Women's Cross Country and Long Distance Track - Our Coaches

Head Coach - Joe Neff

Joe focuses on women's distance running. This is a unique experience for women of all ability levels, with one-on-one coaching, provided by Neff and a staff of 2 assistant coaches.

Neff's coaching background spans 40 years, working with every level, from youth track to elite athletes. As head coach for the Men's and Women's Cross Country/Track team at California State University for a period of 22 years, Neff has coached many All-Americans, developing racing and training techniques to suit a wide range of talent. During his coaching career at CSUS he qualified several cross country teams to the NCAA championships.

Prior to his career at CSUS, Joe Neff spent a year as the head Women's Coach at Boise State University in Idaho. and had the first cross country team in the history of the school to qualify for the national championships. His track team finished second in the district championships in a field of over twenty schools, and several of his athletes qualified for the national championships.

Joe spent 7 years coaching at Lodi High School from 1973 to 1980. He started the girl's track and cross country programs before Title IX was passed and never lost a league title.

Neff has been actively involved in the USA Track and Field Association (USAATF), for many years. In 1992 he was selected to be a coach on the USA Paralympic Team in Barcelona, Spain and also served on the first USATF committee for athletes with disabilities. Until recently, he sat on the committee for the Master's Track and Field, as well as acting as the committee chair for the Pacific Association of USATF, representing the Association at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials.

Coach Neff earned his Masters Degree in Arts and Education at Stanford University in 1972, and his Bachelor of Arts and Physical Education from San Jose State University in 1967. He is also a graduate of American River Community College and attended High School at Norte Del Rio in North Sacramento.

Coach Neff resides in Fair Oaks and is deeply committed to his community and to the educational excellence that Sierra College brings to the foothill residents. "I will put forth every effort to reach the high standards established by the current coaches at Sierra College", says Joe. Neff is currently recruiting high school seniors.

Assistant Coach - Bob Wood

I have been married for 38 years to my wife, Cathy. We have four sons, ages 25 to 33. I received my Bachelor of Arts degree from CSU Long Beach in 1970, and finished my High School Teaching Credential in 1974 at CSU Sacramento, with a major in Physical Education, and minors in Biology and Physical Science. I have taught and coached track and football for nearly 30 years at Inglewood High School, Christian Brothers School, Del Campo High School, and for the past 21 years at Lincoln High School. As an assistant football coach, I helped teams earn four league titles and one section championship. As a head track coach, my teams have won six league championships, with teams finishing fourth and second in Division II in the Southern Section. Our oldest son, Ken, is a person with Down Syndrome. As a result I’ve been a Special Olympics coach for 24 years. I was Area Director in Sacramento for three years, have twice been chosen Area Coach of the Year, and our family helped start a team that trains Special Olympics athletes the year around and has over 55 athletes on its active roster.

Assistant Coach - Sara Heard

Sara joined the Sierra College cross country and track and field coaching staff in 2007 following four years of fitness industry employment, including the world-renowned Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas, Texas. She holds strength and conditioning certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association as well as the Cooper Institute.

Sara earned a Master of Science degree in Kinesiology from the University of North Texas in 2003 and Bachelor of Science degrees in both Physical Education and Psychology from Charleston Southern University (CSU) in 2001. At CSU she competed as a NCAA Division I scholarship athlete and team captain in cross country and track and field and held school records in both the 3000m and pole vault. Sara currently trains and competes in sprint and Olympic distance triathlons throughout the United States.