Everett CC Hires Lance Giles to Lead Trojan Track and Field Programs

The Trojan Nation is excited to welcome Lance Giles who was hired as the head track & field coach, taking over for Julian Bardwell who coached the program for the past three seasons.  Coach Giles is a highly regarded coach, teaching and mentoring athletes for the past 40 years.  In 1996, he founded SETA (Self Esteem Through Athletics) which is a holistic program teaching young men and women the importance of education, discipline, sacrifice, and goal setting.  His program has taught a multitude of athletes the value of education, utilizing sport as a vehicle, fostering feelings of self-worth, and for many ultimately providing them with an opportunity to further their education beyond high school. 

Since SETA began, alumni have accrued an astonishing number of accolades including 11 national championships, 8 national records, 10 state record holders in high school indoor/outdoor track and field, 17 state championships, 16 world championship medals (masters track and field) 5 masters world records (100m, 200m, 400m, 4x200m relay), and 22 Division I & Division II college athletic scholarships.  

"Lance has the experience and confidence to not only go out and recruit some of the best track and field talent in the pacific northwest, but also give them elite level coaching when they get here," said Athletic Director Garet Studer.  "Lance believes in our values of education first and will be a positive mentor for our student-athletes, guiding them to success in competition and in the classroom."

Lance's coaching career began at his alma mater, Pacific University (Oregon) where in 1981 he was hired as the head coach after serving two seasons as an assistant coach.  At age 26 he was the youngest Head Track and Field coach at a 4-year institution in the country.  From there Lance received an opportunity to be the head coach for the Saudi Arabian Track and Field Military and National team.  He also served as an assistant coach for their national basketball team before returning from overseas in the 90's to work as a private coach and eventually founded SETA.     

Coach Giles has NWAC roots, competing at Spokane Community College in 1975 and 1976 for NWAC Hall of Fame Coach John Buck.  Giles was a member of of the 75 and 76 NWAC Championship teams and part of that dominating stretch in which Spokane won 16 straight men's track and Field Titles from 1973 - 1988.

"I am truly excited to have been given the opportunity to lead the mens and women's track and field programs," said Coach Giles.  "From the moment I first set foot on the Everett CC Campus I saw limitless potential to not only impact young men and women on the track but off it as well. It became very clear to me during the interview process that the administration/athletic dept, led by Garet Studer, have a vision and mission that is in lock step with my own as pertains to the importance of using athletics as a tool with which to help our student athletes to achieve everything they are capable, on the athletic fields, in the classroom, and ultimately beyond. Having said all of  that; I can assure Trojan Nation that Everett CC track and field will be competing for Conference Championships in the very near future, as I did not take this job to be anything other than a Championship Program.  I know exactly what needs to be done and how to do it.  I cannot wait to get started on this journey...it is going to be one heck of a ride, believe me."

Everett's first track and field meets will begin in March and ending with the NWAC Championships May 22-23 in Gresham, OR at Mt. Hood Community College.