New Odessa High boys cross country and track head coach Ron Promesse wants his athletes to know that they can go as far as the Division I level or even the Olympics.
He knows because he’s been there himself and he’s hoping to use his own experience to help train and encourage his new athletes at Odessa High this year.
The former UTEP sprinter and Olympic athlete was recently named the new head coach cross country and track coach at OHS after having previously been at El Paso Socorro.
“To be honest, I’ve always seen the Odessa-Midland area as a place where there’s a high-level of talented athletes,” Promesse said. “I want to be a part of that and hopefully, just like with football in the area, bring a district title, area title to the Odessa region.”
Promesse brings over 30 years of track and field experience, including representing his home country of St. Lucia at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney where he competed in the 100-meter dash after qualifying with a time of 10.17 seconds.
Unfortunately, it wouldn’t go the way he was hoping.
During his race, Promesse tore his hamstring and he was unable to finish and that would be it for him in Australia.
“That was one of the more difficult times for me but at the same time, it prepared me for the journey ahead of me,” Promesse said. “This way, I know how to prepare student athletes better to compete at the highest level.”
Despite not coming home with a medal, the experience of being at the Summer Olympics was something Promesse said he’ll never forget.
“Being an Olympian is something that I’ve cherished and will always be grateful for,” Promesse said. “That’s something that’ll never be taken away from me.”
He even got a chance to meet several world-class running stars, some of who he ran with at UTEP including Obadele Thompson who took the bronze medal in the 100-meters.
“He showed me the medal and I held it and was like ‘wow, this is what an Olympic medal feels like.’ It was an amazing feeling.”
Promesse also got to meet American sprinter gold medalist Michael Johnson and Mexico’s 400-meter runner Ana Guevara.
“It brought me closer to a lot of people,” Promesse said. “A lot of the guys I ran against then are now coaching in college now.”
Promesse left St. Lucia in 1995 to run at an NAIA school before quickly transferring to a Division I school.
“I left during my freshman year because some people thought I didn’t belong at an NAIA school,” Promesse said. “They thought I belonged at a Division 1 school where there is more competition and where I could compete at a high level. So the coach allowed me to leave.”
During his collegiate years, Promesse ran the 100-meters, 200-meters and the 4×100-meter relay.
His first year at UTEP, Promesse competed at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.
He would become a two-time All-American while with the Miners, running a 10.1 in the 100-meters, a 20.7 in the 200-meters and his 4×100-meter relay team posted a time of 38.94.
“My coach Bob Kitchens was an inspirational person because of the way he talked to me. He made me believe that anything was possible,” Promesse said. “I was very fortunate. I wouldn’t go back and change anything.”
Promesse graduated from UTEP in May 2001.
Over the years as a coach, he’s helped his runners achieve their goals.
“I believe, truly, that if I have a student athlete that’s willing to go as far as the Olympics just like myself, I would be proud to help them out to become successful,” Promesse said. “Motivate students that want to run and that want to compete to the best that they can do and hopefully, get an athletic scholarship.
He’s looking forward to coaching at Odessa High.
“Every day, you’ll see me at practice with them and doing drills with them,” Promesse said. “I’ll tell them that if I can do the drills, so can they. I want them to be doing the drills correctly. I want to show them. I want to lead by example because I want the students to understand that if they think they can’t do it, I’ll walk them through it and put a little more speed with it.”
