Coaching Staff
Grady O'Connor - Director of Men's and Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
1998-present
o'connorg@lanecc.edu, 541-463-5550
Grady has been the Director of both Men's and Women's Cross Country and Track and Field since 1998. During his tenure, he has consistently fielded one of the most competitive teams in the Northwest. His programs have won eighteen Regional Titles and counting. Under his watch, the program has produced over 195 Junior College All-Americans, set nine-teen school records, and garnered several Coach of the Year honors (02,05,06,07,10).
Prior to Lane, Grady coached at Cottage Grove High School (1995-96). He had an immediate impact, coaching the 4A State 100m Hurdle Champion, Katie Rowlett (14.1).
He was then hired as the combined event coach at Lane (1997), where he began establishing an impressive tradition of decathletes and heptathletes. Lane has had ten different combined event champions in the last nine years. Under Grady's direction, eight decathletes currently hold scores that place in the All-Time Top 10 list at Lane. His heptathletes hold six of the top ten positions, including the school record. Many of these combined event athletes have continued on to Division I schools including: University of Oregon, University of Alabama, Michigan State University, UCLA, Boise State University, Long Beach State, and Portland State University.
Another testament of Grady’s dedication to the combined events, is the fact that several of his former decathletes are now in the coaching profession. Former decathletes coaching and generating new interest in the sport include: Octavious Gillespie (99) University of Tulsa, Josh Priester (02) - University of California at Santa Barbara, Keith Baker (04) – Samford University (AL), and Cody Fleming (05) – University of Nevada-Reno.
As a Lane Faculty member, Grady has a multitude of responsibilities beyond coaching. He serves as the lead instructor for the weight room and teaches various sections of strength training. He also has successfully served as the meet director for the OSAA High School State Cross Country Meet since 1998. And recently, Grady was instrumental in developing and implementing all phases of a brand new IAAF Track and Field facility.
Grady attended the University of Oregon (1989-93). He was a two-sport athlete, competing and lettering in both track and football. As a freshman hurdler, he placed 5th at USA Junior Nationals (1990) in the 400IH (52.52). He qualified for the Pac-10 Championships four consecutive years and placed 4th in the conference (1992) in the 400IH (51.49). He was also a member of both 4x100 and 4x400 relay squads that posted season bests of 40.60 and 3:09.03.
Following his competitive days as a Duck, he joined the Oregon International Athletics Team, and continued to train and compete as a decathlete. Grady then went on to earn a Master of Science degree from Oregon State University (1998). He is USATF certified Level I and II (Multi Events).
John Scholl - Head Cross Country/Assistant Track Coach
2009-present
schollj@lanecc.edu, 541-463-5327
John is entering his third year as Head Cross Country/Assistant Track Coach for the Lane Titans. An Austin, TX native, John brings the distance squads an array of knowledge and experience that come from being involved in all levels of the sport for over 25 years.
During the 2010 XC season, the women were Southern Region runner-ups by one point, and had the individual champion and 8 runners in the top 20. The men’s squad also had a runner-up finish, and 6 runners in the top 20. At the NWAACC Championships the women were 4th by only 36 points in one of the tightest races in NWAACC history. They had 4 runners in the top 20 and one All-American; while the men finished 3rd, having 3 runners in the top 25.
In track, at the Southern Region Championships the women dominated the competition winning by over 45 points. They went 1-2-3 in the 800, 1-3-4 in the 1500, 1-2-4 in the 5k, and a runner-up in the Steeple. The men also dominated the Region meet winning by almost 60 points. The men had a 3-4-5 finish in the 800, 2-3 in the 1500, and a 1-2-4 finish in the 5k. At the NWAACC Championships, the women finished third with competitors finishing 2-3 in the 800, 2-5 in the 1500, 4th in the Steeple, 2-3-4 in the 5k, and 1-7 in the 10k; giving them a total of 6 All-American honors. The men also finished third in the NWAACC team standings, with runners in the top 8 of the 1500, 5k, and 10k; including 2 All-Americans in the 5k and 10k respectively.
Prior to Lane, John had coaching stints with the University of Texas, University of Arizona, and University of Dayton where he helped coach athletes to All-American, All-Region, and All-Conference honors. John has also worked with American and International post-collegiate athletes from Great Britain, Ireland, Kenya, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Canada, Jamaica, and South Africa. He helped coach athletes to Olympic Medalist, World Champion Medalist, Country Record holder, and USATF medalist honors.
