A new year is a new season for every sport here at Ayala. Among all the sports played, cross country is ready to face the new season, but with many new faces. The cross country team has faced an entirely new lineup of coaching staff, replacing all positions, from head coach to assistant coaches.
In place of former cross country head coach Tony Di Marco, for the Ayala Bulldogs, is Caroline Cobo. Cobo is a very experienced athlete who also ran track and field at Sam Dimas High School and at Benedictine College. Going above and beyond, she has also participated in nine marathons and plans to run the Boston and Chicago marathons soon. She, along with her love for the sport, wants to help train the aspiring athletes at Ayala to become greater.
“I love this sport a lot,” said Cobo. “I love working with the youth, seeing people improve, encouraging each other, pushing them by creating a good training plan, and running with them.”
The assistant coaches also saw a new lineup this season, with assistant coach Jacob Villegas and a returning former cross country coach, Matthew Ullmann. Ullmann has experience from 2016 to 2019, being a coach for cross country here at Ayala before. With a new spot in the coaching staff, Ullmann took it upon himself to get back to coaching to help mold the new runners into the competitive arena, in which he approached in a gradual and respectful way.
“It [is] a matter of finding our coaching philosophy, and adjusting what was already in place and being understanding, sympathetic of what the previous coach had established, but also being realistic as we’re not the exact same person as the previous coach,” said Ullmann. “We [are] definitely trying to build up the program and really find our footing as coaches and establishing that level of trust with these kids.”
All the coaches share the same plan to get the runners into great shape in time to compete for California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) and state championships. Some of the coaches even join practices to inspire their students.
“The fun part is running every day with the team to encourage them, whether that’s running in the front pack, middle pack, or the back,” said Cobo. “I just love running with them and cheering them on and pushing them.”
Cross country runners are also pleased to have gotten a fresh new lineup of coaches, as it presents them with a brand new start and mindset in their culture of Ayala cross country. Some of the athletes shared their experiences with the new coaches compared to the former ones from the previous year.
“This season, the coaches care a lot more about how you feel, the injuries you have, and your attendance for practice,” said Varsity runner Jack Paz (10). “Coach Ullmann, he makes us very disciplined by showing up to practice, going on the long runs, and doing full mileage.”
Their latest competition was at the Chaffey Invitational last Saturday on September 27, where Ayala received numerous awards for many of the athletes, including being at the top for freshman girls cross country, sophomore boys and girls cross country, and junior boys cross country. The brand new coaches are proud of the progress that the runners have made, and even established some goals.
“My goals for this season are for the girls to make it to CIF finals and for the guys to make it to state as well as the Nike Cross Nationals,” said Cobo.
The new season features brand new and young athletes that will further achieve excellence as they go on through their high school journey. As all the runners chase for more awards and recognition, they are supported by the brand new coaches, giving a great start to the 2025 to 2026 cross country season.
“I really like working with them as an individual, helping them build some of that mental toughness, helping them work through their problems, whatever it may be related to running,” said Ullmann. “I like being with them to celebrate their successes and to lift them up when they are a little distraught or disheartened about their performance.”
