Chad Worthen, a veteran of high school, club and collegiate distance running, was announced as St. Francis track & field program on October 31, 2022. He had served his first season as head cross country coach, leading the team to its fifth consecutive Delta League title and earning the conference's Coach of the Year nod.

 

"We are beyond excited to welcome Coach Worthen back to the Troubie family," said Chisolm. "His experience and values are in perfect alignment with the St. Francis High athletics mission. I am confident he will continue our school's strong tradition of cross country success, while his love of running will benefit young women of all skill levels – not just as Troubies, but throughout their lives."

 

Worthen most recently served as head cross country coach and assistant track & field coach at Oak Ridge High School, where he guided the Trojan girls' program to a dominating Sac-Joaquin Section Division I title and a program-best third at the CIF state championships last fall. Prior to his arrival at OR, Worthen coached at Inderkum High from 2015 to 2020, building the cross country program from just 14 athletes to 70 across a three-year span. His Tiger teams won six Tri-County league titles during his tenure.

 

Worthen is equally heralded on the club scene as the founder and head coach for Oak Hill Racing, where he mentored 20 Junior Olympic athletes and more than 100 All-Americans; and for Sacramento Valley Endurance, at which he founded adult and youth training/racing programs for athletes ranging from age 7 to 80. Worthen also served as FIT Training director and head coach for Fleet Feet Racing, and ran such events as the HOKA ONE ONE Postal Nationals site in Carmichael (2016-19) and the Sacramento Running Association MaraFUNrun/5K (2013-19).

 

As a runner, Worthen first competed as a sprinter for Roseville High School, from which he graduated in 1991. He attended Sierra College followed by Sacramento State, the latter stop at which introduced him to the middle distance events: in his final collegiate meet, he placed sixth in the 800 meters at the American West Conference championship. 

 

Worthen continued to increase the distance of his training and competitions beyond his collegiate career, eventually running his first marathon in 1998. This began a journey that culminated with his qualifying to the U.S. Olympic Trials in that event in 2004, a win at the 2008 San Francisco Marathon and a runner-up finish at the 2009 Eugune Marathon.

 

Even Worthen's educational background is diverse: he earned his associate degree in computer science from Sierra College, then his bachelor's degree in kinesiology and exercise science from Sac State. Most recently, he added a master's in sports leadership from Concordia.

 

While the head coaching post may be new, Worthen is no stranger to the St. Francis cross country scene. His daughter Chase starred in cross and track & field for the Troubadours from 2013 to 2016, during which he contributed as a parent volunteer. Chase eventually ran for Cal Poly and Cal State East Bay, joining her brother Miles at the latter school in 2021-22.