New Race, Different Pace: New Assistant Cross-Country Coach Zoë Matlock

Zoë Matlock, who once competed in Cross Country for Redwood, has now returned to her alma mater, ready to build up the next generation of runners.

By Fabian Anguiano

Matlock first joined cross country in middle school as her PE teacher pushed her to do it.

What made Matlock build a passion for the sport was the competitiveness and the teamwork that it took to run together and support each other in order to reach their desired goals.

Matlock’s favorite thing about competing in Cross Country was the, “Races, being able to give everything that I had that day because I didn’t like to leave anything else on the course, so I gave it everything I had,” said Matlock.

In order to improve in Cross Country, it took a lot of learning about not only pushing herself in practice, but also prioritizing recovery.

Matlock had a major injury her sophomore year that took her out and made her realize it was really important to recover and to listen to her body.

Matlock loved running for Redwood; it was great being in a school that was already set up to be league champions at the time. It was also great being able to run with a group of people who were also chasing the same thing and to win together.

Matlock’s first coaching experience came at Ridgeview Middle School, which was a very different experience for Matlock, as middle schoolers don’t really know what they love yet.

One thing that Matlock realized as a first-time coach was that being able to teach the sport versus doing the sport is very different from coaching and being able to direct students.

Matlock’s past experiences have shaped her into the coach she is today, as she almost quit Cross Country as a whole. She’s hoping to be a coach who is understanding, is there for her athletes, and helps them love the sport they are in.

What caused her to almost quit was, “After COVID, it was just kind of difficult. There were some things going on in the team that made it really hard to want to come to practice and do the thing that you love, but I’m glad I came back because the culture did shift, and it was a really great thing to end high school with,” said Matlock.

Matlock found her way back to Redwood through Coach Gabby Sugg, who was an assistant coach during Matlock’s time at Redwood. 

Some lessons that Matlock has learned throughout her coaching career are to be patient with what every athlete needs.

To go from competing with Redwood to now coaching for Redwood is, “Definitely very interesting. It brings back a lot of memories for sure. Some great moments, and it’s definitely very different. I feel like I see life a lot differently than I did when I was in high school and running.”

The coaches alongside Matlock have taught her to push the athletes to be the best that they can be and to believe that they can do more.

Matlock’s goal for her first season as assistant coach is to get to know the runners and to really show that she cares about improvement.

Head Cross Country coach Gabby Sugg coached Matlock during her time at Redwood.

Matlock was the fearless leader of the team during her time competing for Redwood; she was the fastest runner on the team, and she served her teammates in an amazing way. Everything that Matlock did was not about being the fastest on the team, but more about the way she cared about her teammates and encouraged them.

When Sugg realized that there needed to be a coaching spot filled for Cross Country, it was a tough decision to think of who would be great to fill the spot; though Matlock was the first person to come to mind, as she had coached her before and she knew she was still in the area.

Sugg knew that having someone close in age to high schoolers would offer someone to look up to, and it would offer some experience and wisdom

Sugg’s reaction when Matlock accepted the job was, “Just overjoyed, getting to have someone on our coaching staff that I really enjoy spending time with has so much value to give our team was really exciting for me,” said Sugg.

Matlock has grown as a person ever since Sugg first coached her, “It’s been really nice to watch her disengage more and create deeper relationships with the athletes, and to see that in real time, their trust in her as a coach grow.”

Matlock has been able to impact the team with the knowledge she has, her background in physical therapy, and helping push through mental battles and the other things that come with Cross Country.

Sugg gives Matlock space at practice so she can figure out what she wants to say and do at practice. Practice is a safe space for her to learn and grow as a coach.

Sugg has guided Matlock as a coach by, “Showing her my actions and the way that I speak to the team, what kind of environment that we’re looking to build, and looping her into it.”

Sugg had more to say, “Zoë is just really a wonderful person in general and a close friend; she is just so gracious and servant-hearted.”

Tags: assistant coach, cross country, gigantea, Gigantea athletics, new coach, redwood athletics, rhs, sports, visalia ca