Girl's Cross Country

Home | Coaches Bio | Letters | Top Ten Times | Team Rules | Schedule | Summer Training | State Times | Philosophy

Head Coach

Ocky Clark (407) 320-8706
Octavius_Clark@scps.k12.fl.us

Assistant Coach
Courtney Mathews
Any Questions email: Courtney_Mathews@scps.k12.fl.us

COACHES BIO

Girls : Ocky Clark (407) 320-8706
Octavius_Clark@scps.k12.fl.us

Coach/Dean Octavius “Ocky” Clark wears many hats of responsibility at Winter Springs H.S. Since July 25, 1997 he has been the driving force that has guided the Lady Bears Cross-Country program. Twice during his tenure as coach he has been called into military duty to serve America. September 12, 2001 Coach Clark assisted the Southeast Air Defense Sector in protecting the skies of the United States for one year. Then again he harkened to the battle drums of war on August 25, 2005 as he was deployed to Balad, Iraq for five months.

Under the tutelage of Coach Clark in 1999 the girl’s team enjoyed their most successful season in team history as they captured their first Triple Crown in winning Conference, District and Regional titles. In 2000 again the girls were Conference and District Champions. 2002 was the last Conference title but with a dedicated summer training regimen the Lady Bears expect to reach an honorable level of expected success. The Lady Bears has garnered three top ten state finishes in their short ten year existence. Such runners as Amy Giles, Oumama Hallal, Crystal McKinney, and Elizabeth Arthur have all earned athletic scholarships in running. Other such as Lindsey Affolter, Crystal Haynes and Asha Young were also Cross-Country runners but received athletic scholarships in soccer and track and field.

Growing up in rural Seminole County Coach Clark became a runner at a young age and set school records as a miler at Seminole H.S. where he graduated in 1979. The fall of 1982 he entered Santa Fe Community College after three years of active duty Naval service upon the nuclear aircraft carrier the USS Enterprise. 1983 Coach Clark became the Junior College National Champion at 800 meters indoors. 1984 he returned to defend his indoor title setting a new Junior College record at 1:50.10. During his final season he also claimed the 800 meter outdoor title again setting a Junior College record at 1:46.90. The time also qualified Coach Clark for his first U.S. Olympic Trials. 1985 Coach Clark “Red Shirted” but received his first U.S. Ranking at 800 meters, running 1:45.29. Fall of 1985 he entered Florida State University where he would become a Three-Time All American and set school records that still exist after twenty years at 1500 meters (3:43.02) and 800 meters (1:46.19).

After graduation in 1987 Coach Clark moved to Eugene, Oregon to pursue his Olympic Dream under the guidance of Luiz De Oliveira the most successful middle distance coach in the world. After finishing fifth in the U.S. Olympic Trials, Clark toured the lucrative European circuit of track and field. 1989 Coach De Oliveira’s training was directed specifically towards the European indoor season and after three months of training in Sao Paulo, Brazil Coach Clark began his first record breaking season. The first mark on his agenda was the 1000 meters. In Stuggart, Germany he shattered the old record of 2:19.20 as he ran 2:18.19. In Madrid, Spain he lowered the 800 meter record but within two days again he would break his own American record by becoming the first American to run 1:45 indoors. The pinnacle of Coach Clark’s running career came in 1991 as he ran 1:44.81 at the U.S. Track and Field Championships and was selected to represent the United States at the Pan American Games in Havana, Cuba. He received the Gold Medal for his performance at 800 meters and received a standing ovation from the citizens of Cuba. Later his medal was presented by President Fidel Castro. At the end of 1991 season Coach Clark was ranked ninth in the world. 1992 was the final season of competitive racing and after another fifth place finish in the Olympic Trials he retired after the European season.

Purdue University was his next stop on the running merry go round as he coached the men’s cross-country team from an 8 th place team the year before to a third place team under his guidance. The distance runners continue to improve as every single runner ran their personal best time and scored at the Big Ten Indoor Track and field Championships. In 1997 Coach Clark and family decided to move back home to sunny Central Florida where he remain an integral member of Winter Springs Cross-Country and Track and Field teams.