SPECIAL TO THE MESSENGER

Troy University Director of Cross Country/Track and Field Jill Lancaster announced the addition of Stephane Hetherington and Brad Taracuk to the coaching staff for the 2009-10 seasons, as graduate assistants.

Hetherington comes to Troy from Toronto, Ontario, Canada where he was responsible for working with the St. Michael’s Choir School and the Etobicoke Track and Field Club as a coach. He was the head coach of the Cross Country/Track and Field teams at St. Michael’s, working with several different age groups in the process. While at Etobicoke, he was the junior development coach of the cross country/track and field programs. In both programs, he was responsible for planning and executing daily workout sessions, organizing race day schedules and implementing travel plans.

He is also currently training for, and competing in, national and international competitions in pursuit of the Olympic standard in the marathon; sponsored by Brooks Canada.

Hetherington earned his Bachelor of Arts in 2007 from Columbia (NY) University, where he was part of the 2004 Ivy League Cross Country Championship team. At Troy, he will be responsible for the cross country team and the middle distance runners in track and field. He also holds a National Coaching Certification Program Level 2 certificate.

Meanwhile, Taracuk joins the Troy University staff from the Worthington (Ohio) City School system, where he served as a summer school teacher. During his time in Worthington, he served as an assistant high school football coach for five seasons. He also served as a high school

track and field coach, with a specialty in the pole vault (both boys and girls).

He earned his Bachelor’s of Arts from Muskingum College in New Concord (Ohio), where he was a four-year letterwinner in football and a two-year letterwinner in track and field (both indoor and outdoor).

He is also the school record holder in the pole vault and the 4×400-meter relay at Worthington High School.