Coach of the Month

Name:  Coach (Patrick) Clark

The sport that you coach: Boys Winter Track

How long have you been coaching?

This is my 1st full year at Chatham (Spring Track, Cross Country, Winter Track) but 4th year coaching overall (previously coached in another school district)

What inspired you to coach this team?

I began working at Chatham as the TV Production teacher and have always wanted to coach & teach at the same school. Coaching positions for different seasons opened up within a few months of me starting my teaching career at Chatham & the timing was right. Coaching athletes you also have in class is very rewarding.

Do you have a favorite memory?

Going to the legendary Penn Relays in Spring track with the 4×800 relay team. We expected to be there for 1 race on 1 day and the boys qualified for the Championship of America which took place the following day. They competed against teams from around the continent including Jamaica.

Secondly at the end of the season competing at the NJ State Meet of Champions & the New Balance Outdoor Nationals in the same day with that same epic 4x800m boys relay team. It was a whirlwind of a 1st season for me with Chatham. Absolutely unforgettable.

What have you learned about coaching this team?

The Chatham community is incredibly supportive of their student-athletes in their respective sports. The level of parent commitment/involvement is refreshing to see. I am very appreciative of the support we receive from families in our successful seasons.

Do you plan to coach your team for the next few years?

Absolutely, we have a really remarkable lineup of freshmen boys currently in XC/track and I am really eager to work with them across the next 4 years. I can predict a stellar upward trend for them. They are very tight-knit and highly supportive of each other.

One tip for someone looking to join your team:

Give it all you’ve got & that’s all we can ask for.