Westfield High School has announced the hiring of new girls and boys varsity cross country coaches.
Whitney Bevins is the new girls cross country coach. Bevins is a 1999 graduate of Westfield High School and was a senior on the 1998 Girls Cross Country State Championship team and was All-State four times between track and cross country. She competed as a scholarship athlete at Indiana University in cross country and track and would eventually compete in the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials finishing 30th in the country in 2016. One of her favorite running accomplishments as an athlete was winning the 2012 Monumental Marathon.
As a coach, Bevins is in her second full year of being back at Westfield High School. She was also an assistant coach at Westfield in 2003 and 2010 and coached individual runners while training in Colorado. Bevins is a Registered Dietitian and Child Nutrition Director at Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Indianapolis. When she isn’t working or coaching, she is a dog mom to seven animals.
“I feel incredibly fortunate to have been an athlete at Westfield and to now have the opportunity to take over the program from Scott Lidskin, who was my coach and mentor,” said Bevins. “Running has taken me all over the world. I am thrilled to share my experiences and passion for running with Westfield student athletes, who are only just beginning their running journey.”
Josh Wachtel is the new boys cross country coach. Wachtel graduated from Westfield High School in 2010 and from Indiana University in 2014 with a degree in English. He ran cross country and track for Westfield starting in sixth grade and was a team captain and varsity letter winner for both the Westfield High School cross country and track teams.
Josh started as a volunteer assistant coach for the Westfield boys cross country and track teams after graduating from IU in 2014 and became a full time assistant coach for Westfield track team in 2016. In addition, he coached the Westfield Middle School cross country and track teams. Josh is currently an English teacher at Westfield High School.
“I am thrilled and honored to be chosen as the next head boys cross country coach for a program that has made such a positive impact on my life – providing me with valuable traits that I took with me into my post-high school life, and providing me with lifelong friendships and memories that I value just as much today as I did when I was in high school,” said Wachtel. “I am excited to follow in the footsteps of Coach Greg Albert and Coach Roger Wachtel, two of the best role models that anyone could hope for, and I am ready to continue to foster a team culture where people strive to fulfill their potential in all aspects of life. I look forward to continuing the tradition of helping to produce excellent young men who are prepared for anything they might experience in life after high school, and cannot wait to get started!”
“WHS has been blessed to have incredible leaders and mentors coaching our girls and boys cross country programs,” said Westfield athletic director Andy Tebbe. “Scott Lidskin and Roger Wachtel are coaching icons at WHS. Not only have they served our athletic programs with excellence and class, they now leave a piece of their legacy to take over our cross country programs. For years they have mentored athletes into quality young women and men and Whitney and Josh are shining examples of the fruits of their labor. We are excited to have Whitney and Josh lead our cross country teams. They are the true definition of Shamrock Pride and our cross country programs are in great hands.”
