The Coaching Tree of Marcus' Beloved 'Coach T'

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As it's the week of the Marcus Coach T Invitational, we're reflecting on the legacy of Lewisville Marcus High School Coach, Steve Telaneus.

"A passionate life at 100% effort. That is the minimum we should require of athletes and people." Coach Telaneus shared that wisdom in a "Coaches Corner" with MileSplit in September, 2017. The love he gave his athletes made them believe that they could jump higher, go faster and push through obstacles, to reach goals they thought were unattainable. He focused on character development, pushing for excellence and showing his athletes that he genuinely cared. He instilled a passion and work ethic that led some of his athletes to collegiate and pro careers.

Coach T is in the High School Coaches Hall of Fame, was a National Coach of the Year and five-time State Cross Country Coach of the Year. Four state cross country titles and numerous individual state champions punctuate his resume. But Coach T's biggest coaching accomplishment is quite possibly the next generation of coaches he mentored.

When former Marcus athlete Andrew Cook applied for the Flower Mound High School coaching position fifteen years ago, he used Coach Telaneus as a reference. "He was a great friend, mentor. In my opinion, he was one of the pioneers of cross country in this area and in the state." Under Cook's leadership, the Flower Mound Jaguars have become a dominant team, with multiple boy & girl state champions in cross country and track, as well as the girl's 6A cross country title the past two years. Coach Cook has been named the USTFCCCA Coach of the Year multiple times.

Another Marcus athlete, Amy Dehdari, followed her passion and became a teacher and coach. Her career includes stops in Mansfield, Kilgore and at McKinney North. Since 2014, she has been the Head Girls Cross Country and Track & Field Coach at Plano Senior High School. While at Plano, she has coached state champions in the 400M, shot put and cross country. In an essay, after winning experienced Teacher of the Year, she said "being able to teach character development through running, hard work and commitment, is a wonderful metaphor to life. I know that I must lead by example, hold them accountable and provide consistent unconditional love and support in order to help them develop into their best self." Her approach and success are very reminiscent of her high school coach.

Current Northwest Nelson High School coach, Nick Benton, was a Marcus Marauder and remembers Coach Telaneus as "an incredible man and a mentor to many." Coach Benton spent five years at The Colony High School, before moving to Coppell High School in 2015. His girl's XC team won a 6A state title in 2018. And he is a recipient of the USTFCCCA Coach of the Year award.

Renee Metivier Baillie, Marcus class of 2000, was a 3-time high school state champion and 11-time All-American for the University of Colorado and Georgia Tech. She had a 15+ year career as a professional athlete, won multiple national championships and has been coaching and personal training for 10+ years. She is still an active supporter of the Marcus program.

And Craig Lutz, Marcus class of 2011, won several UIL state championships in both track and XC. He was a Big 12 indoor track champion and 2-time NCAA All-American in the 10K, for the University of Texas. He went on to a pro career and retired in 2018. Lutz once said "Coach T was the foundation to any success I saw during my running career."

Lastly, former Marcus High School Assistant and current Head Coach Andrew Reinberg said "I would be honored to have the same track record as Coach T. I may or may not get to that point, but if I do anything like Coach T, it would be impact the lives of my athletes and teach them how to be good people." At the inaugural Marcus Coach T Invitational in 2020, Coach Reinberg shared that Coach T was like a father figure to athletes and coaches. "He always talked about the joy of the journey and what that means. It's not just about running and competing in this race right now or this season right now. It's about competing and preparing yourself for life."

Coach Telaneus' 30+ year coaching career at Marcus High School was about much more than awards and trophies. It was about investing in young people, and giving them the tools and confidence to thrive and be the best version of themselves. And an amazing gift he left behind is the next generation of coaches, who continue to carry the torch.