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Hernando Today

NCT's Graham Moving on to Ashford

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By CHRIS BERNHARDT JR.

Hernando Today

Published: June 18, 2008

A year ago, Nature Coast Technical cited a new concentration on improving the cross country program when it hired two young coaches.

As planned, Armen Merjanian and Tyson Graham guided the boys' and girls' teams respectively to unprecedented success.

Nature Coast's boys went to the state meet for the first time, while the Nature Coast girls earned their first county championships.

However, the program will have to build on those improvements without the services of Graham. The Brooklyn, Iowa native is returning to his home state, where he will serve as head cross country and track and field coach at Ashford University in Clinton.

"This is truly a dream come true," Graham said in a release sent out by Ashford. "I hope to build a solid and successful distance program at Ashford University while continuing to improve the track and field program, building on the successes that Coach (David) Thompson started.

"Hopefully, we can shock a lot of people by our performances this upcoming year."

When reached for an interview, Graham explained that he originally applied and was hired for a graduate assistant position, part of his plan to earn a master's degree.

Shortly after, the school called and offered him the two head coaching positions, placing the 26-year-old in charge of the two NAIA programs.

"I loved it there (at Nature Coast) and I told everyone at Nature Coast if I didn't get hired to a college position, I'd stay there forever," Graham said. "It's really, really hard leaving."

Graham, who taught physical education at Brooksville Elementary, came to Nature Coast from Grace Christian School in Hudson. There he filled the role of athletic director, as well as basketball and volleyball coach.

He ran cross country all four years while attending high school in Iowa and also four years in cross country, indoor track and field and outdoor track and field at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa. Additionally he ran with the track club while at the University of Northern Iowa.

At Nature Coast he also worked with the track and field team, coaching jumpers. That included junior Howie Williams, who went to states in the high jump in only his first year of track.

But most impressive was his work in developing a girls' cross country team that he said only had "two or three girls that had ever ran over a mile in their life."

"He's great, the kids loved him," Nature Coast Athletic Director Travis Lamle said. "I thought he did a real good job."

The school has since hired Amanda Kling, a teacher at Suncoast Elementary, to replace Graham. Kling is currently out of the country and unavailable for comment.

Lamle noted her running experience both in high school and college, as well as a pre-existing working relationship with Merjanian.

"Just her passion for it," said Lamle of what stood out. "When she came in to interview, you could tell it's something she's truly and genuinely interested in."

Two head coaching positions remain open at Nature Coast. Greg Champagne has stepped down in girls' golf, while Chris Bibbo will not return to coach boys and girls swimming.

Sports writer Chris Bernhardt Jr. can be reached at (352) 544-5288 or cbernhardt@hernandotoday.com.

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