Dani Moreno added to USA’s long distance running team

Warren High grad Dani Moreno will represent the United States at the World Long Distance Mountain Championships Aug. 6 in Italy. 

Photo by Nick Presniakov

DOWNEY – In last week’s Patriot there was a piece written on former Warren standout cross country and track and field runner Daniella Moreno. This is the follow-up piece on Daniella Moreno and her journey to the Women’s U.S.A. Long Distance Mountain Team. 

Moreno studied political science (comparative politics) at U.C. Santa Barbara and graduated with a 3.6 G.P.A. Moreno competed in both cross country and track and field during her five years as a Lady Gaucho.

Moreno was injured her first year for cross country but had a great performance in her first Big West Conference Meet where she scored in the 10k for her team by placing sixth. In her second year, Moreno ran cross country and scored by placing sixth overall and was the second scorer for the Lady Gauchos. In track, Moreno placed fourth in the 10k and third in the 5k. In her third year, Moreno finished sixth in cross-country and for track she finished second in the 10k and second in the 5k. 

In her fourth year, Moreno finished third in cross country and redshirted track. In her fifth and final year, Moreno finished fourth in cross -country and finished first in the 10k and second in the 5k. As her career came to an end at U.C. Santa Barbara, Moreno had ended with three all-time marks in the 3k, 5k and 10k runs.

While at Warren, Moreno was given several words of wisdom. According to Moreno, the best advice she was given was “to capitalize on your resources you do have and go out and seek those you don’t have.” Moreno mentioned that coming from a city with no hills, they would always drive as a team a few times a week to get practice for courses like Mt. SAC. By doing this Moreno maintained, “it really taught me that when you really want to obtain a goal you can have no excuses.” 

Since this time, Moreno believes that “I always make sure that if I don’t have something for my training I go out and find it or find a way to get it.” Moreno continued by saying, “especially in a sport like trail-running where no course is the same, you constantly have to be reconfiguring training routes to simulate the amount of vert there may be in these bigger races.” 

After dealing with numerous challenges, injuries, and setbacks, Moreno will be representing the United States on August 6th in the World Long Distance Mountain Championships in Premana, Italy. Best of luck to you, Dani.

■ The 2017 fall sports competitions at Downey High School will begin next month. Teams have been busy practicing, scrimmaging and running their summer programs while working around the C.I.F. mandated “dead period.” 

The “dead period” is three weeks of no scheduled or organized, face to face contact between coaches and players. 

Each respective sport must observe the “dead period” but may take the three weeks off at a time of their choosing. Many teams take the three weeks off as school gets out while others take the three weeks off before fall classes begin.

Fall sports include boys’ and girls’ cross country, football, girls’ golf, girls’ tennis, girls’ volleyball and boys’ water polo. The seasons start in late August and end in November. Seasons can go longer if athletes or teams, in their respective sports, qualify for postseason competition(s).

The Downey boys’ and girls’ cross country coach is Robert Gleason. The head football coach is Jack Williams and he has many assistant coaches on his staff. The girls’ golf coach is Jason Bean and the girls’ tennis coach is Denise Diego. The girls’ volleyball coach is Bob McCarthy and the boys’ water polo coach is Uriel Villa. The Athletic Director at Downey High School is Mark Rand. 

The Warren boys’ cross country coach is Ramon Miranda and the girls’ cross country coach is Jay Waldron. The head football coach is Raul Lara and he has many assistant coaches on his staff. The girls’ golf coach is Tina Schmid and the girls’ tennis coach is Mary Starksen. The girls’ volleyball coach is Scott Lane and the boys’ water polo coach is Jarrett Powers. The Athletic Director at Warren High School is Russ Heicke. 

■ The St. Pius X- St. Matthias Academy football program has 12 games scheduled this fall. The Warriors compete in the Academy League against Crean Lutheran, Orange Vista and St. Margaret’s. 

There are a total of four teams and It is C.I.F. Division 13 competition. 

The Warriors will open-up against the Webb Schools of Claremont at home on Aug. 25. The Warriors will then play Montclair at Montclair on Sept. 1, followed by Sherman Indian of Riverside at Sherman Indian on Sept. 8. The Warriors will then play Cantwell Sacred-Heart of Montebello at Cantwell Sacred-Heart on Sept. 15 and then Crean Lutheran of Irvine at home on Sept. 22.

The Warriors will then play Sotomayor of Los Angeles at home on September 28, followed by St. Margaret’s of San Juan Capistrano at home on September 29. St. Pius X- St. Matthias Academy will travel to Firebaugh of Lynwood on Oct. 6 and will then face Silver Valley of Yermo at home on Oct. 13. 

St. Pius X- St. Matthias Academy will then play Village Christian of Sun Valley at home on Oct. 27 followed by Orange Vista of Perris at home as well on Oct. 27. The Warriors will conclude their regular season schedule when they travel to Bosco Tech of Rosemead on Nov. 3.  

■ Former Downey High School standout wrestler Robert Chism has been busy working towards his college degree since graduating high school and currently has one year left of athletic eligibility. 

Since graduating from Downey High School, Robert has attended Cerritos College, Lindenwood University and King University. Chism is studying criminal justice and has a 2.8 G.P.A.

Chism originally chose Lindenwood University in Missouri because he thought it was a great school and that it would be a good place to study. Chism had to leave Lindenwood due to some medical issues which have since been resolved and will now be attending King University in Tennessee where he will wrestle for one season and finish college. 

Chism maintains that the best advice that was given to him in high school was to “never quit and keep moving forward.” Chism sees himself as a police officer in five years “helping all the people he can by making the streets safer for everyone.”

Chism also offered up some advice to young kids. Chism said, “never quit moving forward because there will always be something in your way and it may be hard to get through but it will always be possible. Best of luck to you this fall at King University, Robert.

■ Former Warren High School standout cross country, basketball and track and field athlete Danielle Rodriguez, “DRod,” has been in Iceland playing professional basketball. Rodriguez was back at Warren last week visiting her former coaches and sharing her experiences. 

Head girls’ basketball coach Rachel Palmer and head girls’ cross country and track and field coach Jay Waldron are extremely proud of Danielle and all that she has accomplished in her young career. The Warren saying of “once a Bear, always a Bear” certainly is true here. It is nice to see Danielle come back to where it all started for her. 

After Warren, Rodriguez attended and graduated the University of Utah. She has also traveled around the world to play basketball and has served as a mentor and role model for girls of all ages and ability levels.

Rodriguez played in China a few years ago and most recently was playing professionally in Iceland. As of last week, Rodriguez planned on returning to Reykjavik to play again this year. Danielle said that she enjoyed last season and that Iceland was great. When asked about the weather there she said that “Utah was cold too.” Rodriguez concluded by saying that while she is having a great time playing there “I wouldn’t want to live there full time.”

Rodriguez still hopes to play basketball in Europe someday. Right now, she is happy doing what she is doing and hopes to continue.