In 1990, Jennifer Frere (Lacovara) became the first Cross Country Individual State Champion for Morro Bay High School. She's also one of only two female athletes to win a state title in any sport at the school.
"I was not a runner to begin with," Frere said. "My coach, coach Nerreli, legendary coach, coached cross country here for 34 years. He grabbed me out of his high school history class."
After lots of convincing, the dancer and theater student ran track her freshman year and fell in love with the sport. Frere ran cross country for coach Nerelli her sophomore, junior and senior years where she still holds the school records in the 1600 meter (5:07), 3200 meter (11:09), and for the Woodward Park course (17:57)where the State Cross Country Championships are held. The cross country star went on to run at Cal Poly from 1991-1996 where she became a five-time All-American in cross country and track.
Frere returned to the track where it all began for her alongside former teammate, assistant coach Jackie Wilson. Under Frere's first season as head coach at Morro Bay, the boys team earned a runner-up finish and the girls team an Ocean League Championship and runner-up finish in the Division 4 Central Section Meet which allowed them to qualify for state.
"She coaches like she runs," Wilson complimented. "She's just a leader and super positive, super encouraging, but we're expected to get a job done."
Frere and Wilson helped lead the Morro Bay Cross Country team as CIF runner up and Division 4 State runner-up in 1990. Now, they're helping the next generation of runners, and they're off to a hot start.
Senior Otis Kelly was the boy's individual Ocean League Champion, individual CIF Central Section runner-up, and placed 26th at State with a time of 16:01.8.
Freshman Shelby Taylor was the girl's individual Ocean League Champion, individual CIF Central Section Champion, and placed 22nd at State. Her time of 18:51.7 marked her as the fastest Morro Bay freshman ever, and placed her fourth on Morro Bay's top-performer list.
"Shelby just kept getting stronger," Frere smiled. "She's one of those athletes that really does her best at any workout. She tries to perfect her form, drills, her strides. She gets the most out of every workout, and it really paid off for her."
Taylor clocked in a time of 19:09.02 at the CIF Central Section Championships the week prior, shaving 17 seconds of her PR.
"I was nervous, but also excited because I'd been working for it all season," Taylor said. "And so it kind of felt like everything led up to it."
Taylor and the Morro Bay Cross Country team are off on the right foot with Frere in her first year as coach of the program, and Wilson in her seventh year in the program. Coach Nerelli's legacy still resides on the Pirate's territory of the bay, with three league titles and seven CIF Championships during his tenure. What Nerelli taught is passed down now to Frere and Wilson and the rest will stride itself out.