John attended the University of Arkansas where he attained a MEd in Sports Management (2001), and a BSE in Kinesiology (1999). He respectively competed for the Razorbacks in Cross Country, Indoor Track, and Outdoor Track who won 8 National Championships during his career. John is USATF Level I certified and has specialized education in Sports Psychology, Sports Nutrition, and Injury Care and Prevention. He has a well-rounded approach to coaching that includes experience as an Academic Counselor, Strength and Conditioning Coach, Recruiting Coordinator, Track Camp Counselor, Personal Trainer, and University Professor.
“My goal and commitment as a coach is to positively instill strong morals, integrity, an unparalleled work ethic, and confidence in the student-athletes and staff alike for their performances in and out of competition. I want these men and women to become better runners; but more importantly, better people.”
John married his beautiful bride, the former Julie Goodale from North Eugene, on March 20, 2010. She teaches PE part-time in the Eugene 4J School District.
TO GOD BE THE GLORY!
Dan West - Assistant Coach, Pole Vault
1988-1992, 1999-present
Coach West was a Four-Year Track Letterman at Montana State University, where he also acquired his B.S. in General Science. He is in his second stint with the Titan program, having coached at the University of Oregon from 1990-1996. He is undoubtedly one of the most respected coaches in the Northwest for the Pole Vault. He has the skill and expertise to coach both beginner and international caliber athletes. Dan coached Britain's top vaulter during the 1991 World Championships and again for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. His Lane athletes currently hold both the men's and women's pole vault records. He has coached several NWAACC Champions (2006, 2007, 2008), and has consistently produced All-Americans in the event. Dan is still an active vaulter who continues to vault on the master's circuit. He has worked at numerous camps and clinics and was formerly the Northwest Pole Vault Coordinator for the Olympic Developmental Committee.
Colin McArthur – Assistant Coach, Horizontal Jumps
2009-present
Coach McArthur hails from Wasco, CO where he attended Sherman County H.S. While in at Columbia Basin he was District champion in the LJ and TJ, 1995. His had the best 2A jump in the state, 1995. Colin also played tailback on an undefeated 13-0 Sherman H.S. state champion football team, 1994-1995. He was also a guard on Columbia Basin Conference Sherman H.S. district champion basketball team, 1995.
He came to the University of Oregon and received a B.S. Landscape Architecture and M.S. Community and Regional Planning. Colin competed for the Ducks finishing 6th in the Long Jump at 2000 Pac-10 Championships (24-0.5). He also anchored the Oregon 4x100 relay team to 6th place at the 1997 Pac-10 Championships. He has a PB of 24-9 in the LJ. His prior coaching experience includes stints as a Jumps Coach at Oregon Track and Field Camps in 1998-2001, and a Volunteer Jumps Coach at South Eugene H.S. in 2004.
Andrea Gruber - Assistant Coach, Distances
2010-present
Andrea grew up in Northern California, graduating from Placer High School in 2004. After high school, she attended the University of California, Santa Barbara where she ran both XC and Track. While running at UCSB, she battled injuries for two years before leaving to enlist in AmeriCorps and contribute to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.
In 2007, Andrea moved to Eugene and joined the Lane XC and T&F teams, where she earned one All-American honor. Andrea now enters her second year as an Assistant Coach for the Titans, while also recently completing Lane's strenuous EMT-Paramedic program. "The experience I had running at Lane was what I always envisioned my collegiate running career to be. Now that I'm done competing on the track, I'm thrilled I can continue to contribute to the Titans as a coach. The running community in Eugene is unlike anywhere else. I hope to find my niche by combining my love of running and caring for peoples' needs."
Arnold Wardwell - Assistant Coach, Throws
2011-present
Coach Arnold competed at Blue Mountain Community College and Southern Oregon University. His prior coaching experience includesHigh School track for 18 years Coached the shot put at Willamette University 2009-2010. He enjoys camping, fishing, hunting, and spending time with his wife Blythe and son Zane.
Sean Cohen - Assistant Coach, Sprints
2011-present
Coach Cohen hails from Redmond, OR. While at Redmond High School, he was District Runner-up in the HJ in 1996 and 1997, and a District Champion in the LJ, HJ, and 110 Hurdles in 1998. He came to the University of Oregon to pursue a career as an Elementary Education teacher, but life had other plans. He currently is back in school pursuing a new career as a Paramedic. In his spare time he loves being active with his wife, Willow, and two daughters, Olivia and Selah. After receiving his Paramedic Degree, Coach Cohen and his family plan to move back to Hawaii to be closer to family.
