Coaches
Sean Schmidt
Sean Schmidt started his coaching career at Highland High School in Pocatello as a student teacher in 1987. Sean was an assistant coach for Bob Conley, who is considered to be one of the best cross country coaches of all time in the State of Idaho. The 1987 cross country season was a very successful season for Highland High School. The girls won the State Championship and the boys were State Champions too. Sean gained wisdom that season from Bob and the cross country team. After a successful season of cross country at Highland, Sean got married and moved to San Jose, California with his lovely wife Shannon. He started working at Lee Mathson Middle School, and was immediately thrust into coaching the cross country team. He was fortunate enough to coach the Lee Mathson Panthers to the San Jose Area Middle School Champions in both 1988 and 1989. Those student/athletes lived in one of the poorest parts of San Jose. Having the success as Champions was a wonderful thing in their lives that they probably will never forget. Sean discovered in San Jose that you not only need wisdom but you need to be a motivator and have a gentle spirit for the student/athletes you coach. After two years in California, Sean and his wife Shannon moved to Idaho Falls where he started teaching at Skyline High School for the 1990/91 school year. He has been at Skyline ever since. There is so much that has happened in those many years. He didn’t coach the cross country team the first fall he was there because Skyline already had a great coach and assistant coach (Deloy Roberts and his wife Lorna). However, Sean did get to be the assistant coach for track and field that spring, under the tutelage of Gary Gernant. He coached the distance runners and had the great fortune of being involved with wonderful student/athletes. Sean started coaching cross country at Skyline in 1991. Sean and Deloy enjoyed some great success in the mid 90’s with the boys’ team. The team finished behind their arch rivals for two straight seasons taking 3rd to Idaho Falls and Boise and then won the State Championship in 1997 beating Idaho Falls by 9 points. He was the assistant coach from 1991 until 2000, and has served as the head coach since 2001. He has learned much in his years as a cross country coach. The Skyline boys and girls had much success over the next few years. Sean was again fortunate enough to coach some great athletes. The boys and girls both had success early on in Sean’s tenure as head coach. The boys took 3rd place in 2002 and 2nd place in 2003. The girls took 2nd place in 2002, 2003 and 2004. There were many ups and downs over the next 12 years. Sometimes the team qualified for state and sometimes there was only an individual qualifier; there was even one year where not a single runner from Skyline made it to state. However, in 2016 Sean was blessed with an extremely talented boys team. They proved him right. The boys’ team turned everyone's head by shattering records and taking first at the State Championships. It was quite a big change from what had happened in the recent past. Sean found more success, especially this year, by gaining wisdom and being caring. |
Erica Richardson
Erica Richardson (28) was born and raised in Idaho Falls, ID. She ran at Skyline High in Idaho Falls and currently holds all the school records in the distance events for Track and Field, and most of the records for Cross Country. Her senior year, Erica ran a PR in the 1600m run in 5:06.67, and placed 2nd at the State meet. After Erica graduated from Skyline in 2007 she went on to run for Idaho State University where she was named to the NCAA All-Academic Track and Field team three times. Erica officially made it into ISU's history books when she became the first female athlete from ISU to ever win the Big Sky Cross Country Conference Championship. She also holds the ISU records in the indoor mile and outdoor 3,000m steeplechase. Because of her successful career at ISU, Erica was named Cross Country Runner of the Year, Track Athlete of the Year, and was nominated for the NCAA Woman of the Year. Erica not only excelled in athletics, but also in academics. In 2011, Erica was chosen as the Most Outstanding Student for the College of Education and was highlighted as one of the "Brightest and Best" students at ISU. In 2009 Erica married the love of her life, Tim Richardson. After graduating from ISU in 2011, Erica and Tim were excited to discover that they were expecting a baby boy. Since running is what Erica knows best, she ran through her entire pregnancy and picked it back up after their son, Logan (5) was born. The same scenario ensued when Erica was expecting Charlotte (3) and Marshall (0). As an assistant coach for Skyline Cross Country, it is a regular occurrence for Erica to push her children in their jogging stroller alongside the high school athletes. Erica was fortunate to join the Boise Betties in 2014, and has medaled in three USATF National Championships for her team. Erica’s dream as a little girl was to qualify for the Olympic trials, and she fulfilled her dream in 2016 by qualifying for the Trials in the 3000m steeplechase. Erica hopes to run for the rest of her life. Erica is currently sponsored by two local Idaho Falls companies, Bill’s Bike and Run, and Teton Toyota. Personal Bests: 800m 2:15.21 1500m 4:30.11 Mile 4:50.13 3000m steeplechase 9:51.48 5,000m Track and Field 17:24.13 5k Cross Country 15:46.55 10k 35:30.00 Half marathon 1:18:11 |
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