saturday morning. But at the end of the race it was Ava coming across 1st in an unbelievable time of 10:25 (11:06 for 2-miles) as she ran 42 seconds faster than her previous USATF race only five weeks earlier to claim her first ever national crown! And Charlene also finished in 10:25 as she was only a half second behind Ava to finish in second place. Charlene's time was about 80 seconds faster than her previous USATF race!!

Ava then ran in the 800 meter final later on Saturday. And she didn't disappoint as she came away with another national crown while crossing the finish line in an astonishing time of 2:16 (a full 12 seconds faster than she ran in her previous USATF meet) and only 3 seconds off the national record for her age group!

But the big question that everyone was asking themselves as the competition resumed on Sunday morning — was — could Ava do it again in the 1500? And sure enough she did! Ava finished in a stunning time of 4:48 (5:07 mile) while beating her previous USATF time by a mind-boggling 19 seconds!!!"

Here is an article that talks about Ava and Charlene: https://www.usatf.org/news/2022/55-national-champions-crowned-on-penultimate-day-o

Here is the 3000 Video: https://youtu.be/yJeFXtsK6Is

800 Video: https://youtu.be/gOBgGYiD3dk

1500 Video: https://youtu.be/XyFtdQ5NmoA

2022 CROSS-COUNTRY — We had the BEST cross-country team (11-12 year old girls division) in all of Northern California, Central California, Nevada, and the rest of the northwestern USA. We placed 1st in the Association Championships, 1st in the Regional Championships, & 4th in the National Championships!

January, 2023 — I was selected by Positive Coaching Alliance as one of the top 25 coaches in the nation for 2022.

March, 2023 — Ava Padilla competed in the 2023 USATF Indoor NATIONAL T&F Championships held in Louisville, Kentucky. Ava placed 1st in the 800 in 2:15! And she placed 1st in the 1500 in 4:41 (this is equal to a 5:00 mile)! And she would have won the 3,000 in 10:11! But she was cut off & spiked in the last 100 meters of the race and as a result she was only able to come in 2nd place.

April 29, 2023 — Charlene Evangelista broke the 4-Mile World Record for 12-year old girls in a time of 24:30 [on a hilly course]! Ava Padilla broke the 4-Mile World Record for 13-year old girls in a time of 23:37 [on the same hilly course]! And Max Kullar missed the world record for 9-year old boys by just 5 seconds as he finished the hilly 4-mile course in 26:18!

August, 2023 — We had over 20 runners qualify for the National T&F Championships this year! And many of them made All-American (top 8 in the nation)! Ava won the 800 at the Nike National MS Championships & finished the season with a personal record of 2:12 as the fastest American in the country for her age. She also was the fastest 7th grader at the Brooks National MS Championships & had an amazing time of 4:57 for the full mile (4:55 for the 1600; 4:35 for the 1500) to easily finish the season as the fastest American in the country for her age. Other highlights of the 2023 track season: Harish finished in 2nd place in the 2K steeplechase at the USATF National Championships; Rosey finished 3rd in the 3000 & 5th in the 1500 at the AAU National Championships. Charlene finished in 4th place at the Nationals in both the 3000 & the 2K Steeplechase; Dylan came in 7th place at the Nationals in the 1500 race-walk; and our 4x800 relay teams came in 5th place & 7th place at the Nationals (Rosey, Sophie, Dylan, Aarna, Olivia, Saanvi...).

2023 CROSS-COUNTRY — We had the best cross-country team (8 & under boys division; 9-10 boys division; 9-10 girls division; 11-12 girls division; & 13-14 girls division) in all of Northern California, Central California, & Northwestern Nevada. And at the National Championships held on Dec. 2nd (in Tallahassee, Florida) WE WON THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN THE 9-10 BOYS DIVISION!!! And we came in 6th place in the 11-12 girls division at the National meet. Plus, we had 11 boys & girls make ALL-AMERICAN (top 25 in the nation)!

