Coaches

Coaches

Reed Vertelney

I have been running since I was 16. I have run in events from 100 m to half marathons. My personal preference is distance running. I try to run 5 to 6 days a week for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. I write music and produce records. My credits include Luther Vandross(10 records), Destiny's Child, Michael Jackson, Marc Anthony, 98 degrees, Clay Aiken, Numerous American Idol finalists, and go as far back as Smoky Robinson and Gladys Knight . I have written songs for more than 100 records and have been nominated for 2 Grammy awards in the Best R&B song category. I have a bachelors degree in Geology from UCLA but upon graduation I attended the Berkley College Of Music in Boston. I have been playing music my whole life it seems and have my own recording studio which is where I work from. My wife Eva and I have two children, Jacob age 8 and Benjamin age 11. Both are Cheetahs! It is my goal while coaching to have the runners learn as much about track and field as possible while providing a positive environment where they can succeed. It is also my hope that they will love running so much that they become life long runners.
My phone is (818) 591- 9065

Andy Coradeschi

Team President and Midgets Head Coach
I started running as a freshman in high school and competed in sprints, sprint relays and the pole vault. I continue running today and often compete in local 5K & 10K road races. I ran my one marathon in 3:42. My goal with the Cheetahs is to have as many as possible come away from the season with a love of running and exercise that will last them a lifetime. Email me at acorad@earthlink.net

Daniel Barry

I am 50 years old and have been running track since I was 14 specializing in the 800 meters and 1500 meters with times of 1:50.1 and 3:50.4. I've run events from 100 meters to the marathon and competed in triathlons. I attended UC Berkeley on a track scholarship. I have a Masters degree in Exercise Physiology and Biomechanics from University of Oregon. My interest in sports medicine led me to podiatry. I completed my residency and fellowship working with diabetic foot patients at the Joslin Clinic and Deaconess Hospital in Boston part of Harvard University Medical School. I currently work as a foot surgeon in Arcadia. My wife Nancy Finkelstein, an artist, and I have three children Olivia 12, Isabel 10 ,and Alex 7. They are all cheetahs!

818-224-3857

Carolyn Coradeschi

My love for running began in Massachusetts in 1976 as a 7th grader when I joined my high school cross country team. We won the state championship that year and I was hooked. I ran cross country, winter and spring track ( the mile and the 2 mile) and competed in summer track events every year from middle school through high school. In college at the University of Massachusetts I participated in local road races. When I moved to Los Angeles I joined a local track club and ran 5Ks and raced in 7 marathons including qualifying and running Boston in 1997. I run 6 to 7 days a week on trails and compete in local 5Ks. I work full time in medical sales. My sons Cole and Cooper are both Cheetahs. Cole is a Bantam and has a passion for the 800 meters Relays and High Jump. Cooper is a second year Gremlin and enjoys the 1500. I'm married to Andy who coaches the Bantams. We are both loving coaching youth track for the second year and look forward to the day when our boys are old enough so that we can run together again! ccorades@yahoo.com

Kathleen Whitehead

I started running track when I was 11 years old. I have done 5K, 10K, and 3 marathons. I have 2 children both on the Cheetahs, my son Quinton (13) and daughter Casey (6). I have been coaching for the Cheetahs for the last three years and other teams and sports before that. I am currently waiting tables at a local restaurant while working on my Master's Degree in Political Science at CSUN. My goal for coaching is to help children develop a desire to keep with track and or cross country and to help them better themselves. Most importantly I want them to have fun and walk away from a season with a sense of accomplishment and pride in what they have done because if they put out effort I will be there biggest cheerleader and they will have improved!!

You can contact me at 818-577-5015.

David Simon

I'm 49 and started running at age 17. I've been doing 15 miles a day every day since then and have run the L.A. marathon 10 times (best time 3:20, worst time 4:30). I write computer software and run the Cheetahs web site. I have a wife (Robin) and two girls (Carly (15), an AHS runner and Phoebe (18, a cross-country and marathon runner) and a dog, who runs with me everyday.

You can contact me at 818-991-4121 or at davidbsimon@gmail.com or Skype name: davidbsimon.

John Pedati

I attended Georgetown University on a full track scholarship. While attending Georgetown, I was a National Champion and All-American. My college 2-mile relay team posted the 4th fastest time in the world my senior year. I have competed in a wide range of events. I've run everything from the 400m to 5Ks. My main event in college was the 800m. I have also high jumped and long jumped. I look forward to competing in Master's meets in the future. I have been coached by some of the greatest coaches in Track and Field and look forward to helping the Cheetahs reach their potential.
I have 3 children, Cooper (11), Julia (8) and Spencer (5). Julia is currently a Bantam and really loves running and the long jump. I have worked for Nike for 17 years in the Sales Division and enjoy running as much as I possibly can.

