Coach Brent Hale
Coach Hale comes to Leesville Road High School with two masters degrees, one in statistics and one in criminal justice administration. He has tutored and taught a number of courses at the college level in mathematics and statistics. Coach Hale has experience running and competing in high school, Division I college, and at the national and semi-professional level and has maintained racing competitively for 26 years. Coach Hale has a number of wins, including a few course records, in races ranging from local 5k races up to marathons. He has served as a leader for youth groups with his church and the Boy Scouts and enjoys working with the youth. Coach Hale joined the Leesville coaching staff in August 2013.
Coach Hale comes to Leesville Road High School with two masters degrees, one in statistics and one in criminal justice administration. He has tutored and taught a number of courses at the college level in mathematics and statistics. Coach Hale has experience running and competing in high school, Division I college, and at the national and semi-professional level and has maintained racing competitively for 26 years. Coach Hale has a number of wins, including a few course records, in races ranging from local 5k races up to marathons. He has served as a leader for youth groups with his church and the Boy Scouts and enjoys working with the youth. Coach Hale joined the Leesville coaching staff in August 2013.
Coach Eric Gamble
Coach Gamble comes to Leesville Road High School as a volunteer coach (and parent) with two masters degrees, including a recently completed MS in Predictive Analytics. He began his career as a mechanical engineer and followed a complex path into project management, technology, data science, and predictive modeling. Outside of work, Coach Gamble likes to run and help other runners of all ages, abilities, and distances. He has completed 16 marathons, including 2 Boston Marathons. His mechanical and data skills are useful in working with athlete mechanics and performance development. Coach Gamble and his wife (Becky) have coached Track at Leesville Road Middle School for 4 years, and he started coaching at Leesville Road High School with Cross Country in 2015. They have 3 teenage children, and Mrs. Gamble teaches in both Leesville schools.
Coach Gamble comes to Leesville Road High School as a volunteer coach (and parent) with two masters degrees, including a recently completed MS in Predictive Analytics. He began his career as a mechanical engineer and followed a complex path into project management, technology, data science, and predictive modeling. Outside of work, Coach Gamble likes to run and help other runners of all ages, abilities, and distances. He has completed 16 marathons, including 2 Boston Marathons. His mechanical and data skills are useful in working with athlete mechanics and performance development. Coach Gamble and his wife (Becky) have coached Track at Leesville Road Middle School for 4 years, and he started coaching at Leesville Road High School with Cross Country in 2015. They have 3 teenage children, and Mrs. Gamble teaches in both Leesville schools.
Coach Suzanne Groom
Coach Groom comes to Leesville Road High School as a volunteer coach and is the mom of 6 kids. She runs an organization which raises money for needy children in memory of her oldest son. She works with local school counselors to provide everyday necessities to kids who need clothes, shoes, coats and food as well as providing toys to thousands of kids during the holiday season. Coach Groom has run 17 full marathons, 12 half marathons (4 of them with her teenage children), and will complete her 4th half Ironman later this year. She enjoys encouraging and motivating other runners to achieve their goals. She started running in 2003 and joined the Leesville coaching staff as Assistant Cross Country coach in 2016.
Coach Groom comes to Leesville Road High School as a volunteer coach and is the mom of 6 kids. She runs an organization which raises money for needy children in memory of her oldest son. She works with local school counselors to provide everyday necessities to kids who need clothes, shoes, coats and food as well as providing toys to thousands of kids during the holiday season. Coach Groom has run 17 full marathons, 12 half marathons (4 of them with her teenage children), and will complete her 4th half Ironman later this year. She enjoys encouraging and motivating other runners to achieve their goals. She started running in 2003 and joined the Leesville coaching staff as Assistant Cross Country coach in 2016.
Earning your Varsity Letter in Cross Country
There are a few ways to earn your Varsity Letter in Cross Country at Leesville Road High School. The Varsity Letter is truly an award for Varsity level contribution to the team. Below are listed some performance requirements, but there may be some additional leadership and teamwork provisions to earn the Varsity Letter, based on the coaching staff's determination.
- Girls who post a 5k mark of 21:00 or better
- Boys who post a 5k mark of 17:30 or better
- Any runner who competes in the Regional and/or State Championship Meet
These are the automatic ways to earn your Varsity Letter Award.
There are a few ways to earn your Varsity Letter in Cross Country at Leesville Road High School. The Varsity Letter is truly an award for Varsity level contribution to the team. Below are listed some performance requirements, but there may be some additional leadership and teamwork provisions to earn the Varsity Letter, based on the coaching staff's determination.
- Girls who post a 5k mark of 21:00 or better
- Boys who post a 5k mark of 17:30 or better
- Any runner who competes in the Regional and/or State Championship Meet
These are the automatic ways to earn your Varsity Letter Award.
