Trinity’s cross country and track and field teams have been blessed with outstanding coaches over the decades, some having been inducted into local and state halls of fame. Coach Jerry Denny and coach Rich Rostel are among the names that come to mind.

Next year, the two teams will see a reorganizing of positions that involve the most recent outstanding coaches.

According to Athletics Director Rob Saxton, “The integration of both the cross country and track and field programs under one head coach is a move that all parties agree is an important step in order to provide a more consistent and efficient approach to year-round training, development and performance for the Trinity student-athletes in these programs.”

Current cross country head coach Chad Waggoner has had incredible success during the past 14 years. The same can be said of coach Mike Magre, who is currently in his third stint as head coach and in his 22nd year of coaching for the Shamrocks.   

For the 2016-17 campaigns, coach Scott Holzknecht will be the new head coach of both teams. Holzknecht is currently a track assistant who handles the distance runners. He was head coach for the track team in 2014 and led the team to a second in the the state meet. Next season will be his first as cross country head coach. Both Magre and Waggoner will assist Holzknecht.

Magre, whose teams won state titles in 2005 and 2006, will work with the track Rocks as an assistant coach next year.  After winning the Fourth Region title — defeating runner-up Ballard by 15 points –Magre’s team will compete in the state meet in Lexington on Friday and Saturday.

Waggoner, who led his teams to two state KHSAA championships (2006 and 2010), five seconds and four thirds, will continue to organize the Trinity Invitational, one of the nation’s top five cross country meets and work as team consultant.  Waggoner said, “Leaving the team side of the cross country program will provide me with new opportunities for growth, personally and professionally.”  He plans on remaining committed to his teaching duties as well as taking on the job of Romero House director.

Holzknecht does not plan on changing much from the way Waggoner coached the team. Holzknecht said, “People enjoyed being on the team — the camaraderie, the brotherhood that was created, I want to continue that. There will still be spaghetti dinners, camp and out-of-town meets.”

One of Holzknecht’s requests when he took the track position was that Magre, one of his mentors, would remain an assistant. Magre said, “Trinity is the greatest place in the world to work. I’ve enjoyed all of my time coaching and teaching. (Coach Holzknecht) will do a great job next year. He has great energy and knowledge.”

Waggoner agreed and said he looks forward to continuing work with the invitational. The Trinity Invitational draws teams from states as far away as Alabama, Virginia and Missouri to E. P. Tom Sawyer Park every year. He said, “The team will benefit from having a year-round coach.  They will be a team that can compete for a state championship. The Trinity Invitational is a festival, a celebration of a beautiful sport that I love dearly.”

Waggoner will also be in charge of creating a new elite track meet in the spring. The meet is still in the early developing phases. Waggoner said the goal is to use Bellarmine University’s track to host an eight-team high-level meet. He said, “Bellarmine has top-of-the-line facilities and is great for the fans.”

As coach of the cross country team in the fall and the track team in the winter and spring, Holzknecht appreciates the unique position he is in. He said, “It feels like a dream, teaching theology about the God I love and coaching the sport I love every day.”