Coach Tony Boston comes to Pomona-Pitzer after successful
coaching stints at Whittier College (CA) and the United States
Merchant Marine Academy (NY).
At Whittier College (1999-2005) he helped to guide the men’s
track team to its best finishes at the SCIAC Outdoor
Championships. During this resurgence his athletes
established school records, won conference champions, earned 50
All-Conference selections and qualified to compete at the NCAA
Track & Field Championships. During his tenure as the
Men’s Head Coach, two Whittier College athletes earned NCAA
All-American honors (High Jump, Javelin).
After Whittier, Boston assumed the helm of the Men’s and Women’s Cross Country and Track & Field Programs at the United States Merchant Marine Academy. In his time at the Academy (2006-2008), Boston’s athletes continued to produce. His USMMA track and field athletes won individual conference championships, broke several Academy records, and on three occasions achieved NCAA qualifying standards (Javelin, Decathlon, 400mH). In cross country, his men’s team won the 2006 Skyline Conference Championship, taking the first four finishing spots. They also made great gains in the Collegiate Track Conference (comprised of NCAA D-I, D-II and D-III institutions) by finishing 2nd at the 2007 Cross Country Championship. His women’s team grew in overall size and skill level. The women took the number one and two spots at the 2006 Skyline Championship and finished in 3rd place at the 2007 CTC Championships (a program best). Proving that strong academics and tremendous athleticism can coexist, his squads earned three Academic Dean Awards and one USTFCCCA All-Academic Team honor under his charge.
Beyond his experiences at the collegiate level, Coach Boston taught various science courses at nearby El Monte High School. While at EMHS, Boston quickly ascended the coaching ranks, taking charge of the boy’s track and field and cross country programs.
Boston earned his bachelor’s degree from Whittier College in 1999 with a double major in biology and health, physical education and recreation. He continued his education at Whittier, earning a master’s degree in education in 2000.
In 2001, Boston gained recognition as a USA Track and Field (USATF) Level II Certified coach in sprints, hurdles and relays. In 2002, he added USATF Level II Certification in the horizontal and vertical jumps to his resume. Boston regularly works with USA Track and Field as an instructor for the Level I Coaches Education Program. He is also certified as a personal trainer by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).
Coach Boston credits his coaching successes to four key factors:
- Goal Setting
- Attention to Detail
- A Sound Work Ethic
- Commitment to Team
These factors will become major tenets of the
Pomona-Pitzer Cross Country and Track & Field programs as we
strive to improve our regional and national rankings.
A former Whittier College athlete, Chris Gartrell enters his first year as an assistant coach at Pomona-Pitzer Colleges. He will assume responsibility for the speed and strength development for the men's sprint, hurdle and jumps squad.
Coach Gartrell is an excellent addition to the Men's Track & Field coaching staff", remarked Men's Head Coach Tony Boston. "As an athlete, Gartrell proved to be a masterful technician in the sprinting events and his attention to detail has carried over into his coaching style. Coach Gartrell demands precision from his sprinters on every repetition and based upon recent performances it appears that the team has responded quite favorably."
A four-time SCIAC All-Conference athlete (twice in the 100m and twice in the 200m), Coach Gartrell is keenly aware of what it takes to succeed as a sprinter in our athletic conference.
In addition to his academic background in kinesiology and psychology, Coach Gartrell is an USA Track & Field Level I Certified Coach. This combination of education and technical training has provided a stellar background in biomechanics, exercise physiology and sport psychology.
Coach Boston:
"Our program will greatly benefit from the acquisition of Chris Gartrell. The knowledge and enthusiasm that he brings to each training session is sure to enrich the competitive experience for all athletes under his guidance."
Coach Harris began coaching track & field at Pomona-Pitzer in 1999. A 1998 graduate of Pitzer College, Coach Harris, a USA Level 1 certified coach, is an exceptional sprint/hurdle/relay coach for both the Men’s and Women’s Track & Field teams.
While competing for Pomona-Pitzer from 1994-1998, Coach Harris started at guard for the women’s basketball team in the winter, and competed in the sprints, hurdles and relays for the women’s track & field team in the spring.
In track & field, Coach Harris earned six SCIAC titles – three each in the 100 hurdles (1995, 1996, 1998) and 400 hurdles (1995, 1997, 1998). Only a small number of SCIAC women have earned as many individual titles as Coach Harris. In addition, she was a part of SCIAC champion 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams for Pomona-Pitzer.
Coach Harris’s best hurdle times of 15.04 in the 100 hurdles and 64.18 in the 400 hurdles as a senior stand #2 and #3 on the Sagehen all-time lists, and qualified her to the 1998 Division III National Championships.
Coach Harris was a Team Captain during both her
junior and senior years for both basketball and track and field,
and was named as the Most Valuable Player her senior year for both
the basketball and track & field teams.
Coach Mittino attended UC San Diego from
1999-2003 where she was a member and a captain of the track and
field team. As part of the pole vault squad, Coach Mittino
was a NCAA All-Academic athlete each year and qualified for the
National meet. In 2000, 2002 and 2003 she placed in the top
three at the CCAA conference meet. She is on the top ten list
for women at UCSD with a personal best of 11'6.5".
Coach Mittino began coaching at Claremont High School in 2004 and
joined the Pomona-Pitzer coaching staff in 2008 where she coaches
men's and women's vault.
