After 21 years coaching high school track and field in Colorado, Grandview boys and girls coach John Reyes is looking for a new challenge.Reyes, 45, coached his final meet for the Wolves on Saturday at Jeffco Stadium, where the Grandview girls took runner-up and the boys were 15th at the state meet. Assistant coach Natalie, whom Reyes said “deserves every bit of credit for our program’s success as I do,” is retiring with him.
The couple met through track at ThunderRidge, and both have their own accomplished background. Reyes was a Broomfield prep star who won the 1994 state championship in long jump and the 1995 state championship in the 800 meters, an event he once held the state record in. “One thing he’s really good at understanding what the strengths are in each athlete, and placing them in events where they can find the most success they possibly can,” Natalie said. “And I think we balance each other out really well.”
Cunningham was the star of the weekend for the Wolves. After posting state-best and national Top 25 times in the 100-meter hurdles and the 300-meter hurdles coming into the meet, Cunningham lived up to the hype. She ran a 13.78 to win the Class 5A 100-meter hurdles on Saturday morning, then came back in the afternoon and won the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 42.71. She also ran the anchor on Grandview’s state title 400-meter relay and took fourth in the 100 .
“It was a traumatic experience for her, and I think it gave her the motivation and strength to push through her and carry on that legacy of what her dad did in his athletic career,” said Gabriella’s mom, Lissette Ellerbe. “It was tough going into high school without her dad, but she drew from that .”
“I know my last name Cunningham holds weight, so I hold that high expectation of myself, and belief in myself that I’m worthy of it and that I can do this,” Cunningham said. “I show up every day for it, just me against the clock.”
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