BLACKSBURG, Va. - Longtime Blacksburg High School Coach James DeMarco will step down from his current role after the completion of this cross country season. While at Blacksburg he has tallied up 20+ state championships with an additional 12 runner-ups. He has also coached a national record setting relay team, athletes who have set state records, qualified multiple teams for Nike XNationals, had more than his fare share of All-Americans, and most recently built a state-of-the-art track and field venue on campus to go along with their award winning cross country course that was added a year ago.
Coach DeMarco is one of the best coaches around without a doubt but also a great family man. His wife, who often conducts lectures at running camps, has accepted a position to practice medicine in Wisconsin and the pair of them will be taking on the Badger state this fall. This won't be too hard of a task for them as they are used to Alaskan weather which is equally as cold and moose-filled.
3A teams don't get too excited quite yet! Though Coach DeMarco will be departing from coaching, the program will be left in good hands and likely continue to flourish. Blacksburg historically has been one of the best programs in our state for decades before DeMarco and likely decades after as well. The athletic department has not officially released the name of the coach who will fill this role yet.
Be sure to stop by RunAboutSports (Blacksburg or Roanoke) or at many of the meets this season and say hello to him as he makes his last season a memorable one!
A Few Words For & About Coach DeMarco from around the State
"There are only a few that care about their athletes and their programs. Also, there are only a few that care about the overall status of track/ cross country in the state. James is definitely one of those and one of the best. He made a lot of programs better because of his expectations for Blacksburg. As an ex coach at Blacksburg, I am very appreciate of what he has done for them and the state. He will missed in the state and hopefully will stay in contact with all of us. - I wish you the best."
- Dave Davis, Former Georgetown/Blacksburg Coach & Current Coach at Mountain View
"Coach DeMarco has done an awesome job setting a high standard for the rest of Virginia cross country and track & field. His passion for the sport and his kids tells a lot about him. I am sorry to see him leave as we at Lake Braddock love the opportunity to race the best and Coach DeMarco is definitely the best."
- Mike Mangan, Lake Braddock Coach
"In the sixteen plus years which I've been involved and part of the Virginia high school track and field community, very few coaches in the state of Virginia have made as great of an impact on the sport in developing state champion and national class distance runners than the job that James DeMarco has done at Blacksburg High School. The annual championship winning team results and the long line of exceptional individual athletes produced out of the Blacksburg program that he revived to greatness again certainly stand out.
However, the standard which he set for his program and runners has also made further impact on the entire state's coaches and programs striving to stay competitive with them might be one of his greatest legacies left within the state. We have more programs and coaches than ever before in the state of Virginia who think beyond the state meet, instead more set sights on what they can do nationally thanks to coaches like James DeMarco not settling to coach teams to be just great locally.
- Brandon Miles, MileStat.com Founder & MileSplit Premium Director
"Blacksburg High School fell apart a few winters back. When the school system released the blueprints for the new school and campus they included an asphalt track to replace the mis-measured asphalt track we'd left behind. James rallied parents, alumni, and friends of the program to improve the plans. He worked tirelessly to create what he dubbed the Track of Dreams. In a very short period of time, thanks to his inspiration, donors pledged over $100,000 so that everyone in our community would have a top of the line, rubberized track to call home. The first races were held on the newly installed track this past spring. What's great about the track is that it's for our entire community: athletes from all sports in our public schools use it, all-comers and youth league racers use it, walkers and casual exercisers use it. The track is a gathering place and we have James to thank for making it happen."
- Jennie Hodge, Blacksburg Parent, Booster, MileStat Contributor
"As Webmaster of MileStat I have had the great opportunity to call James a good friend. He is a bank of knowledge and also surprisingly good at soccer. He has built a strong legacy at Blacksburg High School and in the community through building a track, cross country course, starting one of the best XC camps in the nation, and owning & operating two stellar running stores.
When he first moved here he commentated races and actually called Sarah Bowman's national record 1000. He would go on to coach some of the best athletes in the state's history including Joahana and Kathleen Stevens who both sit near the top in every distance race in the books. He dominated AA, then he dominated 3A, and all the while has created real competitors who are humble and respectful, something us in the media appreciate more than talent. He continually goes out of his way to help others and network for his past runners and anyone needing a helping hand. Our state is going to miss him but at the same time should be very excited for the opportunities him and his wife have ahead."
- Nolan Jez, MileStat.com Senior Editor & Webmaster