TALLAHASSE, FLORIDA, December 2^nd — Despite severe weather, including an almost 2-hour delay due to lighting, the California Grizzles 9/10 boys cross-country team fought through mud, water, and torrential rain to come out on top as National Champions. The team (Maximilian Och, Vihaan Sharma, Max Kullar, Cameron Owsley, Carrick Zhang, and Adithya Nalluri) ran AMAZING!!!

But unfortunately, we did not have at least 5 runners in the 8 & Under Age Group, otherwise we would have very easily won the national championship in this age division as well!

Earning “ALL-AMERICAN” honors among the California Grizzlies were 11 team members: Rosalind Fennelly (7^th place), Charlene Evangelista (16^th), Zichun Shen (25^th), Diya Nalluri (9^th), Harish Paschapur (24^th), Maximilian Och (6^th), Vihaan Sharma (13^th), Max Kullar (20^th), Cameron Owsley (24^th), Carrick Zhang (11^th), & Krish Shah (18^th).

Monday, Dec. 4, 2023 — the California Grizzlies were on ABC Sports News!

2024 TRACK & FIELD — Once again we had over 20 runners qualify for the National Championships. Some of the highlights included: 8th grader Ava Padilla winning the 800 in 2:13 at the Nike Nationals as well as running under 5 minutes in the mile at the Brooks National meet! 7th grader Liam Tassa running the 800 in 2:02 and the 1500 in 4:14 (mile time of 4:32)! 8th grader Harish Paschapur running the 800 in 2:06 and the 1500 in 4:24 (mile time of 4:42). And we had MANY MORE outstanding achievements!

2024 CROSS-COUNTRY — We had 6 runners (3 boys & 3 girls) make ALL-AMERICAN (top 25 in the nation) at the Junior Olympic National Cross-Country Championships! Krish, Aariv, Vihaan, Diya, Rosie, & Sophie. And our girls born in 2016 were one of the best teams in the country, as well as our boys born in 2015, and our boys born in 2013. In 2025 we should have a good chance of winning the national championships in these particular age groups.

If interested in joining our club, please email me at:

CaliforniaRunningCoach@yahoo.com

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FOR AAU

----- Membership runs from 9/1/24 to 8/31/25 -----

Click on this link to get started (and then follow the instructions below):

https://play.aausports.org/joinaau/membershipapplication.aspx

MEMBERSHIP for YOUTH ATHLETES

Sign your child up as an “ATHLETE” (NOT as a non-athlete)

WHAT TYPE OF MEMBERSHIP?

PROGRAM = Youth Program (NOT Adult program)

SPORT = Track and Field (X-Country; Multi-Events)

COVERAGE = Extended (AB)! [Do NOT get “Regular” coverage!!!]

Are you a member of a Club? Click YES, then select “CALIFORNIA GRIZZLIES”

California Grizzlies Club Number: W376WF

(Membership runs from Sept 1 to Aug. 31)

Now complete the membership application!

FINALLY, once you get your child’s Membership Card, print out a copy, & bring to every meet (you may want to keep it in your car at all times) along with a copy of your child's birth certificate.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR JOINING USATF

----- Membership runs from January 1st to December 31st -----

STEP 1 — Register as a member of USATF.

HERE IS THE LINK TO REGISTER AS A MEMBER OF USATF:

https://www.usatf.org/membership/application/index.asp

After you click on the ABOVE link, it will look like the following:

MEMBERSHIP

Welcome To The Sport, The Team, The Journey

USATF brings together athletes, coaches, event directors, community leaders, officials, volunteers, and fans to grow track and field, race walking, and long-distance running. We fuel the connection to our sport and the sense of belonging to one team: Team USATF.

Join Team USATF Today By Becoming A Member

Whether you want to support the team, participate locally, or have Olympic aspirations!
Click here to learn more about how your membership helps.

Need help with your membership? Check out our How-To videos for memberships!