Gregory J. Smith / High Jump

Gregory attended Bolles High School in Jacksonville, Florida. During his tenure at Bolles he played basketball and was among a group of three individuals on the basketball team who excelled at jumping/dunking (one of those individuals, Dee Brown, went on to play for the Boston Celtics and won the NBA slam dunk championship in his rookie year). Greg was approached by the Bolles Track coach during his junior year and asked if he ever tried high jumping. He gave it a try and two weeks later he ended up finishing second in the Florida State Track and Field Championships. His senior year, Greg went on to win the Florida State T&F Championship with a jump of 6’-8 1/2” (to this day, still the Bolles High School record). Gregory received a track scholarship to the University of Florida where he competed and won several meets eventually hitting a personal record of 7’-0”.

Rick Bowen / Shot Put Coach

I have been involved in athletics my whole life. For as long as I can remember I played sports. Football, Baseball, Basketball, Swimming, etc., whatever was in season, I was on a team. This continued all through High School. When I became a parent, I passed this love of sports on to my kids. I work for Dell as a Field Support Technician in Woodland Hills. I have participated in a couple of triathlons and local 5Ks. I am trying hard to learn as much about Shot Put as possible so that I can teach your kids as much as possible. I want the Cheetahs to continue to have a well respected Shot Put program.
You can contact me at 818-591-7856 or RMBowen@sbcglobal.net

Clayton Graham

Since joining at the start of the Calabasas Cheetahs organization, I have been running for 5 years. I specialize in events from the quarter-mile up the the 2-Mile. My PR's include a 1:59.6 800 and a 4:30 1600, both school records set while a sophomore at Calabasas High School. Currently a junior in high school, I have received all-county and all-league honors for both Cross-Country and Track. I have medaled 3 times at the Mt. SAC Cross-Country Invite, my highest being a fourth place finish in the varsity boys division 2 race. I have been a varsity athlete for Calabasas High School since entering as a freshman in 2004. During my time in Cheetahs, I set records of which the 4x400 for which I anchored, still stands and the 1500 meter record as well. I'm currently training under American 800 Meter Record holder Johnny Gray. In my free time I enjoy performing music and watching sports.

Emily Graham

I am a 17 year old junior at Calabasas High and have been running since I first joined the Cheetahs 5 years ago. I have been running on the varsity track team at CHS with my twin brother Clayton since I was a freshmen. I won freshmen athlete of the year my first year in high school as a cross country runner on the varsity team and I am currently the fastest female hurdeler at CHS. I specialize in the 100 mH and 300 mH. I also run the 800m and 400m. I am also the News Editor for my school paper and in my free time I attend ballet classes. I hope to attend college back east. I love to run and my goal by the end of the season is to help the Gremlins love running as much as I do.

Jordan Bricker

I am a 15 year old sophomore on the Calabasas High Schol Track Team. I have been running since I was six.I was on the 2002 bantam Cross-Country National AAU team that brought home the gold medal in Ames,Iowa. I ran with the Calabasas Cheetahs in 2003. In 2005 I won the Sub-Youth gold medal for the 3000 meter race at the AAU Club National Championships in Florida. I look forward to helping the Cheetahs to achieve their goals in distance running.

Melissa & Stacey Smith

I am a 35-year-old proud wife and mother of our two children, Sage (9) and Kole (7). We live in Malibu where I work as a Certified Fitness Trainer and my husband, Stacey, is an incredibly accomplished Chiropractor. My background in competitive running started on my high school track team, followed by track and cross country in college, and continued with triathlons. I have competed all around the world and have had sponsorships from names such as Oakley glasses, Saucony shoes, Danskin apparel, and Hamilton racing bikes. I was a 2-time national age-group champion in triathlon and competed for Team USA for the World Championships in Australia. This along with many other successful races helped put me on the cover of Triathlete Magazine and Runner’s World. I’ve also I also competed (and occasionally still do) in local running races from 5K’s to marathons with very respectable times. I am fortunate to have trained with some of the best coaches and athletes in the world, which has given me an amazing background. I am so excited to share my experience and knowledge with your children and ours. I hope my energy, love and passion for running will inspire them to accomplish whatever they want with determination, confidence and strength.

you can reach me at ripleyrocks2000@yahoo.com

Maribel Goldberg

I have been running for over fifteen years both competitively and recreationally. I often compete in local races and am well recognized in the community as the "Calabasas runner". I have trained under the guidance of coach Pat Connelly and have won honors at many local races. I have been coaching the Calabasas Cheetahs since 2002 and I implement the program initiated by famed Olympic champion Johnny Gray. My interest in coaching is sparked by the participation of my two daughters, Samantha and Julia. It is my sincere hope that I will pass my love for this exhilarating sport on to a new generation of enthusiasts.

I can be contacted at (818) 223-8862