Northwest Catholic alum and West Hartford resident Patrick Williamson ’99 will run the coach cross country program begininng this fall.

Submitted by Kimberly Sanders Spira, Director of Communications, Northwest Catholic High School

Patrick Williamson (center) with NWC outdoor track State Open athletes Christian Mackay-Morgan ’16 and Kelsey Geddes ’15. Submitted photo

Patrick Williamson ’99 has been named head coach for the boys and girls cross country teams at Northwest Catholic High School.

Williamson began coaching at Northwest Catholic in 2008 as an assistant coach in the boys and girls outdoor track and field program, and was the head assistant coach of the 2010 boys outdoor track and field Class S state championship team. He took over as head coach of the indoor track and field program in 2010 and of the outdoor track and field program in the 2012 season – coaching the boys’ team that swept the Class S indoor and outdoor state titles in 2012.

Coach Williamson has also been working with Coach Scott Fletcher as an assistant for the boys and girls cross country teams since 2013.

As a varsity member of the Cross Country program during the 1997 and 1998 seasons, Williamson ran on the team that finished as runner-up at the 1997 Class SS state championship meet. He has continued to participate in endurance sports, completing numerous road races at distances from 5K through the marathon. Williamson has also completed two Ironman triathlons, hosted in Lake Placid, NY.

“I am honored to take over for such a decorated and universally respected coach as Mr. Fletcher, who has led the program to multiple state titles in his thirty years as a dedicated cross country coach,” said Williamson. “My goal as a coach is to build a championship-caliber program through encouraging students to accomplish something that they previously thought was impossible, and instilling a lifelong appreciation for the benefits of running and exercise.”

Williamson is certified as both a USATF Level 1 coach and as an Endurance Specialist by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association. He lives in West Hartford and has worked full-time at Northwest Catholic since 2011, recently moving into a role as the Technology & Special Projects Coordinator.