Coaches

George Velarde (Head Coach)
Coach Velarde is entering his 21st year of coaching Cross Country/Track and Field. He received his Bachelor of Science from Point Loma Nazarene University in 1994 and his Masters degree from Azusa Pacific University in 2002. He ran Cross Country and Track for Central Union High and in college at Cal State San Bernardino and Point Loma Nazarene University. He has been married to his wife Erica for 20 years and has 2 children: Jacob (15) and Jayson (12). He has taught Physical Education at Pacific Beach Middle School, Jordan Middle School and at Sierra Vista Jr. High School. He is the Physical Education Department Chair at Sierra Vista Jr. High School for their Nationally Recognized Physical Education program. In his spare time he plays Frisbee golf, basketball, watching movies and rooting for his Favorite Sport Teams: L.A. Lakers, USC Trojans (Football), New York Yankees, San Francisco 49ers, and the Duke Blue Devils (Men's Basketball). In 2009, he was named the Physical Education Teacher of the Year for the State of California. Over the years, he has spoken to: US Congress at our Nation's Capitol, was a speaker at the 1st Global Conference for Sports and Science in Taiwan, he has spoken with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and President Bill Clinton regarding Health and Physical Education.

Chris Jackson:
My wife, Samantha, and I have four children, Bryanna is 15, Robert is 11, Amy is 7, and Zoey is 3. All of them are adopted through foster care. I've been teaching math and coaching at Canyon for fourteen years. As I get older, I keep getting slower. Probably because I enjoy Starbucks a little too much. I ran cross country and track at Morro Bay High School. I attended college at Point Loma from 92 to 96 I completed a double major in religion and business. I attended graduate school at Princeton Theological Seminary from 96 to 99 earning a M.Div degree. I then worked as a youth pastor for three years in Lake Elsinore, taught junior high math in Hacienda La Puente for a year, then came to Canyon. At Canyon, I am the club sponsor for Student Task Force (a Human Rights Watch club), the union site rep, and I volunteer at the Awanas game director at my church. I have lost most of my hobbies, as we've had more kids. ...

Dave DeLong
Coach DeLong has been coaching for 24 years, 22 of them at Canyon High School and 2 years at Burroughs High School in Burbank, CA. He began his running career in high school running a 4:17 in the 1600m, then in college running a 14:55 in the 5,000m and a 4:10 in the 1600m. He attended USC and graduated from Point Loma Nazarene College in 1984. From there he began his first teaching job at Jordan Jr. High in Burbank, CA, then 2 years at Burroughs High School, and has spent the last 20 years teaching math at Canyon High School. He has competed in several marathons, with a PR at age 35 of 2:54. He placed 100th at the Boston Marathon in 1996. He’s been married to his wife Lisa for 25 years and has 3 children; Jessica, Joelle, and Jacob. In his spare time, you can find him in the Jacuzzi, playing golf, or spending time with his family or alumni runners. You may find him screaming for more ice-cream as he watches his favorite movie “It’s A Beautiful Life.”

Paul Broneer: Field Events and Hurdles Assistant Coach
Coach Broneer has retired as Head Track and XC Coach in June, 2019. He has been coaching a variety of sports for over 45 years. Along with coaching he has been a teacher after receiving his degree from UCLA in 1972 and his master’s degree in Computer Education from USIU. Coach Broneer retired from teaching in 2009 but continues to assists with Varsity Girls Basketball, and field events and hurdles at Canyon. He has taught and coached at Burroughs High School for 4 years, Glendale High School for 17, Hart HS 1 year, and has spent the last 21 years at Canyon High School. In high school he was on the U.S. "all time top 10" high school decathlon list. He competed as a Triple Jumper & Decathlete at UCLA in 1968-69. He has completed 10 marathons. He placed 17th in the U.S. Olympic trials in the decathlon in 1968. (Coach Broneer has been around so long that he coached Coach DeLong in Jr. High Track.) He has been married to his wife Jan for 49 years and has 2 children; Eric and Jaime, along with 7 grandchildren Benjamin Eric, Emma Li, Ava Maureen, William Paul, Claire Elizabeth Mei, Charles Anthony, and Leah May. In his spare time he plays golf, helps home-school several of his grandchildren in math and science, and cheers on the UCLA Bruins. He tries to find time take long walks with his wife, Jan, and dog Skipper, take pictures, ride a bike, and go fishing. Paul and his wife Jan were inducted into the Burbank City Sports "Walk of Fame." in 2006.

Ron White
Ron is our sprints and horizontal jumps coach (Long Jump and Triple Jump). While attending High school in Ohio, Ron ran track (sprints), played football, wrestled, and was a musician in several bands. Ron also Sailed the Great lakes during his summer breaks. Ron ran indoor track for University of Michigan and outdoors at Henry Ford Community College. He later transferred to study Electronics and Play football at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. After college graduation, Ron Hired on with Hewlett-Packard Company in Los Angeles as field engineer then worked in different groups within HP. Ron started coaching when his children (Robert & Alexis) began running in the Warrior track program 1992. He then followed them to high school to assist high school staff and has done so to date. Robert & Alexis graduated from Canyon and Alexis went on to obtain her master’s at the University of Oregon. He currently is an independent consultant as a Project Manager and owns a company (Entertainment Services) that provides music, lighting, projection, Casino gaming services for corporate & private events/parties throughout Southern California. Hobbies: coaching Track, playing & listening to various types of music (mostly jazz), sailing, skiing, camping/fishing, Olympic pin collecting, watching sports games (football & basketball), and Travel.

