Serra track and field coach Lori Smith-Thompson
Serra track and field coach Lori Smith-Thompson saw an opportunity and wanted to make sure her teams knew exactly what was at stake.
Twice Smith-Thompson called team meetings before Serra's biggest meets of the season - the CIF Southern Section finals and the CIF State finals.
The Serra war room featured a whiteboard full of projections and tangible goals for each meet. Each coach gave an impassioned pep talk about the historic opportunity that was within grasp for this talented group.
"It was kind of a tear-jerker, and it was motivating for all of us," Smith-Thompson said. "It was to keep them focused and tell them what we expected.
"Everybody was riled up and ready to make it happen."
Serra swept the CIF Southern Section Division IV team titles at Mount San Antonio College.
Eventually, Smith-Thompson hoisted a CIF State girls team trophy and a CIF State boys team runner-up trophy, posing with her players atop the podium on a toasty night at Buchanan High School in Clovis.
"We really wanted to put our name and our team on the map," said Serra senior Renetia James, a 400-meter state champion who also ran on both winning relays. "I was not leaving that stadium without at least one gold."
Ultimately, the girls captured their third straight CIF Southern Section title and their first CIF State crown. The boys won their sixth straight CIF Southern Section title and came within four points of winning their
second CIF State title.Serra also had 10 individual CIF champions and six individual state champions.
"It turned out to be a tremendous year for the program, for myself and for the athletes," said Smith-Thompson, the 2012 Daily Breeze Track and Field Coach of the Year.
Injuries had plagued Serra in the past couple of years, but Smith-Thompson made injury prevention a top priority.
Smith-Thompson said she realized most schools don't have the manpower or the resources to handle the daily grind. So Smith-Thompson referred parents to a nutritionist, a chiropractor and a deep tissue specialist.
"We had a parent meeting at the beginning of the year, and I told them we all have to stay on top of injuries," Smith-Thompson said. "The parents are the ones who are going to be driving. They're the ones who had to get them there, so we needed to make sure they knew their options."
Her athletes described her as a task master, not afraid to crack the whip to make sure they were putting in the proper training.
But they also said Smith-Thompson was the first person to congratulate them on a job well done and was always eager to honor their accomplishments.
"I love Coach Lori," said Serra senior Alexis Faulknor, the 2012 Daily Breeze Girls Track Athlete of the Year. "She knows how to handle business and always shows up with her game face. We can be anywhere and she'll keep us going.
"She cares about all of us and works us to be the best we can be."
Adoree' Jackson, the 2012 Daily Breeze Boys Track Athlete of the Year, said Smith-Thompson gave him an extra push in helping him win the state long jump title.
"She taught me things I need to know and the workouts I needed," Jackson said. "She taught me to be a better person and athlete on and off the track. I give a lot of thanks to her for helping me become as fast and explosive as I am now."
Smith-Thompson is quick to credit her Serra coaching staff, a distinguished group that includes sprints coach Chris Faulknor, hurdles coach Derrick Knight and jumps coach Russell Biggs.
"I can call myself the head coach, but it takes a team of people to bring it all together," said Smith-Thompson, who has coached the 2007 IAAF World Youth Team in the Czech Republic and was the team manager for the 2009 IAAF World Youth Team in Italy.
Smith-Thompson also tried to teach her team to be humble and to honor God.
Her athletes also seemed genuine in praising God and with their team prayers.
James said Isaiah 54:17 applies to Serra: "No weapon formed against me shall prosper." They were not going to let injuries or outsiders slow them down.
"I can do all things through Christ," James said.
And through Smith-Thompson as well.
tony.ciniglio@dailybreeze.com
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