In replacement of longterm cross country coach, Mr. Joesph Barcellos, coming to a retirement last year, Mr. Michael Salaz, has become the new cross country coach for Los Banos High.

Starting the season off with strong optimism, Salaz has high hopes for the new 2022-2023 team. Running has always been a passion for Salaz.  He has four years of cross country experience in high school and presently, keeps that same running routine in his daily life.  But being a running coach is something entirely new for our biology teacher.

Salaz is not only our new cross country coach, but also Los Banos High’s throwing coach for our track and field team as of early 2022. This coaching role initially inspired Salaz to want to coach his own team.

Given the opportunity from Barcellos himself to take over the team, Salaz felt self assured in his abilities to run a team.

Initiating coaching into his daily life has brought Salaz a “different perspective of teaching” as well, Salaz states. Mr. Salaz has been a biology/environmental science teacher since 2018. Since members of the team are also students of his, interacting with them out on the field brings a different dynamic to the ordinary student/teacher relationship.

Seeing the students outside of the classroom gives a newfound sense of “freedom” according to both Salaz and athletes, by not being in a classroom environment. Sharing this passion together gives Salaz excitement about going out and enjoying the sport with his students.

With more fresh faces on the team this year, Salaz is ready to start training. In hopes of improvment throughout the season, Salaz wants to start off slow. By beginning the season with endurance training like running for long periods of time with little/to no stopping, building up a foundation around consistent times, etc, Salaz hopes will bring a solid base to these new athletes with a positive outlook.

Cross country will be participating in two invitational meets before their first WAC meet on Wednesday, September 14 against Ceres in River Bluff, Ceres. Next week will be the last week for new runners to join cross country before the season officially starts.

If you are interested in joining the team, see Mr. Salaz in room 406.