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  • Girls cross country coach of the year: Charles Gates, Northwood

    Girls cross country coach of the year: Charles Gates, Northwood

  • Girls cross country coach of the year: Charles Gates of...

    Girls cross country coach of the year: Charles Gates of Northwood

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The Northwood girls cross country team had high hopes entering this season.

Coach Charles Gates believed his team was ready to produce on par with some of the county’s other elite programs. But he also knew he would have to be patient and trust that his team would be able to turn its training into success.

His approach was rewarded as the Timberwolves blossomed into one of the top programs in the state.

For guiding the Timberwolves to their best season in school history, Gates has earned the distinction of being selected the Register’s girls cross country Coach of the Year.

“It’s an incredible honor to be recognized with this award,” Gates said. “To put this together this season is something I will be proud of for the rest of my life.”


Related:

2013 All-County girls cross country team

Girls cross country runner of the year: Bethan Knights, Northwood


With Bethan Knights at the top of his lineup, Gates knew he had the county’s best individual runner. The Timberwolves’ team success would depend on the development of a talented core that included Samantha Murphy, Ashley Larson, Natsuki Eguchi, Katie Marshall, Hailey Villaflour and Melissa Rosborough.

“We set really high goals in the summer and we felt that we had the talent to be on the state meet podium,” Gates recalled.

Running against the county’s top programs at the Orange County Championships, the Timberwolves placed fourth and showed Gates his team was ready to look toward the postseason.

“That was a pivotal race for us because we went into it with the goal of finishing in the top five,” Gates said. “The competition was so intense, and after that race, we started focusing on huge objectives and the girls started to believe.”

Their confidence grew some more after winning the Division 3 sweepstakes race at the Mt. SAC Invitational and claiming their first Pacific Coast League title.

“We got on a roll heading into CIF, which was important,” Gates said.

Northwood closed the season with second-place finishes at the CIF-SS Division 3 Finals and at the CIF State Championships.

The Timberwolves placed higher than any other team in the county at the state meet.

“It was by far the most satisfying year I’ve had in coaching,” Gates said.