'I recruit fast runners'

Central Arizona College in southern Arizona already had a long history of recruiting elite Native American runners but this year the school set a benchmark by bringing on the most Natives the school has seen.

There are nine Native Americans and both the men's and women's teams are in the No. 1 position going to the National Junior Collegiate Athletic Association national meet this weekend in Spartanburg, S.C.

On Tuesday, both teams won the NJCAA Region 1 meet at Riverview Park in Mesa, Ariz. The men's team scored 25 points while the girls scored 20.

"They're just fast," said Paul Tavares, first-year head coach. "I recruit fast runners but I tend to look more at the elevation they run. Many times there will be a stud, but bigger schools don't recruit them not realizing how good of a runner they are and at what elevation they run at.

"We've always just looked for the best runners who want to work hard and fit the program," he added, "and I have one of the most talented class of runners this year."

Former Tuba City standout and CAC freshman Ryan Yazzie has been third and fourth position for the team all year. He placed third at the region meet with a time of 26:24 and will be competing at the national meet.

"He's been running great," said Tavares. "He's very interested in basketball but we're trying to keep him focused on running now."

Gallup High School standout Donovan Jim, a sophomore majoring in general studies, hasn't been able to fulfill his dream of running at the national level due to an injury, but says he is not giving up.

"I just don't want to give up," he said. "Sometimes I feel like I let a lot of people down. My community had a lot of hope for me but I ended up getting hurt and just feel like I've disappointed them enough already.

"So I am trying to do well in school and just don't want to give up," he added.

Trying to recover from a long-time heel injury, Jim, who is on scholarship, red-shirted his freshman year and trained this season, but will not see a national meet during his time at CAC.

On the women's side, freshman Valerie Segay, originally of Window Rock, graduated from Camelback High School in Phoenix and has been moving around the third and fourth position for the team.

"She's had a calf injury from high school that still bothers her," said Tavares. "But she's as tough as they come. She's running through the pain."

Even with an injury, Segay, a sports medicine major, said she's been looking ahead.

"It feels good to be on a team that has won a lot of national titles," she said. "It really motivates me to keep going and we all just think positive. We help each other and work hard every day."

Head coach Mike Gray, who retired last year after years with the program and was named a Division I national coach of the year a number of times, has coached the women's team that has won 91 percent of their meets in the past four years.

Other Native Americans include freshman Allison Denetchee, of Ganado, Ariz., freshman Charnelle Curley of Chinle, freshman Alexandra Gillson of Gallup, freshman Terrisa Josyetewa of Second Mesa, Ariz., sophomore Vernard Martinez of Gallup, and Lesley Eli, of Whiteriver, Ariz.

CAC has a long history of recruiting Native students to the program, but it has its challenges.

"Communication is a big challenge," said Tavares. "Getting a contact number that actually works is tough. Sometimes the cell phones didn't work, or there were some that lived with their grandparents or could only get in touch with their coaches at the schools."

Many times, coaches are working with runners who have never left the reservation and find it hard to adjust to being away from home. Not this year though.

"CAC is a small school and in the middle of nowhere," said Tavares. "Much like where these kids come from. The class sizes are small too, with very little distractions, and we run on trails much like what they'd see at home. It is an ideal situation for Native Americans to run for us.

"Without the Natives," said Tavares, "we wouldn't be where we are. Every so often, you have a rebuilding year and have a drop. This year we didn't have a drop."

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