Track & Field Coaching Staff
Eisenhower High School, Yakima, Washington
Robert Price, Head Coach
Coming Soon
Ivan
Alfaro, Assistant Coach
Mr. Alfaro, who is DeafBlind and lives
with a possible form of Usher syndrome (about 10% but not confirmed), has been
part of the Eisenhower Cross Country and Track & Field family since
graduating in 2009, serving as team manager, volunteer coach, and now assistant
coach for 15 years. As an Ike runner, he earned six varsity letters and
competed at District, Regional, and State Championships, helping the team to
multiple titles and a top-six finish at State. Mr. Alfaro was also recognized
as the first DeafPrep athlete nationally ranked in
the 3200m, reaching as high as #1 in 2009 and still ranked #3 in the nation
today. As a coach, he has helped guide multiple school record holders and state
champions, including Drew Schreiber and Kara Mickelson, along with standout
distance athletes Erica Simison (2nd in the 3200m) and Jonas Price (3rd in the
3200m, All-Valley record holder).
Mr. Alfaro graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Deaf and Sign
Language Studies with a minor in Accessibility Studies from Central Washington
University. He continues to run in local races and brings both his competitive
spirit and his passion for inclusion to the program.
Kevin
St. Martin, Assistant Coach
Coming
Soon
Chelsea
Severn, Assistant Coach
Chelsea Severn grew up in the
snow globe of Park City, UT. After dabbling in numerous sports from
soccer, alpine ski racing, ski jumping and more, track and field found her. She
was fortunate enough to have her running earn her a scholarship to Weber State
University for a year before transferring with a full ride to the
University of Utah where she competed as a 400m hurdler. After college she started
coaching track and field at her high school alma mater as well as coaching
alpine ski racing and ski instructing at Park City Mountain Resort. She went
back to school to get her Master of Arts in Teaching Secondary English from
Westminster College in Salt Lake City. Coach Severn spent five years in New
York City where she coach at Columbia University and
The Dalton School and tutoring for The Open Door NY/NJ. In 2018 Coach Severn moved
to Spokane where she helped coach at Gonzaga University for two seasons before
moving to her husband's home town of Yakima in the spring of 2020. This is
her 5th year with the Cadets. In her non-track time, Coach Severn enjoys being
with her three young children and husband and can often be found in the
mountains coaching ski racing at White Pass, or at any of her kids many sports
adventures.
Adrian
Johnson, Assistant Coach
Coming
Soon
John Cunningham, Assistant Coach
John
Isaac Cunningham was a high school 3-year varsity football player and team
captain. Big Nine Player of the Year and was a 2-time 1st Team All-Conference
selection for both offense and defense, as well as a 2nd Team All-Conference
player. 4-year varsity track member, competing in long jump, high jump,
shot put, the 4x100 relay, and javelin, 2-year team captain for track. varsity
wrestling for 3 years (team captain), and was a 2-year
member of the powerlifting team(6th
in State). A college football athlete at Eastern Washington University
17 years as an assistant football coach, JV head coach, and freshman
head coach at Eisenhower High School. Isaacs’ experience includes 4 years as a
high school(Eisenhower) and 3 years as a middle
school track and field assistant coach at Wilson Middle School. Assistant
wrestling coach at the high school level for 3 years and as a head coach for
middle school wrestling for another 3 years. 2 years in basketball and 1 year
as an assistant soccer coach. Isaac has been a
Secondary English educator for 17 years. Married to Evangelina, for 25 years
and am a proud parent of three children: Lucas, Marcus, and Madeline.
Tracy
Hoit, Assistant Coach
Coming
Soon
Megan Johnson, Assistant Coach
Coming
Soon
Rick
Alderson, Assistant Coach
Rick
Alderson coached the pole vault from 2000-2012. He had since taken a long break
and is now back with Eisenhower Track & Field. He attended Washington State
University. Rick’s personal experience in Track and Field include: Varsity team
4 years at Eisenhower High School, the freshman record in the pole vault in
1991, and the sophomore record in the pole vault in 1992. He was a member of
the record holding 4x100m Relay team at Wenatchee Relays.
When
asked to relate his most memorable track and field experiences (good, bad,
funny), he says”: The good: Pole Vaulting, it’s the event few can do, but the
one many wish they could do. The bad: Stalling out and falling from 12’6” into
the metal plant box at Pasco. The funny: Stalling out and falling from 12’6”
into the metal plant box at Pasco.
Some
of his memorable coaching experiences were coaching Doria Holbrook her junior
year from a 10’6” to a 12’6” pole vaulter, who placed 3rd that year at the State
Meet. He coached Davis’ second girl pole vaulter to a height of 9’6” in her
first year, breaking the school record and finishing in the top 8 at the
Regional Meet. Also coaching many boys over the 14’ mark and on to placing at
the state meet.
His
favorite coaching experiences come from having an athlete surpass their
potential all the while, educating them in their event and not just coaching
them through it.
Mr.
Alderson also has extensive experience in swimming as an athlete as well as a
coach. As an athlete: 3-time District Champion, 50 Free & 100 fly, 1st Team
All-Conference 50 Free 1992, 100Fly 1993 & 1994, State Competitor
1992-1994, member of former school record 200 Free relay team. As a coach:
District and League Championship teams boys/girls, voted 8-Time Big 9 coach of
the Year for swim and dive, coached 5 Automatic All-Americans and 5
All-American Consideration Athletes, US Open and US National Qualifiers.
Mr.
Alderson is currently an 11th and 12th grade
Special Education teacher at Eisenhower High School.
Phil English, Meet Director
Mr.
English retired the head coach of the Eisenhower Cross Country and Track &
Field team in since 1987 to 2025. Now, he is the meet director for Jamboree,
Holder Relays, Cadet JV Invite and Inter City Championships. He has been
coaching Cross Country and Track & Field since 1978. He spent his fist 7
years coaching at Carroll High School where he coached 3 girl's teams and 1 boy's team to State Cross Country titles. He has been
coaching at Eisenhower since 1985 where he has added 5 more State Cross Country
titles (4 girl's, 1 boy's) and a girl's State Track & Field title to his
record. Mr. English is currently ranked 9th on the Washington State All-Time
Coaches list (based on state XC performances) and was named the National High
School Girls Coach of the Year in 2001. Mr. English is a science teacher at
Eisenhower teaching honors biology and anatomy.
Mr. English started competing
in running events in Ireland at the age of 14. In 1971 he was the Irish
School's National Steeplechase Champion and in 1974 he was the Irish Men’s
Steeplechase Champion. In 1974 he received an athletic scholarship to attend
Washington State University where he competed in 4 NCAA cross country seasons
from 1973 to 1977.
