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The volunteer coaching staff for The Asheville Lightning summer Track and Field program includes area Collegiate, High School and Middle School track coaches, Asheville Track Club members, and parents who have had track and field or cross country experience at the high school or collegiate level. The Asheville Lightning team is a 501C4 Not-For-Profit Organization, with the formal title of Asheville Lightning Youth Athletics, Inc. The team has a Board of Directors, Team Officers and an Executive Committee. A background check is done on all team coaches each year.

The coaching philosophy of the Asheville Lightning is that of USA Track &Field -"Athletes First, Winning Second" and has a number of goals that are encouraged by the United States Olympic Committee for teams that participate in youth sports. These include the well-being of athletes; good sportsmanship; and respect for opponents, rules, parents, coaches and officials.

                                       Board of Directors

                                           CONTACTS
Head Coach Bill Agrella: (828) 299-4663, 242-0404 Email
Assistant Head Coach Lee Pantas: (828) 779-1569 Email
Team Administrator Winikay Caffrey: (828) 273-7499, 645-1427 Email
Team Treasurer & Team Administrator Myrna Hendrix: (828) 777-1954, 687-9727 Email
Assistant Team Administrator Robbie Lipe: (828)654-0037, 273-0223 Email
Assistant Team Adminstrator Charly Bennett: (828) 667-1814, 242-8061 Email
Assistant Team Administrator Susan Mooney: (828) 628-4438, 280-2895 Email
Jumps Coordinator Coach Thomas Brewer: (828) 670-1553 Email
Sprints Coordinator Coach Allen Cobbs: (828) 280-9616, 285-0971 Email
Throws Coordinator Coach Jerry Lindholme: (828) 776-1242 Email

Bill Agrella Head Coach Distance		Head Coach of the Asheville Lightning since 1997 after previously serving as an assistant coach. An active runner who regularly participates in local road races, Coach Agrella has been coaching Junior Olympics since the late 1980's when he was first involved with the program in San Antonio, Texas and later with the Nebraska Cornhuskers Track Club. His coaching area of expertise is middle distance, distance and 4x800 relay teams.
Gary Albrecht Assistant Coach- Jumps		A USATF Level 1 Coach, Coach Albrecht has been an Asheville Lightning coach since 2005. He is also an assistant coach at Tuscola High School and Waynesville Middle School
Charly Bennett Asst. Team Adminstrator		Assistant Team Administrator since 2007
Tim Bennett Assistant Coach -Throws		Ashville Lightning coach since 2008.
Justin Bellamy Assistant Coach -Jumps		Asheville Lightning coach since 2007. Former high jumper at UNCA.
Wallace Bohanon Assistant Coach -Distance		Asheville Lightning coach since 2005.
Thomas Brewer Jumps Coordinator Assistant Coach -Jumps		A USATF Level 1 Coach, Coach Brewer has been a jumps coach for the Asheville Lightning since 2002. He is also an assistant coach for A.C. the Reynolds High School track teams.
Buck Buchanan Assistant Coach -Throws		Head Coach A.C. Reynolds High School Boys Team since 2000. Also Throws Coach for A.C. Reynolds Boys and Girls. Coached Christina Hernandez (6-time North Carolina High School State Champion in the discus and shot put.)
Winikay Caffrey Head Team Administrator		Head Team administrator for the Asheville Lightning since 1997. Her son Drew was a former All-American distance runner for the Asheville Lightning.
Alan Cobbs Sprints Coordinator Assistant Coach -Sprints		Assistant coach for the Asheville Lightning since 2005, Coach Cobbs is a former collegiate 100, 200, 400 Meter Sprinter.
Myrna Hendrix Head Team Administrator		Team Treasurer and Head Team Administrator since 1997. Her daughter Stephanie was a former star distance runner with the Asheville Lightning.
Charles Lewis Assistant Coach -Sprints		Asheville Lightning assistant coach since 2005 and Head Track Coach for Cane Creek Middle School. Masters Sprints Coach, and track & field coach for over 35 years. During his coaching career Coach Lewis has had over thirty team championships in track & field and football. Along the way he also coached sprinters Michael Johnson and Crystie Gaines when they were in middle school and helped start them on the way to Olympic glory.
Jerry Lindeholme Throws Coordinator Assistant Coach -Throws		Throws coach for Asheville Lightning since 2002 and assistant track coach at North Buncombe High School. Coach Lindeholme has had three Asheville Lightning All-Americans in the throws since 2006: his son Brad (Hammer), Courtland Clavette (Discus), and Sequoia Watkins (Hammer).
Robbie Lipe Asst. Team Adminstrator		Assistant Team Administrator since 2007. Coach Lipe believes in the need to instill a love of running and athletics to form a balanced and healthy lifestyle for children. She has been around track and cross-country athletes since her high school days, and appreciates the dedication necessary to be an athlete, as well as the logistics required to have a successful track and field team.
Tom McPherson Assistant Coach -Distance		Founded the Blue Ridge Track Club Junior Olympics Team in 1991 which eventually became the Asheville Track Club Junior Olympics Team and then the Asheville Lightning. Head cross country coach at Cane Creek Middle School. Ran Cross Country, Marathon and Steeplechase at the University of Florida; 2-time Boston Marathon participant; Marathon PR 2:25; Cross Country Head Coach at Brunner Junior High School, 1983; A.C. Reynolds Middle School Boys and Girls Teams, 1988-1999, and Head Cross Country Coach Asheville Lightning, 2005.
Marvin Mercer Assistant Coach Sub-Bantam Division		Junior Olympics assistant coach since 2001. Coach Mercer works primarily with Sub-Bantam and Bantam athletes.
Susan Mooney Asst. Team Adminstrator		Assistant Team Administrator since 2008.
Lee Pantas Assistant Head Coach Hurdles/Sprints		A USATF Level 1 hurdles and hurdles coach with the Asheville Lightning since 1993, Coach Pantas is also a sprints/hurdles coach for A.C. Reynolds High School and has had over 90 Conference and State Champions in the hurdles (see his website Great Hurdlers I Have Coached). His recent success with All-Americans Cade Liverman and Kris Fant is highlighted on Hurdles First .
Greg Pearce Assistant Coach -Distance		A USATF Level 1 coach, Coach Pearce is the head track & field, and cross country coach for A.C. Reynolds Middle School.
Liza Schillo Assistant Coach -Hurdles		A former Asheville Lightning Junior Olympian and Reynolds High School star hurdler, Coach Schillo is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is also an assistant coach for Coach Pantas' Soccer Speed speed development summer camp.
Marijo Simpson Assistant Coach -Hurdles		Asheville Lightning assistant coach since 2004. Coach Simpson is also the former head track coach for the Hanger Hall Girls track team, and currently assists the coaching staff of Asheville High School.
Bobby Wilson Assistant Coach -Pole Vault		Junior Olympics coach since 1999. Pole Vault coach for A.C. Reynolds High School. High jumped at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; Lettered four years, Team Co-captain Senior Year, PR 6'10"; Assistant Coach Rugby Junior High (Hendersonville); Former Consulting Coach at West Henderson and T.C. Roberson High Schools;