David Arellano: is a Canyon High School alumni, graduating in 1998. In high school Dave participated in track and field, cross country, and soccer. Since high school Dave has been in the United States Maine Corps, and has faithfully served this country for the past 19 years. Dave works full time as a firefighter in Westwood, California for the Los Angeles City Fire Department. On his days off, he is a dedicated husband and father to his wife Emily and two small children, Lilly and Jace. Dave has been a volunteer coach for track and field and cross country since 2009. In addition, Dave and his family volunteer with an organization called Young Life, which is a non profit youth outreach program to help kids with the pressures and struggles in the world of high school. Dave lives his life to the fullest and with conviction. He strives to set that example for the students he coaches.

Bob Plassmeyer - Hurdles Coach

Thaddeus Kline - Throws Coach:
Thaddeus Kline is our Throw Coach taking over for Coach Richardson. This is his 2nd year of coaching. He was coached in high school by coach John Quam while he was at Golden Valley. Thaddeus threw in the high 40s in the shot and 130s in the Discus Throw while at GV. He is currently attending COC and will earn his AA next semester.

Steve Low - Sprint Coach

Jill Hurley - is the newest member of our coaching staff. She is a Canyon High alumni, who graduated in 2010. She was a cheerleader and a track athlete. She went on to pole vault and jumped for College of the Canyons, currently holding the college’s pole vault school record. She graduated there with an associate’s in Biological Sciences and transferred to D1 CSUN. Jill continued to pole vault for CSUN and still loves the sport. She graduated in 2016 with her B.S in Kinesiology (Exercise Science) focusing on speed and power building for athletes. Currently she is doing her student teaching at Sierra Vista Jr High working toward her Masters and teaching credential in PE. She has a strong background and coached gymnastics for 10 years. She is very excited to coach with the Canyon track team.

Coach Broneer and Coach Delong with Lauren Fleshman and Alysia (Johnson) Montano

Hello. My name is Cowboy, and I was named in honor of the amazing athletes on the Canyon Cowboy team. I became the team mascot in 2010 when Coach David Arellano recused me, while on a run with the team, from the streets of Canyon Country as I was thrown from a moving vehicle. I have attended many practices, races, meets, as well as, trained with the cross country team every year in Mammoth, California. I am eternally grateful to the head coaches for putting the kids on that particular run that day. Because of them, I was saved from being run over. I promise to faithfully serve and inspire the Canyon Cowboys to never give up, because miracles happen everyday.

Canyon Track is always looking for event coaches. If you are interested in becoming a track coach, please contact
Paul Broneer at 661-857-4414 or email him at paulbroneer@me.com
All coaches must get certified by the Wm S. Hart Union School District
To to this, there are a few (12) hoops you will need to jump through:

1. Coaching Clearance Form/Contact Information (CLICK HERE)
2. Attend the district coaching classes.
3. Sudden Cardiac Arrest (https://www.nfhslearn.com/courses/61032/sudden-cardiac-arrest)
4. Concussion Awareness (https://www.nfhslearn.com/courses/61064/concussion-in-sports)
5. Sexual Harassment Login at https://hartdistrict-keenan.safeschools.com/login
6. Mandated Reporter Login at https://hartdistrict-keenan.safeschools.com/login
7. Workplace Bullying Login at https://hartdistrict-keenan.safeschools.com/login
8. CPR I suggest SimpleCPR at https://simplecpr.com/ or ecprcertification at http://www.ecprcertification.com/
9. First Aid I suggest SimpleCPR at https://simplecpr.com/ or ecprcertification at http://www.ecprcertification.com/
10. Fingerprinting
11. TB Test
12. Heat Illness Prevention: https://nfhslearn.com/courses/61140/heat-illness-prevention

Frank Rock (Retired in 2019): Coach Rock has been coaching the pole vault at Canyon for 30 years. Prior to that he coached a year each at Burbank High school, Occidental College, Boise State College and COC. He grew locally where he graduated from Hart in 1968. There he competed in football, wrestling and track and set the then school record of 14 feet in the pole vault. From there he spent 2 years at Glendale CC where he set the college's record of 15'6" and was twice WSC champion. He was awarded a scholarship to San Jose State University where he earned a B.S. degree in Criminal Justice Administration with a minor in Recreation and Leisure Studies in 1973. While competing 3 years for SJSU Frank vaulted a best of 16'6". He was the PCAA champion, placed 5th(tie) at the NCAA finals and 6th at the AAU (now USA Track) Nationals. For that he was ranked 8th in the nation in 1973 by Track and Field News. The next year he jumped a PR of 17 feet in club competition earning him a spot on the world list. Coach Rock lives in Canyon Country with his wife/college sweetheart of 43 years Carol. Together they raised 3 Canyon graduates. Sarah ('98), Kerry ('00), and Casey ('05). They are proud grandparents of Sadie and Wyatt. He is a professional artist/muralist with some of his work on display in Old Town Newhall. For 25 years he has been involved with the Canyon Theatre Guild and is an expert tour guide and lecturer on the St. Francis Dam Disaster of 1928. Frank promised to return as our home PV judge for all of our home meets. See you soon!

Kent Richardson: (Retired in 2019) Kent has been teaching for 31 years and coaching Track as the throws coach at Canyon for the past 15 years. He enjoys watching athletes improve and succeed in their sport. Coaching in track is no different than teaching in the classroom, you break the skill down, practice its parts, then put it back together again. Kent also teaches part time at the Masters College. He has three children, all Canyon graduates: Lindsey, Preston, and Kailey. Kent recently became a Grandpa! Kent and his bride, Amy, moved to Colorado this past summer. We all wish him well and thank him for all he has done to make our program what it is!