JOIN / RENEW

CLICK ON THE ABOVE LINK (“JOIN/RENEW)

NEED MORE HELP? https://usatf.sport80.com/public/wizard/a/941/home

IF you couldn't find the answer you were looking for, then CLICK on “CONTACT SUPPORT” (https://usatf.sport80.com/public/wizard/a/941/home).

In the registration process, make sure that you register as part of the “California Grizzlies” team.

Under "Select a Club Affiliation"

Choose: "California Grizzlies"

Then on the application it will say “Club Number.”

Type in our club number — 8877.

You will now be a California Grizzlies member of USATF. Membership runs from January 1st to December 31st.

After you get your USATF membership number, immediately have your Birth Certificate verified.

STEP 2 — DATE OF BIRTH VERIFICATION POLICY (revised April, 2021)

Members are required to upload/submit their birthdate verification documents while completing their membership profile on the USATF Connect system.

DOCUMENT SUBMISSION DEADLINE

Documents submitted for birthdate verification will be processed within five (5) business days of submission (excluding holidays). It is the responsibility of the registrant to assure submission in a timely manner to meet entry deadlines.

HOW TO SUBMIT DOCUMENTS

Birthdate verification documents must be uploaded through USATF Connect. If you are experiencing trouble uploading these documents, please contact the USATF National Office for assistance. Be advised that birthdate verification documents will not be accepted or uploaded by the National Office. Procedures for uploading these documents in the USATF Connect system must be adhered to and there will be no exceptions. Documents sent to the National Office will be returned and the verification will not be processed.

If a document is illegible it will be invalidated and will not be processed. Invalidated documents will not result in an extension of the submission deadline. No extension will be granted for invalidated documents that require re-submission. The processing period will remain in effect. Birthdate verification documents will remain a permanent part of the member profile and will not require re-submission.

“HOW TO” VIDEO — Explains how to verify Birth Certificate:

https://vimeopro.com/user44435707/usatf-connect-member-tutorials/video/403329154

STEP 3 — Bring your child's USATF membership number with you to EVERY meet (along with a copy of your child's birth certificate).

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What's the difference between cross-country and track?

First, T&F involves about 15 different events, but Cross-Country only has ONE event — a long-distance race.

Secondly, track races take place on a track. But X-C races do NOT take place on a track — instead they take place in parks on grass, dirt, asphalt, hills, valleys, etc.

Thirdly, most of our track meets take place on Saturdays, while most of our cross-country races take place on Sundays.

Fourth, track involves individual competition, but X-C involves not just individual competition but TEAM competition as well. Our team will be competing against many other teams at most of our X-C races. How does the scoring work? If a runner comes in 1st place, he (or she) earns 1 point for their team. A runner that comes in 2nd place earns 2 points for their team. The first 5 runners of each team are then added up and the team with the LEAST amount of points wins (just like in the game of golf). Team scoring makes cross-country competition very exciting! We will be trying to have the best team in northern California as well as the country!

Fifth, it's MUCH EASIER to qualify for the National Junior Olympic Championships in cross-country than it is for track. To qualify and to compete in the Nationals for track is very difficult, as very few people make it that far. But in cross-country it is much easier, and many people on our team usually qualify & run in the Nationals each year. In 2019 almost 90% of the runners on our team qualified and ran at the national cross-country championships.

Sixth, in X-C there is only ONE race, but the distance of the race varies depending on the age of the runner. The older the runner, the further the race distance, the younger the runner, the shorter the race distance. And of course the boys only race against other boys, and the girls only race against other girls.

Seventh, X-C is in the fall and goes from about August 15th to December 10th (while track goes from Feb 15th to August 1st).

Eighth: "Are our practices any different?" NO, our practices are pretty much the SAME for both TRACK and X-C.

