2019 Coaching Staff
Head Coach Erik Belby
Coach Belby has been the head boys cross country coach at Pleasant Valley High School since the 1995 season. He has also served as the head or assistant boys track & field coach since the 1996 season. Mr. Belby has also been a mathematics teacher at PV since 1995.
During Coach Belby's 24 seasons as head cross country coach, the Spartans have had at least one runner in the state meet 23 times. The Spartans qualified for the Iowa State Cross Country Championships for the first time in school history during the 1995 season. Since then, they have competed as a team in the 1998, 2000, 2001, and 2003-2017 state meets. The 2006, 2007, 2008 & 2017 teams won State Titles. The Spartans were the 2012 and 2016 State Runner-Up.
Coach Belby competed for the Rock Island Rocks during high school and the Augustana College Vikings as an undergrad. Mr. Belby currently holds a BA from Augustana College and a MS in Sport Management from Western Illinois University. He is also certified as a USATF Level 1 Coach. The Iowa Association of Track Coaches selected Erik Belby as the cross country coach of the year in 2006 & 2017, and the track & field coach of the year in 2008. He also earned National Federation of High Schools Sectional Coach of the Year for the Midwest region in 2016.
Coach Belby has been the head boys cross country coach at Pleasant Valley High School since the 1995 season. He has also served as the head or assistant boys track & field coach since the 1996 season. Mr. Belby has also been a mathematics teacher at PV since 1995.
During Coach Belby's 24 seasons as head cross country coach, the Spartans have had at least one runner in the state meet 23 times. The Spartans qualified for the Iowa State Cross Country Championships for the first time in school history during the 1995 season. Since then, they have competed as a team in the 1998, 2000, 2001, and 2003-2017 state meets. The 2006, 2007, 2008 & 2017 teams won State Titles. The Spartans were the 2012 and 2016 State Runner-Up.
Coach Belby competed for the Rock Island Rocks during high school and the Augustana College Vikings as an undergrad. Mr. Belby currently holds a BA from Augustana College and a MS in Sport Management from Western Illinois University. He is also certified as a USATF Level 1 Coach. The Iowa Association of Track Coaches selected Erik Belby as the cross country coach of the year in 2006 & 2017, and the track & field coach of the year in 2008. He also earned National Federation of High Schools Sectional Coach of the Year for the Midwest region in 2016.
Assistant Coach Nick Sacco
Coach Sacco joined the coaching staff for the 2014 season. He is a graduate of Alleman High School and Illinois State University. Coach Sacco has been a tremendous asset to the Pleasant Valley Cross Country program since 2011 when he was hired to coach junior high cross country and teach high school mathematics. The Iowa Association of Track Coaches selected Nick Sacco as the assistant cross country coach of the year in 2017.
Coach Sacco joined the coaching staff for the 2014 season. He is a graduate of Alleman High School and Illinois State University. Coach Sacco has been a tremendous asset to the Pleasant Valley Cross Country program since 2011 when he was hired to coach junior high cross country and teach high school mathematics. The Iowa Association of Track Coaches selected Nick Sacco as the assistant cross country coach of the year in 2017.
Assistant Coach Kevin SommerCoach Sommer started with the team in 2019. He has held several coaching positions at the high school and collegiate level. He also served as a state track official in the state of Virginia. In addition, Coach Sommer was a committee chair for 4 years for the Spring Lake 5, the largest 5 mile race in the country.
Coach Sommer earned his degree and competed for the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. While there, his team won the NCAA Division III National Championship. He was an individual conference champion and school record holder in track. Coach Sommer is married to Jill and they have 4 children, Karson, Konnor, Kole, and Lydia. The three boys won multiple conference, district, state, and Drake Relays Championships and hold several school records all under the guidance of Coach Belby and Coach Sacco. |