Boys Track Coach of the Year - Chris Callinan, Cherokee

Cherokee didn't miss a beat under Callinan

By: REUBEN FRANK

Burlington County Times

Chris Callinan, a long-time Cherokee track and cross country assistant, took over as head coach of the track program this year for Steve Shaklee - who in turn became Callinan's assistant - and the seamless coaching switch resulted in more of the same from the Chiefs: A team that covered every event, remained tough to beat on the county level, mixed it up with the top teams in the state on the Group 4 level, and won the Olympic Conference American Division regular-season title.

Cherokee ran 43.82 in the 400 relay, 3:27 in the 4-by-400, 8:11 in the 4-by-800, 10:38 in the distance medley, 18:52 for the four-mile relay and 63 in the shuttle hurdles - tremendous range.

At the County Open, Cherokee won its third straight title after never having won a title in school history before 2008. The Chiefs have won those three titles by an average of 32 points. This year, the Chiefs got wins from Steve Burkholder in the 1,600 and 3,200, Jon Scott in the 100, high jumper Ed Kramer and the 3,200-meter relay team in topping Willingboro by 29 points.

Cherokee has also won nine of 11 Burlington County Open cross country titles under Callinan and Shaklee since 1999.

Callinan ran scholastically at Gloucester Catholic and then had a record-setting career at Cabrini College, where he also won two conference titles in cross country. He taught and coached at Sacred Heart High School in Vineland before moving full-time to Cherokee in 1999. He teaches math and computer science at Cherokee and last year was named Teacher of the Year.