Written by S. Quinn DeJoy and J. Murrer   

Dec. 17, 2014: On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, past and present members of the Bronxville High School cross country and track and field teams gathered to celebrate Jim Mitchell's 35th anniversary of coaching. Over the years, Mitchell's coaching has both inspired and motivated hundreds of Bronxville girls, many of whom have gone on to run at the college level.

Today, Bronxville is well known for its girls' cross country and track and field teams, but before Mitchell arrived at Bronxville in 1978, track was almost exclusively a boys' sport. In just one year, Mitchell put together a girls' team and took a 3200m relay to the New York State Championships.

"A number of us here tonight were on that very first team," said Mary Taylor Behrens to a packed room at the Bronxville Field Club. "Mitchell achieved results right from the start."

The first team (Taylor Behrens, her sister Margaret Taylor [Conaton], Katie Attwood, and Lisa McNally) placed third in the federation competition. The following year, Mitchell and the Bronxville team collected their first state title when the 3200m relay (Margaret Taylor, Lisa McNally, Tracy Jacoby, and Janna Ford) won both the state and federation championships.

Despite the school's small size, Bronxville High and Mitchell have scored very big together. During Mitchell's tenure, the Bronxville girls have won twelve New York State Cross Country Championships, nineteen New York State Championship titles in the outdoor 3200m relay, four National Relay Championships (two 4x1-mile and two 3200m), and a national relay record in the 4x1-mile. Bronxville girls have earned 171 All-American certificates, reflecting the deep strength of Coach Mitchell's teams over the past 35 years.

Mitchell is one of the best, if not the best, high school track coach in the country. He certainly is a high school legend. In 2006, Mitchell was the first coach to be inducted into the National Track & Field Hall of Fame at the New Balance Track & Field Center at The Armory in New York City. He was also inducted into the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 2013.

Parent Charlotte Rizzo, whose daughters Meredith and Hilary have both run at Bronxville, had the idea for Mitchell's 35th celebration over a year ago. With help from parents Nonie Flannery, Lisa Sargent, Tina Chrappa, Marianne Hayes and Margaret Taylor Conaton, the event at the Bronxville Field Club included Bronxville female runners from the past 35 years.

During the celebration, Amanda Hudson, an All-American who ran for Bronxville High School nine years ago, shared her thoughts about Coach Mitchell.

"Mitchell taught us how to give more than you ever thought you could give--how to not 'leave anything on the track'--and he taught us how to win. He was not just our track coach--he was (and is) a mentor, a teacher, a best friend, and a second father. And for that, we are forever grateful."

Mitchell's coaching success has put Bronxville track on the map. A few years back at the Outdoor Nationals in North Carolina, the announcer acknowledged Bronxville's dominance in middle distance by announcing over the loud speaker, "That's Bronxville High School from Bronxville, New York, the finest one-square mile of track in the United States."

Pictured here: Jim Mitchell, center, and past and present track team members.

Photo by Jim Hudson