Track coach resigns mid-season

For nearly 20 years, Matt Hart has led, or helped to lead, both the track and field and cross country teams at MHCC.

But that changed abruptly recently, under somewhat murky circumstances: Hart has resigned as the head coach and assumed the position of an assistant coach.

“I sent a message to Kim Hyatt (Athletic director) in early March indicating that I will step down as the head coach of the men’s and women’s cross country and track and field programs at the conclusion of the 2014 NWAACC track and field championships,” Hart said. “In late March, I was confronted with a situation that made me reflect on my coaching efforts and I decided to go ahead and step down immediately.”

Hart was unwilling to disclose any further specifics. He said he intends to continue teaching health and P.E. courses at Mt. Hood.

The track teams have competed and consistently been ranked in the top five positions in a 21-event championship meet held every May in Spokane. These events are held against other junior colleges between Washington and Oregon (2011 results: men No. 4, women No. 4; 2012, men No. 5, women No. 3;  2013, men No. 4, women No. 5).

Hart will be succeeded by Doug Bowman as head coach for track and field and Jim Satterfield for cross country. Both men were assistant coaches under Hart.

Sometimes money and family responsibilities create coaching vacancies, such as in the case of former Mt. Hood volleyball coach Chelsie Speer, who has moved on from her success here (multiple championships) to Walla Walla Community College.

Hart said, “Money and budgets are points of contention in many aspects of life. In times of economic hardships, I understand there has to be sacrifice. The overall financial issues associated with managing four athletic teams (men’s and women’s cross country and track and field squads) can be frustrating and I am glad that I will not have to deal with this issue any longer.”

Hart went on to say, “stepping down and being an assistant has taken tremendous weight off of my shoulders already. I feel that I have more time and energy to do what I enjoy which is coaching. As the head coach, there are a lot of behind the scenes responsibilities that can be draining. Since I have stepped down as the head coach, I feel like I have been acting as a kind of adviser to coach Bowman and Satterfield.”

Hart took the track job at Mt. Hood in 1995. Keith Maneval, head coach at the time, offered him a chance and for eight years he coached sprints, hurdles, and the conditioning.

Hart left Mt. Hood in 2004 to focus on his academics, and earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree. By fall of 2005, he found his way back to the Saints as interim head coach and by fall of 2007, was hired on as a full-time faculty member.

Hart doesn’t expect to be coaching, formally, in 2015. “I doubt I will be an assistant next year. I would consider volunteering a little and filling in the gaps with some of the hurdles, relays or sprint training if needed,” he said.

Fred Schnell, current health and P.E. instructor and former athletics director for Mt. Hood, hired Hart after he received his degrees.

“He’s driven, he’s full of energy, he has a great work ethic, that’s why I hired him back,” said Schnell.

“He’s got a great philosophy as far as conditioning and training and that… he went out and found people with expertise in other areas that he wasn’t as well versed in to be his assistant coaches,” said Schnell.

Hart competed as a hurdler for MHCC in 1992.

Schnell spoke on the commitment MHCC head coaches have. Head coaches must be full-time employees and use coaching as their Extra Teach (credential). “It used to be that our coaches who were full-time faculty got some release time during the season,” he said.

Although Schnell does not know the reason for Hart’s resignation, he said, “It could just be that he got burnt out on all the work he had to put in and the time, for what he was getting in return.”

“I told him at the time there might come a time where he would get a little burnt out having to do all that,” said Schnell about when he hired Hart.

A current MHCC athlete who wished to remain anonymous said, “I think Hart has done a great job building the track and field program and has had many successes coming from it. After many years of putting in hard work for the Saints, I believe Hart is ready to explore new passions and hand his position over to someone who is enthusiastic and passionate about building up the track and field program. Although Hart is moving on, I think this will be good for the program to have a fresh start.”

Hart has been a strong presence in athletics at Mt. Hood over the years, and when asked about his top three memories and his motivation to be successful, Hart said, “One of the things that has guided me in my coaching career is my ego in that it makes me feel successful to help others attain success. I have been passionate about helping guide people towards success and believe in the product Mt. Hood has to offer people with all of my soul. I have been truly blessed with the opportunities that I have obtained at Mt. Hood and that fuels me with a desire to pass it on to others.”

Hart continued, “I take great pride in helping countless individuals achieve success with running, jumping, sprinting, hurdling and throwing. We have recruited and coached so many talented people into lifetime PRs (Personal Records). Many of these individuals achieved so much success at our level that they were recruited to attend and compete for four-year colleges and universities. We have even had success taking talented student athletes and teaching them new events where they ended up winning NWAACCS, being a Junior College All-American, earning scholarships in those events from four-year colleges and or even breaking school records.”

“Anytime there is a coaching transition, there will be some effect on the program. That being said, I believe Satterfield and Bowman will continue to recruit talented student athletes and keep Mt. Hood competitive.”

Lastly, he said “I am really excited to pursue another chapter in my life. I have been told by numerous retired coaches that I will have a tremendous amount of vacant time. I plan on being more active with the full-time faculty association as well as pursue my artistic interests. Many people don’t know that I sculpt. With more energy to invest in my creativity, I would like to see what I can do with my art.”

Hyatt was not able to be reached for comment by time of press.