2009 Coaching Staff

Tom Mittman has been running since 1970 and coaching since 1997. He graduated from South Eugene High School in 1971, Luther College in 1975(B.A.), University of Oregon Health Sciences Center in 1980 ( M.D.) completed a Family Practice Residency from the University of Iowa (1983) and is currently Board Certified in Emergency Medicine since 1991. He has always maintained an interest in coaching and education and returned to the University of Iowa in 1989 where he completed course work necessary to become certified as a 7-12 grade science teacher and coach. He is married to Laura Stunz and they have three sons, Eric, Mike and Scott.

Coach Mittman began distance running as a senior on the South Eugene High School cross country team. He earned a varsity letter on that State Championship team. He also participated and lettered as a freshman and sophomore on Luther College’s Men’s Cross Country team. The Luther 1972 team placed fourth in the NCAA small college national meet. Tom continued running after college participating in more than a dozen marathons and countless road races.

Since 1997 Tom has been coaching cross country and track at City High School. He was a volunteer assistant in Cross Country until he assumed the head coach position in 1999. In the years he has been involved in the program the number of athletes has increased from 34 to 83. The varsity squads won the state championship in 1999, 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006. They have brought home the Runners Up trophy four times. He has been honored as State Cross Country coach of the year in 1999, 2002, 2003 and 2005.

Tom considers himself extraordinarily fortunate to be part of an outstanding track and field program at City High School where he has served as a volunteer assistant in track for three years prior to assuming the position of assistant in 2000. He took the helm as head coach 2008. In 2009 the Little Hawks improved on their 6th place State Meet finish in 2008 and brought home the Runner's-Up trophy. The 2010 team, with most of last year's squad returning, looks to contend for the State Championship. West High also brings back a strong team so we anticipate a season of intense and exciting cross-town competition. Please join us when possible to cheer on the Little Hawks!

Nathan is a graduate of Climax High School, Climax Minnesota, 1983, North Dakota State University, 1987(BS). Kirkwood Community College, 2005 (Iowa Coaching Authorization), and is USA Track and Field level I certified (2006).

Nathan began his track and field career as a sprinter at Climax High School in Northwest Minnesota. Nathan was a two time state champion in Minnesota (100m and 200m) his senior season in 1983 after finishing fourth in both events and was a member of a state qualifying 4 x 100m relay as a junior. Nathan was a State meet participant in the 200m dash as a sophomore.

While at NDSU, he was a Drake Relays 4x200 runner-up, conference 4x100 champion, and an NCAA national qualifier in the 4x100 relay. Currently, he works for Accredo Health, Incorporated in Iowa City as Pharmacy Care Coordinator.

Nathan began his coaching career in 2004 as a volunteer to the City High girls track and field program. He became a full time assistant to the program in 2005 in charge of sprints and relays. Nathan has also been a volunteer youth soccer and basketball coach. In 2005 Nathan participated and finished the Des Moines Marathon. During his tenure at City High the sprint relays and sprinters have continued the programs historic success at the Drake Relays and the State Meet. The 2006 Sprint Medley Relay team was Drake Relays and State champion running the 4^th fastest time in the country.

Terry Coleman graduated from Pleasant Valley High School in 1982 and from the University of Northern Iowa with a B.A. in biology education in 1986. In 1993 he received his masters degree in science education from UNI and in 2007 earned his administrative endorsement from the University of Iowa. Since 1986 he has coached wrestling (8 years), volleyball (3 years), boys track (5 years), cross country (4 years), and girls track (13 years). He has been married to Carla for 20 years and they have two children Kelsey and Zach.

Terry began his coaching career with the Little Hawk girls track team in 1995. He spent 4 years as an assistant coach and 8 years as head coach. During these twelve years City High earned 6 state titles and 4 runner up finishes. Terry was honored by his peers in 2001, 2002, and 2003 as state coach of the year and by the National Federation in 2007.

After a year away from the Little Hawks in 2008, Terry could not be happier to be back. The quality of student-athletes at City High makes working and coaching very rewarding. Coach Coleman has been very fortunate to have worked with hundreds of outstanding individuals and teams in his years at City High, and considers the privilege of coaching the Little Hawks one of the most important honors he has received.

Mariah Ritter graduated from Iowa City West High in 2002. She received her Bachelor of Science diploma from The University of Northern Iowa in 2006 with an Exercise Physiology degree and got her Bachelor of Arts degree in the field of Teaching in 2007. She currently teaches two elective PE/Health classes at City High called Flexibility and Fitness training and Cross Training. She also teaches one section of regular physical education.

Coach Ritter has enjoyed running and athletics all her life, but her coaching career has been very short as she began her first official coaching job in 2007 at SE Junior High with the 7^th grade basketball teams. Previously she did some volunteer coaching for elementary club teams, volunteered last spring with the City High Girls Track team, and for 2 years was the teaching assistant for the strength and conditioning class all UNI football, baseball and basketball athletes are required to take.

