MIDDLETOWN — Coaching turnover generally suggests a program in trouble, but nothing could be farther from the truth for Middletown High School cross country.
Taylor Tiraterra takes over as the Mustangs’ fourth head coach in four seasons, following in the footsteps of Sarah Carlisle (2017), Don Cobb (2018-19) and Anna Schneider (2019). Middletown has experienced success with each of Tiraterra’s three predecessors, including freshman Brooklyn Huffman reaching the CIF State Championships in 2018 under Cobb. A second runner, senior Grace Southern, just missed that year.
A third-year U.S. History teacher at Middletown High School, the 36-year-old Tiraterra, a Hidden Valley Lake resident, is new to coaching but not running.
“I ran track and cross country in high school,” Tiraterra said of his days at Rancho Cotate High School in Rohnert Park. “I’m pretty much a newbie at coaching.”
Though he’s cut back on his running since his high school days, Tiraterra said he remains physically active as an avid hiker. A native of the Sacramento area, the move to Lake County was a pleasant one for him.
“I love the area,” Tiraterra said.
With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing all types of changes this year, not the least of which is a four-month delay in the start of the cross country season — the first official day of practice isn’t until Dec. 14 — Tiraterra said he will take on whatever challenges present themselves one at a time. First he would like to develop a working relationship with his runners, some of whom he’s met in the classroom.
“I know most of the runners, I’ve had some in class, and they seem like a good group of kids,” Tiraterra said.
While Tiraterra doesn’t have a crystal, he said pretty much “anything” can happen during the next few months in regard to the coronavirus situation that will have Middletown High’s students taking their classes online to begin the new school year.
“I’m not sure anything is going to happen in December, I take whatever they’re saying now with a grain of salt,” Tiraterra said. “No one knows right now. I can tell you we’re going to do the best we can. I mostly have the same team that we had last year.”
Tiraterra said he learned of the cross country coaching vacancy last month from new Middletown High principal Airic Guerrero.
“He told me Anna was totally willing to do it if no one else wanted the job,” Tiraterra said. “I told Airic I was interested.”
Runners really have no true off-season and Middletown’s veterans have remained active during the summer by organizing a number of weekly runs/workouts.
“As I meet them and watch them work out, I’ll be observing what they do,” Tiraterra said. “I’ll just let the kids work out on their own for now.”
If the 2020-21 cross country season does go off as planned, the Mustangs will be running in the winter months instead of late summer and fall, which certainly will be a change.
“I myself am used to working out in all kinds of weather and I’m sure they’re used to running in all kinds of weather, so it probably won’t be a huge change for them,” Tiraterra said. “Still, we could be running on some muddy courses.”
Among the returning boys runners for the Mustangs are seniors Isaac Rascon, Isaiah Diaz and Filemon Sanchez, all seniors, and junior Xander Romero. Among the returning girls runners are senior Erica Kinsel and sophomores Nicole Pyzer and Maya Leonard.
Tiraterra said he looks forward to being their coach and seeing what the season has in store for them, including possibly another championship run for both the girls and boys in the North Central League I.
“Right now I’m really learning a lot about the art of coaching.” he said. “I’ve got a lot to learn and I’m sure they are going to help me.”
