Former BHS coach to take over BCC XC

BARSTOW • A familiar face will be returning to Barstow athletics in the coming months.

Mark Hassell, a Barstow native, announced his retirement from coaching after the 2009-10 Barstow High School basketball season to have more time with his family, but just couldn’t stay away. He was helping BHS track and cross country athletes as an assistant coach within six months, and less than a year later Hassell is now taking over the Barstow Community College cross country program.

Hassell said he never expected the return to a head coaching program. A series of discussions with BCC athletic director Gary Schwartz about an opening at the college led to him accepting the head coaching job in April. Former coach Ray Perea stepped down for unknown reasons.

“Things just kind of came up,” Hassell said. “I talked to my wife and everything just worked out so I went with it.”

Hassell never attended BCC, but he has a long history in Barstow. He was involved with BHS athletics for nearly 20 years, from playing to coaching, before his short-lived athletic retirement.

Hassell’s athletic career at Barstow High School started with the football, basketball, cross country and track teams during his freshman year. However, a record-setting 800-meter run and a talk with then first-year track coach Duarte changed the course of Hassell’s life. He never played football after his freshman year, focusing on running instead. Hassell went on to place at the state championships and still holds the school’s record in the 800-meter dash at 1 minute, 53.28 seconds.

Hassell was recruited to run by more than 60 schools from Notre Dame to the University of California, Berkley. He eventually chose to attend Stanford where he was a three-time All American.

Hassell credits Duarte, head coach of several BHS state-championship cross country teams, and Vin Lananna, his coach at Stanford, for his success.

Now Hassell will have a chance to try and build his own program at the college level.

“I’m hoping there’ll be some more maturity and dedication in the athletes that do come out,” Hassell said. “The problem will be getting them out — especially this year. I’m getting such a late start in recruiting.”

Anyone interested in training or running cross country at BCC can reach Hassell at mhassell@barstow.edu or at (760) 590-4856.