How it all started

Running has been a great blessing to me. It gave me an opportunity to go to school and get a college degree at virtually no cost. Some of my greatest experiences and friedships have happened and been developed while participating in track and cross country. I feel that it has helped me become a better person in so may ways. I am grateful for the oppurtunity to be a coach and hopefully instill my love and passion for the sport to others. 

    I went to school in the little town of Panguitch, Utah. Because of the size of the school, you had an obligation to your school to participate in as many sports as possible. If you did not participate your school didn't have a team. During high school I participated in baseball, cross country, basketball, wrestling, golf, competitive weight lifting and track and field. I really enjoyed playing sports. I enjoyed being part of a team and challenging myself.

    When I was a sophomore in high school my dad forced me to do track and field. I told him I didn't want to but he insisted and so I joined reluctantly. I will be forever grateful for my dad encouraging me to join.

I was very small in high school and felt like I worked hard in sports and was good enouph to play but because of my size I was often overlooked. My dad would always tell me, "Englesteads don't complain-we don't blame others. We try our best and what happens, happens."

   I immediately fell in love with track and field because there was no POLITICS. The only person who determined my success was myself. If I failed it was on me, no one else. There was no COACH telling me I wasn't good enough and no REFEREES to blame. It was great. I worked hard and did stuff on my own and I saw immediate, quantifiable results. That is where I first fell in love with the sport of running.