Mariah began her love for track and field at Northwest Junior High where she found her passion for sprinting and jumping. In High School she continued her running career as a letter winner on the (as her coach drilled) "Back to Back Undefeated State Championship" teams in 2000 and 2001. Along with track she has enjoyed participating in volleyball, basketball, soccer, and softball with her focus on basketball which is what she continued participating in through college until a knee injury slowed her down and forced her to concentrate on school, traveling, and running for enjoyment. Mariah completed her senior research thesis while living in Hungary for 6 months and traveling all around Europe. She was asked to present her findings at the University of Hong Kong and also at an Exercise Science conference in the Philippines. In addition she gave a presentation in Budapest. She also took a scientific research trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. Mariah completed her student teaching in Melbourne, Australia.

Coach Ritter is not yet married and does not have kids, but she has a handful of a cat aptly named Bruiser although she recognizes she should have named him Sparks since he was given to her by a quick member of last year’s track team.

Mariah knows how lucky she is to have the opportunity to be a part of this year’s track team. She is joining an extraordinary coaching staff and looks forward to the prospects of this team. With a promising upcoming freshman class and returning the majority of the state 08 team, the 2009 team looks to be fun and exciting and she looks forward to working with the other coaches and every member of the squad. Coach Ritter knows that the Little Hawks will be the team to look out for at state!

Kelly (Triplett) Larson is a 1997 graduate of City High. She was a member of the girls first State Championship Track team and ran under former head coach Steve Sherwood and then assistant coach Terry Coleman. She competed in sprints, hurdles and long jump throughout her high school career. She was a 4-time Drake and State qualifier while at City High. She also competed in basketball and volleyball for the Little Hawks.

Coach Larson completed her BA in International Studies and Spanish at Loras College of Dubuque, Iowa in 2001. While at Loras she competed in basketball and track and field. Her events in track and field included 100m hurdles, 400m hurdles, 4x100m relay, 4x400m relay, long jump, triple jump, javelin and high jump. Her junior year Kelly was a 2-time All-American in the 4x100 and Heptathlon with 8th and 3rd place finishes respectively at the NCAA Championship meet. A back injury ended her senior season early.

Kelly is married to Swen Larson, a 1991 graduate of City High, and they have three children, Will (6), Drew (4) and Haley (20 months). Kelly stays at home with their kids during the day and helps with the bookkeeping of Larson Builders, Inc. She has been assisting or volunteering for the Little Hawks since the 2002 season.

This is Thos' secon year with the Girls Track Team at City High after spending six season as an assistant with the boys team. Thos (CHS '97, St. Olaf, MN '01) began coaching in 2003 while splitting his time between Iowa and California where he spent six months a year working as a wild land firefighter. After three years on the fire lines, Thos returned to Iowa City to work with Athletic Student Services at the University of Iowa in 2006.

The same year he accepted Coach Mittman's offer to assist with the Girls Cross Country team. He now works at Hoover Elementary School and spends most of his spare time being a track geek. With his remaining time Thos enjoys listening to music, playing the guitar, reading, not writing the great American novel, camping, cross country skiing, and traveling to locations such as Spain, the Mediterranean, and India without leaving the comfort of his kitchen.

Jake is in his second year as the boys and girls throws coach at City High. He was a volunteer assistant for the boys during the 2008 season. Jake is a 2006 City High graduate and is currently a senior at the University of Iowa majoring in Elementary Education and Recreation Management.

While at City High Jake competed in track & field and football. He was a 2 year letterman in football and was a starter on the 2004 MVC championship team and 2005 MVC championship team that finished 9-0 in the regular season. Jake won three letters as a member of the City High track team. As a sophomore Jake competed for the varsity in the shot put. That year City High was conference, district and state champions. During his junior season he qualified for the Drake Relays and for state in the shot put and discus. He placed 7th in the discus at Drake and and finished 8th at state. Although he qualified for the Drake Relays 2006, an injury hindered his senior season. Both years City High was MVC and district champions. Jake went on to compete in track and field for the Hawkeyes as a walk-on during his freshman year.

Jake has taken an active part in helping at City High with the football program and strength and conditioning. He helps as a volunteer coach during the summer at the high school and junior high levels in football and helps with the off season football workouts as well.

Coach Casey has been with City High athletics for 24 years. He is a valuable part of so many programs at the junior high and high school level. At City High Tim Casey is an assistant for both boys and girls throwing events and the strength and conditioning coach, as well as an assistant football coach in the fall.

Casey is a 1983 graduate of Atlantic High School. He received a degree in education and is currently a math teacher at Southeast Junior High School. Prior to coaching track at City High, Casey was the 8th grade girls track coach at Southeast for 20 years. He has also been the 8th grade wrestling coach for 10 years and the 7th grade boys coach for 1 year.

During his coaching tenure at City High, Coach Casey has been a part of 14 state championship teams in track and field and football. He has also helped coach 100 individual state track champions,16 state wrestling place winners and 44 first team All-state football players. He has received several awards for his achievements as a coach including State Assistant Coach of the Year in both football and track and field, and 8 conference Coach of the Year awards. Coach Casey is also a member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association.