The Colonels cross-country and track and field teams will try to perform like Olympic champions this season with help from new coach, two time Olympian, Agapius Amo.
Amo’s college accomplishments include being an eight-time All-American and NCAA Outdoor Champion.
Amo received his bachelor’s of science degree in Kinesiology in 1986 at Texas A & M-Commerce, and he also received his master’s in health and kinesiology. He earned a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education from East Texas State University.
In 1998, he was an associate professor at Tarrant County College where he taught strength training, tennis and running for fitness.
In 1999 he joined the University of Lamar coaching staff as an assistant track, field and cross-country coach where he trained All-Conference cross-country indoor and outdoor athletes. At Lumar, all of Amo’s athletes posted personal records.
In 2000 he began coaching at Southeastern Louisiana University. While at Southeastern, Amo’s athletes all set personal records in addition to turning out an MVP in outdoor track and field conference meets.
Before joining the Colonels, he coached briefly at Saint Agnes Academy High School in Houston, Texas.
Nicholls State University Athletic Director Rob Barnardi is very excited about the hiring of Amo and the possibilities of greatness that this year’s team has.
“Coach Amo is an extremely talented coach with tremendous knowledge of his sport. He is an accomplished runner and our student-athletes have a great deal of respect for his training methods and his commitment. I feel he will have a dramatic influence on our program,” Barnardi said.
A native of Tanzania, Amo represented his country in the 1984 and 1988 Summer Olympic Games where he finished in the top 25 at the Los Angeles Games.
Today he is married to Sandra Bratsh, and they are the parents of two daughters.
This season he will try to teach the team what he knows about being a champion in the hopes that they will do as many of his past athletes have done.
When asked about the outlook of the team Amo said, “They are talented, especially the juniors, seniors, and sophomores; if they can score in the conference, some of them have potential to go to nationals.”
Amo seems impressed with the athletes that he has inherited. “Some of the athletes here at Nicholls State are better than other athletes in the Southland conference — I’m impressed with the team’s work ethic,” Amo said.
This season it is very clear what Amo wants his team to do by listening to his philosophies. “I always believe in winning; I want to win because winning gathers positive attention,” Amo said.
On Sept. 5, Amo got his chance to see the team in the first tournament of the season. The Colonels cross country team finished fifth at the Tulane Invitational. The Colonels had two players finish in the top 20 in their respective events. Jeff Darggich finished seventh for the men and Kim Prestenbach finished 15th for the Lady Colonels.
With the experience of Amo and the talent of all the Colonels athletes, the sky is the limit for the 2003-2004 track and field team.