Coach's Corner with Shelly Pierson

Diablo Valley College Cross Country Coach, Shelly Pierson, is someone that is high energy and enthusiastic. It’s no wonder she has reach so many of the goals she set in life, her main goal being getting an education. She had an awesome running career setting records, winning championships and training with Olympians. She was a teacher and a coach and recently became the president of the CCCPEKD (California Comm College Physical Education Kinesiology Dance Assoc) which she has, with a team, begun to revamp and rejuvenate. 

Coach Jackie tells me you have accomplished a lot in your career, winning championships and setting records. How did you get started in Cross Country?
As a kid, I had asthma and bronchitis. My doctor told me that there was a lot of research coming out that endurance activities could help, so you might want to start swimming or jogging. At the time, my dad was a big jogger and so I started running with him.

When did you start running on a team?
In middle school, we had to run a mile so I wanted to see how fast I could run it. I ended up setting the record. The high school cross country coach suggested running cross country and my middle school PE teacher was pushing me that direction as well.

What kept you going?
By the time I was a sophomore, I was a league champion, All CIF (I think I was 4th in southern section). I think I just found something that I was good at and made me feel good. It helped me gain confidence, think about better health, challenge myself, and just develop as a person.

What was your biggest accomplishment?
Going to and graduating from college. I had scholarship offers from several colleges, but life took an unexpected turn, and I started my college career in community college, Allen Hancock Community College. I got my general ed out of the way and started really running in my sophomore year. I was conference champion, third in NorCal, sixth in state for cross country. For track, I ran the 3000 and the 5000. I was a conference champion and ended up picking up a scholarship. I ended up running for Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and the coach was able to get my freshman cross country season reinstated by the NCAA.

How did your team do?
We were division II national champions. My senior year, we were third in the nation for cross country. I was an All American in cross country and the 3000 meters in track and field.

Where did you go after college and what was your major?
My undergrad major was Kinesiology with an emphasis in sport medicine and a minor in biological sciences. My graduate major was in Kinesiology with an emphasis in exercise physiology. I completed a teaching credential at the same time I was working on my masters.

What brought you to the Bay Area?
I accepted a teaching position at Concord High teaching biology and was the assistant coach for cross country and coached the JV girls’ volleyball team. I eventually ended up teaching at Clayton Valley High School.

What were some of the highlights of your running career?
My coach, Brooks Johnson, wanted to open an Olympic training center in San Luis Obispo. He brought in a bunch of Olympian runners, so I had the opportunity to train post-collegiate with a bunch of Olympians.

How did you come to teach at DVC?
A friend mentioned that I should look into teaching at DVC. I said “DV what?” LOL I was twenty-five and decided to check it out and got the job. I started just doing exercise classes part time and then in 2001, I started teaching personal training classes. After working part-time for ten years I accepted a full-time position.

Who was your mentor?
There were so many, but the ones that really stand out are my college coach Brooks Johnson and my high school grounds keeper, Ray Gill. Coach Johnson believed in me and helped me develop as an athlete and a person. He accepted me with all my uniqueness. He supported and encouraged me. He’s still coaching today in his 80’s. Mr. Gill was a runner in his day, so he was very supportive my high school team. He would always come out and cheer on the runners and give us rub downs. He would get us hyped up on competition day.