The previous Varsity track and field Head Coach Brent Alfred resigned on Tuesday, Feb. 20, just four days before the team’s first meet on Feb. 24.
Alfred was living in Seattle and commuting back and forth to Los Angeles to coach the team since the beginning of this season. His plans for the future were unclear, as he expressed he wanted to continue to coach track in the future, but wanted to prioritize being a dad.
“I decided to move on from Marlborough because my wife and I recently welcomed a baby into this world,” Alfred said. “We made the difficult decision to leave LA for Seattle to be closer to family.”
Alfred made a significant impact on the team, guiding the team to four league titles (three for track and one for cross country). Though his leave came unexpectedly, the team communicated their appreciation for all his hard work and that he would be missed.
“Coach Brent was a great role model for all of us, and his dedication to the team and his commitment to pushing and empowering us will continue to inspire the future of Marlborough track,” Varsity track and field athlete Ruby F. ’26 said.
Shortly after Alfred announced his leave, Marlborough found a new coach, Sha’nice Hamilton. Hamilton was first brought to Marlborough in 2023 as the Varsity cross country head coach and will now take over Brent’s role as Varsity track and field head coach. She has over eight years of experience with young athletes and fitness, given her role as a youth exercise specialist. Hamilton has been welcomed with great enthusiasm from the cross country runners, who worked with her this past spring season.
“[Hamilton] brings a fresh perspective to track and field and the cross country team,” Varsity cross country athlete Ruby W. ’26 said. “Her teaching grounds us and encourages the team to work harder to perform well.”
Though the team lost its original head coach, Marlborough’s diligent work towards obtaining a solution allowed the team to continue to prosper. The team had a successful first meet with many athletes placing highly.
“My coaching style is very different from Brent’s,” Hamilton said. “Instead of focusing on a few events or placing athletes in events based on a point system for the team, I train them based on their individual form and capability. I pay attention to the way they run and walk and place them in the group that compliments their natural ability.”