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HANDICAP RACES

In a Handicap Race the slowest runner starts 1st, the fastest runner starts last, and everyone else starts someone between the slowest runner and the fastest runner. For example, if there are 2 runners in a 2-mile handicap race, and runner A's best 2-mile time is 10:00, and runner B's best 2-mile time is 11:00, then runner B would start 1:00 minute before runner A.

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RECOMMENDED SHOES for TRAINING & Racing

[Remember: Women’s size 5 equals kid’s size 3.5!]

#1 = BROOKS HYPERION MAX

-OR- BROOKS HYPERION MAX 2

-OR- BROOKS HYPERION

MEN: https://www.brooksrunning.com/en_us/mens/shoes/road-running-shoes/hyperion-max/110390.html

WOMEN: https://www.brooksrunning.com/en_us/womens/shoes/road-running-shoes/hyperion-max/120377.html

#2 = ALTRA ESCALANTE 4.0

Men’s = https://www.altrarunning.com/shop/mens-escalante-4-al0a85ne?variationId=330

Women’s = https://www.altrarunning.com/shop/womens-escalante-4-al0a85nf?variationId=342

#3 = NIKE FREE RUN 2018

Women's = https://www.nike.com/t/free-rn-2018-womens-running-shoes-zE8Je3/942837-001

Men's = https://www.nike.com/t/free-run-2018-mens-road-running-shoes-RRT9elMk/942838-101

RECOMMENDED SHOES for RACES

The Super-Shoes that I sell.

Talk to me at practice about these absolutely amazing racing shoes!

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2025 CROSS-COUNTRY

Cross-Country begins around August 10th & ends around December 10th.

Tentative 2025 X-C Race Schedule

This was our 2024 cross-country schedule. Our 2025 schedule should be similar.

SAT, Sept. 14 = Martinez

Sun, Sept. 22 = Hayward

SAT, Sept. 28 = Pleasanton

Sun, Oct. 6 = San Jose

Sun, Oct. 13 = Mountain View

Sun, Oct. 20 = Pleasanton

Sun, Oct. 27 = Fremont

Sun, Nov. 3 = Menlo Park

Sun, Nov. 10 = San Jose

Sun, Nov. 17 = Mountain View

***Sun, Nov. 24 = USATF Association CHAMPIONSHIP — This is a very important meet, as we will be trying to win several Association Championship Team Titles!

***Sun, Dec. 1 = USATF Regional CHAMPIONSHIP — This is also a very important meet, as we will be trying to win several Regional Championship Team Titles!

***** SAT, Dec. 7 = AAU NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP — This is our most important meet of the year as we will be trying to win multiple National Championship TEAM Titles!

Please try your very best NOT to schedule any vacations between Nov. 18 – Dec. 10 (since this is when all of our big championship meets occur). Instead, please try your best to schedule all vacations between December 10th & February 15th if at all possible. So, can you travel during Thanksgiving? Of course. It's perfectly fine to travel during Thanksgiving. It's just NOT PREFERRED for those who want to be at their very best for the championship meets held in November.

AAU 2025 X-C Race Distance & Age Divisions

In AAU competition, everyone only competes against those born in the same year as them. You do NOT compete against those born in a different year than you (like we do in USATF competition).

Group 1 — Born in 2018 = 2K (1.25 Miles)

Group 2 — Born in 2017= 2K (1.25 Miles)

Group 3 — Born in 2016 = 3K (1.8 Miles)

Group 4 — Born in 2015 = 3K (1.8 Miles)

Group 5 — Born in 2014 = 3K (1.8 Miles)

Group 6 — Born in 2013 = 3K (1.8 Miles)

Group 7 — Born in 2012 = 4K (2.5 Miles)

Group 8 — Born in 2011 = 4K (2.5 Miles)

Group 9 — Born in 2009 or 2010 = 5K (3.1 Miles)

Group 10 — Born in 2007 or 2008 = 5K (3.1 Miles)

* At the National Meet there is an additional age division:

Group 0 = Born in 2019 or 2020 = 1K (0.62 Miles)