Head Coach: Jim Timp
Entering his fourth season as the head track & field coach for men and women, Timp is excited for the 2009 track & field campaign. His enthusiasm is rooted in the foundation that was applied when taking over the men’s and women’s programs three years ago providing a one team atmosphere. “The response and enthusiasm by the athletes has been very positive. We want to continue to build upon our efforts from the last few years with quality and quantity, continuing to become more visible within the MIAC conference.” Last season both the men and women had very strong team performances at the indoor and outdoor conference meets, including Marie Borner's national championship performance for the indoor mile run.
Before coming to Bethel, Timp was the head boys and girls cross country coach and assistant track and field coach at Irondale High School in New Brighton, Minnesota, where he coached among others, Victoria Moses to the 1997 Minnesota Class AA 3200m title and Rob Siedenkrantz to a second place finish in the Minnesota Class AA State Cross Country Championships in 1985.
Timp brings 30 years of coaching knowledge and experience to the Bethel programs, having coached at all levels from middle school and high school to collegiate and post collegiate athletes. He is a USATF certified coach in the distances, hurdles, jumps, relays, sprints, and throws and a level II certified coach in distances. While at Bethel, Timp has earned the MIAC Coach of the Year honor for women's cross country in 2008, as well as men's and women's indoor track and field in 2007.
A 1978 physical education graduate of Bethel, Timp was a national competitor in the mile and ranks in the top twenty all-time among Bethel Cross Country runners. As a post collegiate runner he competed most notably for the New Balance Race Team and the Good Times Track Club. Timp has been a Health and Physical Educator for the Mounds View School District, before joining the staff as a full time coach and instructor in the HPE Department at Bethel University.
Coach Timp and his wife Tracy reside in Arden Hills, Minn. They have three sons: Matthew and spouse Huong, Daniel and spouse Brooke, Benjamin and spouse Sarah. Jim and Tracy are also enjoying spending time with their three-year old grandson, Parker David and eight-month old grandson, Julian (JP).
Jumps Coach: Kyle Leaf
Coach Leaf is in his seventh season as an assistant with the Bethel Track & Field program. Leaf graduated from Bethel in 2002 with a degree in business, emphasis on marketing, and minored in political science. While at Bethel, he participated in baseball as well as track and field where he received All-Conference honors in the high jump. From 2003-2005 his exclusive focus was high jump, though, since 2006 he has overseen both the men's and women's horizontal jumps as well.
Kyle and his wife Jamie (Bethel ’04) reside in Coon Rapids, and spend the majority of their free time being entertained by their three-year old daughter Abigail, as well as Abby's little sister, Isabella (Ella), who celebrated her first birthday on Halloween.
Leaf is excited about the strides that both the men's and women's teams have made over the last five years. "Building on the success of last season is going to be challenging and exciting for both the athletes and the coaching staff. I know that the jumpers as well as myself are very eager to contribute to the continued improvements and accomplishments that Bethel Track and Field has enjoyed in recent seasons," said Leaf.
Sprints/Hurdles Coach: Mike Fregeau
Mike Fregeau, a 1984 graduate of Bethel, is entering his second year coaching with Bethel's men's and women's track and field programs. Fregeau’s primary responsibility with the Royal’s track program will be with the sprinters and hurdlers.
Fregeau brings 11 years of track coaching experience to Bethel. He spent seven years coaching at the high school/middle school level in the Centennial school district and then three years at Meadow Creek Christian School before coming to Bethel last year. During his time at Centennial and Meadow Creek, he had the opportunity to work with several section and state qualifiers and also coached the 2006 Minnesota state champion in the 200 meter dash and runner up in the 400 meter dash.
As a high school track and field athlete, he qualified for the New York Section II state meet in the long jump and also ran track for Bethel from 1981-83 as he competed in the jumps and short sprints. He was also a running back on Bethel's football team.
In addition to coaching the sprinters and hurdlers, Fregeau has been an assistant coach on Bethel's football team for the past nine years and is in his second year teaching in the health and physical education department. Before coming to teach at Bethel, he taught physical education in the Centennial School District.
Fregeau brings a competitive spirit and intensity to the Royals' track program. "I am looking forward to working with Bethel's track and field athletes and hope to coach with the same energy and fire that I have been fortunate to coach with in our football program."
Bethel's track and field program is looking to build upon last year's successes where the men finished third in the indoor season and fourth in the outdoor season and the women finished third in the indoor season and sixth in the outdoor season.
Vaulting Coach: Doug Novak
Coach Doug Novak has more than 20 years of experience coaching pole vault at the high school and collegiate level. During his time at Bethel , Novak has coached, among others, All-American and school indoor record holder Kevin Mosely. This season Novak has a stable of talented, young vaulters to work with this year. "This makes coaching a lot of fun when you have great young people to work with for both men and women." Last season, Novak guided junior Liz Labatt to a fourth place finish at the indoor MIAC Championships.
Doug brings a strong commitment, desire and wealth of knowledge to the sport. Doug is a 1981 graduate of Minnesota State Mankato and was a three-time NCAA All American, conference record holder, and school record holder during his competitive days. Doug works as an Account Manager during the day.
Coach Novak and his wife Jo Ellen reside in Centerville, Minn. They have three children: Jake, Jennifer, Jill and three grandchildren: Zach, Blake, and Allie. It should also be noted their daughter Jennifer has caught the pole vault coaching bug from her father and coaches at Burnsville High School.
Throws Coach: Bob Jones
Jones is entering his fifth season as throws coach, and the throwing squad continues to make improvements and is poised to impact the MIAC throwing scene. Two years ago, Bethel had their first ever national meet qualifier in the hammer throw when Lucas Blodgett improved his school record to 53 meters. During the 2007 season, the Bethel throwers qualified four athletes in six events at both the indoor and outdoor conference championships. Expectations remain high for the 2009 season.
Jones previously coached high school throwers in Colorado. In just three seasons he coached six state meet qualifiers including four medal winners.
Jones is a Minnesota native and began his collegiate career at the University of Minnesota where he competed on the track team for two seasons. He received a BA in Communication from the University of Colorado in 1987. Bob lives in St. Louis Park with his wife Anne and their four cats.
