Last month, Katy Tompkins' Coach Walt Yarrow embarked on a new path and aspired to coach at the college level after being offered a coaching position at St. Thomas University.
That leaves the girls and boys head cross country and assistant track coach (distance) position vacant. The Tompkins (Katy ISD opening) is that of a program that has annually raised its standard of excellence every year.
Tompkins has been on the rise since it was established in 2013 and has made strides to enter the top tier program conversation over recent years.
When the greatest distance programs in Texas history are discussed, you'll hear names like Humble Kingwood, Luling, Southlake Carroll, The Woodlands, and maybe even Aldine MacArthur.
In recent years, other programs have begun to enter the top tier. For example, programs like Boerne Champion, Canyon, Cypress Bridgeland, El Paso Eastwood, Flower Mound, Katy Cinco Ranch, Keller, Lucas Lovejoy, and Marcus, have developed consistency within the state and national level.
What those programs have is dedication and stability at the coaching positions. The majority of them also happen to be in upper-socioeconomic areas.
Those are two factors that assist with success-related and sustainability traits that are required to maintain a high level program. Parental support/community and participation numbers are two key factors to the development of a successful team.
Tompkins is one of those schools.
They have the support and community strength, which has kept numbers high and quality athletes pouring into the school.
In 2021, the Falcons were carried to the state meet by three freshman boys on the varsity squad and in 2022, freshman Rowan Saacke began the first of her two consecutive state meet qualifications.
The distance program has produced all-state runners, a state champion, and multiple NCAA D1 scholarship athletes.
On the girls side, Tompkins had its first state meet individual qualifier in 2016, only three years after the school's opening. That was followed by three consecutive seasons where the team qualified for the state championship. Either individually or as a team, Tompkins has qualified for the state championship ever since 2016.
The Tompkins' boys teams also began qualifying for the state meet in 2016 and has yet to fail to reach the state meet even with coming out of Region 3-6A. This past fall, the team finished in fourth place at the state meet, the best in the school's history.
While, it is in a very competitive district with new schools popping up every few years, Tompkins looks to be a thriving distance program.
The school is currently looking for a new coach to lead it into the future and further continued success. The next Tompkins distance coach will land on third base and the hire will need to be a home run.
What Jeremy Dye, Amy Pitzel, and Walt Yarrow have built something special.
Katy Tompkins is a top five distance program in Texas.
