2009 Men's Cross Country
2009 Men's Cross Country Coaches
Francisco Gomez - Head Coach
Coach Gomez enters his first year at the helm of the cross country program after a successful career at Las Positas Community College and Dublin High School. While coaching those schools he had numerous athletes that received athletic scholarships and attained success. His expertise was learned because of his vast passion for running, as well as staying fit throughout his life as a High School runner, Collegiate Competitor, and as a Coach. He brings heartfelt dedication and a vast wealth of experience along with a delightfully energetic attitude to improve the fitness of all his new and upcoming athletes.
In addition to his coaching and life experience, Coach Gomez holds three personal training certification (ACSM, NSCA, NASM) and a bachelor's degree in Exercise Physiology and Nutrition from Cal State Eastbay Univeristy. He is currently earning his Master's degree at Cal State Eastbay University in Exercise Physiology with an option in Sports Psychology. Coach Gomez believes that knowing the science behind athletes who he coaches will help him keep the Holy Names Cross Country runners healthy and running at their optimum best. Coach Gomez is also the founder and owner of The Fit Potato, a personal training business that focuses on losing weight and gaining health through life style changes. Coach Gomez is passionate and dedicated about what he does and feels blessed to have the opportunity to influence young athletes and adults to overcome their personal struggles and be their best.
He is currently training for the San Francisco Marathon and looks forward to running alongside the athletes he will be coaching at Holy Names University.
Marcela Becerra - Grad Assistant
Marcela Becerra enters her third year as the men and women's cross country assistant coach at Holy Names University. Becerra brings an exceptional running resume to HNU with a history of running under the guidance of some of the top coaches in the country. Becerra works with both men and women distance runners. She brings tremendous technical knowledge in distance events such as the marathon, 10k, 3000m steeplechase and the 5k. In the spring of 2009 HNU standout Juan Gomez qualified for the 2009 NAIA Track & Field National Competition as well as recorder four personal bests in the 5k (16:15), half-marathon (1:13:58), marathon (2:44:16) and the 10k (33:07) under her guidance. Senior Chenique Jackson also improved by over a minute on the 5k under Becerra's guidance.
Becerra started her running career at Fillmore High School where she was named First Team Tri-Valley League in 2000 and 2001. She contributed to the last league title in over two decades in 1999. In 2001 she was an individual CIF Southern Section individual qualifier in Cross Country. After high school she went on and competed for Ventura College under the guidance of Nancy Fredickson and Ken Reeves. While in Ventura, Becerra help lead the Pirates to a back to back Western State Conference titles in 2002 and 2003 with a 5th place team finish at the California Cross-Country State Championship meet. Becerra was the first VC female runner to compete in the 3000m steeplechase in school history in which she set the school record as well as set various personal records.
After a successful running career at VC, she transferred to the University of San Francisco where she ran under the guidance of Helen Lehman-Winters. Becerra earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology at USF. After an outstanding career at the collegiate level, Becerra jumped at the opportunity of sharing her running knowledge with HNU athletes. At HNU she is currently working on a Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology and hopes to have her private practice in the future with a focus on children and victims of domestic violence. Becerra resides in the Oakland Hills.
Claudia Davila - Grad Assistant
Claudia Davila is entering her second year as an assistant coach for cross-country at HNU. She jumped at the opportunity to work with Coach Francisco and Marcela Becerra in coaching the men and women cross-country team at HNU. Claudia started her collegiate athletic career at Foothill College in Los Altos, California, where she transferred to Holy Names University as a junior. Claudia was an anchor of the women's soccer team for two years where she went on to obtain a bachelor's degree in Liberal Studies. After completing two years of women's soccer, Claudia graduated in 2007 with a bachelor's degree in Liberal Studies. But Claudia's interests continued to unfold. She would become an integral part of Holy Names' track and cross country team where she now maintains the title of assistant coach.
