This season Laura Davis, the cross country team coach, was awarded Coach of the Year at the California Pacific (Cal Pac) Championship Conference for showing strong contributions to the conference and for her efforts to increase her team’s competitive performance.
One coach receives the award and trophy each year. While there are no official guidelines to determine who receives the award, Davis said “the biggest thing in receiving it is the team’s reflection of the coach. We look at how each coach has brought their team to a new level.”
The coaches of the conference – seven total this year, including Davis – meet regularly to discuss how each team is progressing. At the end of the season the coaches cast their vote. No coach can vote for themselves.
“Getting this was a huge honor,” said Davis.
“Laura is probably one of the most organized in not only work outs, but helping her team in time management, sleeping patterns and exercise physiology,” said swim coach Neil Virtue.
Mills hosts the largest track meet in the conference, and Davis has brought the cross country team from placing last in championships three years ago to first place this year.
“We went from worse to first in just three years,” said Davis, who is completing her fourth year coaching at Mills.
