Welcome to the Oakland Invitational Relays Profiles section where we highlight those individuals that inspire and motivate us!

Jim Tracy has spent over 17 years coaching runners and leading them to great success. He has accomplished this with a simple coaching philosophy: “1. Show up, 2. Keep improving, and 3. Enjoy what you do.” With this mantra, a rigorous workout schedule and high expectations, Tracy has built a running dynasty at San Francisco University High School. He has clinched 27 Bay Counties League titles, 21 North Coast Section titles, and a record 9, D5 California State Championship titles, making him the most successful coach in California cross-country history.

His girls' varsity team’s run for their eighth state title received international attention as one of his teenage athletes collapsed and crawled across the finish line of the 2010 Girls D5 California State Cross Country Championship. On that day, the team had made the decision to “do it for Jim” as he had recently been diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). This runner, along with her teammates, showed the strength and level of commitment fostered by their ailing coach, overcoming adversity and finishing the race for the sake of their team and their coach, Jim Tracy. The determination and perseverance displayed that day is one of the many valuable qualities Tracy instills in all his runners.

Jim Tracy’s commitment to coaching and to the Bay Area running community have resulted in his being the recipient of many awards and honors, including receiving special recognition at the 2011 Oakland Invitational Relays. Tracy is a Bay Area native, having attended Archbishop Riordan High School where he ran Varsity cross-country and track. He is also a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley.