New assistant cross country coach Jamal Willis came to Midtown after coaching at North Springs. There, he led the girls to place top 10 at state in 2023. Willis also coached Natalie Tulley and Lottie Chappel, who both run Division I cross country.
Head coach Joshua Washington said Willis’ strong coaching experience will help him make a large impact on Midtown’s runners.
“Coach Jamal is a very successful coach,” Washington said. “He’s coached on both the collegiate level and the high school level, as well, and he’s coached some very very talented athletes in the past few years.”
Willis has a precise workout routine that aids in the high development of his athletes. This routine is different for the runners, depending on their level.
“This year we’re divided up into different training groups, so there’s a variation of workouts for the most beginner freshmen to our top runners,” junior Carmela Marra said.
Senior Harrison Goncher said this new training style sets the runners up for success and is a key part of the team’s future, and he has already noticed development in just the short time that Willis has been at Midtown.
“I feel that coach Jamal has greatly improved my training, and so far, has helped me PR by over 40 seconds in the 5k,” Goncher said.
Willis hopes his new training and new standard will advance Midtown’s cross country program to become more competitive.
“I know that cross country here is like an afterthought,” Willis said. “We’re trying to get back to what Midtown used to be.”
Marra said Willis has high expectations and has set strict rules that the runners are not accustomed to yet.
“This season, our team is attempting to step up a level, so we now have mandatory practice and meets, which I know is common for other sports, but for decades … it was not,” Marra said.
Willis said he’s looking to win team championships, and he is focused on winning the state championship.
“I think being the best team in APS distance-wise can go a long way, and then long-term, I want to be one of those teams that’s consistently up there fighting for a spot on the podium, and even better than that, a spot in the first place,” Willis said.
Washington said he and athletic director Blair Barksdale have worked to make sure Willis’ transition to Midtown would be seamless.
“First, I wanted to make sure that he felt welcome,” Washington said. “So, I wanted to make sure he was familiar with all the team members. I wanted to make sure he was familiar with our ADs [athletic directors] and some of the other admin and staff of the school, so just making him feel a part of Midtown.”
Willis said he is thankful for the support that Washington has provided. In the past, he didn’t have supportive administrators and staff.
“At North Springs, I didn’t have the best assistant coaches, or really head coaches; it wasn’t really a really good environment,” Willis said. “Coach Washington has just been phenomenal. He’s like one of the best coaches I’ve ever worked with.”
Washington is excited to see what Willis can do for the team.
“It was important to me with such a talented roster of boys and girls team, that I brought someone in whose first language is cross country, and who is fluid in the sport and fluid in the training and what it takes to be successful on this level, and that’s what Coach Jamal is,” Washington said.
