Desert Vista High School is recommending that Doug Christofis be approved by the Tempe Union High School District Governing Board as head girls cross country coach. The Thunder are the current Division I State Champions.
The move marks a return for Christofis who served as head girls cross country coach from 2003-2012 before stepping down to spend time with his young children. In six of those ten years, his teams were state runners-up and at times were ranked nationally. He has remained a member of the Thunder family, currently serving as full-time Physical Education teacher and running the strength and performance program for all sports at DV. He also works with students who do not participate in sports but are seeking to improve their bodies and fitness levels.
“It with great pleasure to recommend Doug Christofis to Dr. Baca and the TUHSD Governing Board as our selection for the varsity head girls cross country position. Coach Christofis brings many years of experience, passion, and success,” said DV Assistant Principal for Athletics TJ Snyder. “Pending Board approval, Desert Vista is excited with this selection and we look forward to the upcoming cross country season.”
“I look forward to embarking on this journey with these amazing student athletes who trule epitomize those humans willing to constantly challenge the human spirit. So much to learn from them and so many destinations to enjoy along the journey. I am blessed to be a part of their lives!” said Coach Christofis.
In the late 90’s Christofis worked as a special agent with the U.S. Secret Service. At the U.S. Treasury Academy he received a special award for scoring a perfect 500 on his physical battery – it’s an achievement very few have accomplished. He also earned the distinguished Fitness Award at the Secret Service Academy. He realized his true passion was education and working with teenagers, so he returned to teaching and coaching.
He has taught Social Studies and Language Arts for four years at the middle school level. He has coached multiple events at various levels in track, football, wrestling, soccer, and cross-country. During the summers he runs camps with athletes of all ages and abilities in the area of strength, conditioning, agility, speed and overall performance. Many athletes return to work with him when they have graduated and seek to continue to improve performance at the next level. His primary coaching endeavors have been coaching cross country both at the high school and middle school levels.
Christofis has trained in Muay Thai kickboxing and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for many years and has coached professional and amateur mixed martial artists.
He has competed in adventure races and a full Ironman and continues to train in the martial arts, running, biking, swimming, and multiple types of resistance training. He believes in the saying, “the will to win does not compare to the will to train to win”.
Christofis earned a degree in business from Iona College, where he also played football. He went on to earn a Masters in Secondary Education at Long Island University. He has taken post-graduate classes in athletic performance training and sports performance psychology and has lectured on performance training to coaches, administrators and athletes.
The recommendation of Christofis as Desert Vista’s head girls cross country coach is expected to be on the TUHSD Governing Board meeting agenda for May 3, 2017.
Source: Tempe Union High School District.