The recent naming of Ellen O'Neil '87, assistant coach forwomen's cross country and track and field, to the position of varsity head coach for women's cross country will have little effect on the Big Green running program.
O'Neil, who has been coaching at Dartmouth for three years, will continue performing many of her former tasks, except now she will have a new title.
"Basically Ellen has been the cross country coach for the past three years," said women's track and field coach Sandra Ford-Centonze. "She was listed as an assistant, and it was an administrative decision to make the title change."
O'Neil, a 1987 Dartmouth graduate, won six Ivy League running titles before becoming the first Dartmouth woman to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships where she competed in the 5,000 meters.
O'Neil has made an impact on the Big Green women as she led the squad to the its first ever Heptagonal cross country title in 1994.
Ford-Centonze said because the Dartmouth track program is already so integrated, O'Neil's change in position will have little impact.
"I think we are kind of an oddity," Ford-Centonze said. "A lot of programs are separate. There even tends to be some animosity between programs. We're not like that at all."
Ford-Centonze, who is mainly responsible for working with both men and women sprinters and hurdlers, works closely with men's coach Barry Harwick and O'Neil.
While O'Neil has been focused with long distance running, Harwick concentrates on the male and female throwers.
"We're very cohesive, and we enjoy it that way," Ford-Centonze said. "We enjoy working together, and we put an effort in for all programs even while recruiting."
"Not only does the coaching staff work well together, but the two teams get along great, too, and I think that helps," Ford-Centonze added.
The unity of the track and cross country programs also helps team moral.
"When you are at a competition with underclassmen, it helps to have not only the women All-Americans there but also the men to talk to the younger members and get them psyched up for the event."
In an individual sport like running, the extra teammates and support comes in useful during the pressure situations.
"When were at a meet, we not only have 30 or so women there cheering someone on, but we also have nearly 60 men," Ford-Centonze said. "It's great to have that camaraderie from both sides."
