The Orange County Board of Supervisors Presented a Resolution in honor of the Department's womens running team and thier first place victory in April's highly competitive Baker2Vegas run. Special thanks were give to the influence of the team's coach, Retired Lt. Darrell "Guy" Poncy, who died a few days before the race.
The Orange County Board of Supervisors today
In April, the Orange County Register did a feature story ont he team and its accomplishement. To read the story click here.
Baker to Vegas Challenge Cup Relay
By the authority of the Board of Supervisors, the following resolution is hereby issued: WHEREAS, in 1985, the Baker to Vegas Relay was formed by members of the Los Angeles Police Department, as a way to promote physical fitness amongst law enforcement. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department began participating in 1987. Initially, one team of male runners participated; and WHEREAS, in 2002, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department put together its first “Baker to Vegas” women’s running team. The team consisted of twenty sworn female runners and two alternates. They competed against nine other women’s teams, coming in third place. Every successive year, they would tell themselves, “Next year, we will be better;” and WHEREAS, in 2007, the team was in first place with five miles left to go, but one of the runners suffered an injury and they ended up in third place. After the 2007 race, team members were determined to maintain their conditioning and when January 2008 came around, they were ready to go straight into speed training with Coach Poncy; and WHEREAS, starting in February 2008, they met every Friday and Coach Poncy put them through grueling sprint workouts. They conducted this structured sprint training for three months prior to qualifiers and everyone knocked minutes from their previous year qualifying times. Some girls met on the weekends to train together and most runners ran on their own, four to six days a week; and WHEREAS, the 2008 race started at 2:30pm on Saturday, April 19th, and ended at 6:25am on Sunday, April 20th. The Women’s Team had twenty runners, four alternates and ten volunteers. The teamwork was amazing to watch, as everyone on the team assisted in coordinating rides and cheering the runners out on the course, at all hours of the day and night; and WHEREAS, the death of Coach Poncy, just a few days before the race, was a shock and emotionally draining. An email received from Coach Poncy on April 14, 2008, was forwarded to the team members on the morning of April 15th, prior to the knowledge of his death. In the email, he explained how to prepare for the race, which included hydration, proper dress attire and stretching. He also said that he would be out on the course to help them warm up; and WHEREAS, in light of the news of his death, the race seemed so unimportant, but the team came together and remembered how much he wanted them to win. They all dug deep down inside and used their internal strength to stay focused and remember everything that Coach Poncy had taught them; and WHEREAS, on the day of the race, they told each other that Coach Poncy was with them and that he would give them the strength needed to push harder, and he did. On April 20th 2008 at 0625 hours, the twentieth female runner crossed the finish line and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Women’s Team won their very first Baker to Vegas race, for Coach Poncy. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS does hereby recognize the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Women’s Running Team for their excellence in the Baker to Vegas Challenge Cup Relay and congratulate them for bringing home the title of champions on behalf of the County of Orange and Coach Poncy. Dated this 15th day of July, 2008
John M. W. Moorlach
Chairman of the Board of Supervisors
Supervisor, Second District
Patricia C. Bates Janet Nguyen
Vice-Chair of the Board of Supervisors Supervisor, First District
Supervisor, Fifth District
Bill Campbell Chris Norby
Supervisor, Third District Supervisor, Fourth District
Those who participated on the team include
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OCSD Woman’s Team
Runners:
Sherri Gilman
Liz McConathy
Vanessa Anderson
Cindi Donnelson
Judy Jackson
Renee Ortego
Kristen Reyes
Melonie Cooper
Sonia Tipantiza
Ana Macedo
Edith Lucero
Susie Serna
Susan Edwards
Maria Vega
Jackie Martinez
Karen Hoffman
Nicole Freeman
Merry Hudson
Denise Hertsch
Myrna Caballero
Teresa Bard
Rachel Lawson
Maria Mendoza
Michelle Goodwin
Support Crew: (Follow van drivers and catchers)
Dori Dixon
Wayne Dixon
Kirk Antes
Chris Antes
Mike Lonich
Janet Lonich
Jeremy Morison
Bob Kasai
Vianey Castro
Lenora Pena-Sanchez