Growth of Bell-Jeff Invitational Isn’t the Work of a Couch Potato

Jim Couch, who walked on as cross-country coach at Bellarmine-Jefferson High in 1973, established the Bell-Jeff Invitational as an alternative to the Southern California invitationals that were dominated by larger schools.

The inaugural race, run in 1974, consisted of a single boys race between 10 teams.

On Saturday, more than 1,500 athletes from 85 high schools will compete in 17 races on the hilly 2.9-mile course at Griffith Park.

The phenomenal growth and success of the meet can be attributed primarily to the efforts of Couch, who is now the athletic director at the Burbank school.

What started out as a showcase for small schools has evolved into one of the most prestigious meets in Southern California.

The meet annually attracts teams from many of the Southland’s top medium and large schools.

Last year, Simi Valley competed in the Bell-Jeff meet en route to winning the 4-A boys team championship. Top individuals who competed included 4-A boys champion Richard Erbes of Glendale and 3-A girls champion Sandra Acosta of Walnut.

But the small schools are still well represented. Six of the Southern Section’s top 10 1-A Division boys teams will compete Saturday. Five of the top 10 girls teams also will run. Last year, 10 of the 12 Southern Section boys 1-A championship finalists competed at Bell-Jeff.

As the meet has grown and developed, so have Couch’s responsibilities.

“Originally it was a one-man show,” he said. “The first couple of years I did everything. But now that it has grown so much I have five volunteer assistants to help me. They are all very good at what they do. Without them, the meet wouldn’t be possible.”

Preparation for the meet has become a yearlong job, Couch said. Each December he mails high school coaches the results of the previous meet and an invitation for the next season’s race. If coaches fail to respond to his invitation, Couch mails them another one in June.

The summer months are spent making final logistical preparations so that everything runs smoothly when the race takes place in September.

Couch’s hard work has paid off.

Don Shotliff, the girls cross-country coach at Westlake, said his athletes are impressed with the race.

“We’ve been running there for eight or nine years now,” he said. “The kids really seem to like it. The meet has always been very well organized.”

Besides his position as athletic director at Bell-Jeff, Couch also coaches the boys and girls cross-country teams, the boys and girls track team and the girls basketball team.

He also teaches two periods of accounting and a physical education class. He is constantly in motion.

Soft-spoken and quick to smile, the friendly 34-year-old Glendale resident had an illustrious track career at Manual Arts High, Los Angeles Southwest College and Cal Poly Pomona.

A half-miler, he qualified for the Olympic Trials in 1972, finished fifth in the state championships as a high school senior in 1970 and won an NCAA Division II championship in 1973.

A positive experience with his high school coach, Dan Beattie, drew Couch to the profession, he said.

“When I was in high school, my coach was someone I looked up to,” he said. “He gave me a lot of advice and encouragement. I learned then that coaches could make a difference in a kid’s life.”

Interaction with young people keeps Couch’s job exciting.

“I really enjoy the kids,” he said. “I think I can make a difference to a lot of them like my high school coach did to me. If I make a difference to any of them, I feel as though I’ve given something back to the sport.”

He’ll probably keep giving to the Bell-Jeff Invitational.

“Each year I ask myself, ‘Is it really worth it? Is the amount of time and pressure put on me really worth it,’ ” he said.

“But I always come up with the same answer. I do it because I know the kids are going to benefit from it. That’s why I do it, for the kids.”

Races to Watch

Boys, Large Schools--The featured runners are Richard Erbes of Glendale, Aaron Mascorro of Rosemead, Steve Hempel of Walnut, Frank Flores of Hart and Javier Primera of Burroughs. Erbes is the defending Southern Section 4-A cross-country champion and Mascorro finished fourth in the 3-A championships last season. Hempel (11th), Flores (12th) and Primera (15th) also placed high in the 3-A championships. . . . The featured teams are Hart, the No. 3-ranked team in the 3-A; Beverly Hills, the 3-A’s No. 8 team; Rosemead, the No. 10 team in the 3-A, and Walnut, the No. 2 team in the 2-A.

Girls, Large Schools--Sandra Acosta of Walnut, Heather Scobie and Amy Reiter of Saugus and Jennifer Feller of Westlake are the leading entrants. Acosta defeated Scobie for the 1985 3-A title, and Reiter finished sixth. Feller finished 11th in the 4-A race in ’85. . . . Westlake, the No. 2-ranked team in the 4-A, is favored. Other teams to watch are Walnut, ranked No. 1 in 2-A; Saugus, the No. 6 team in the 3-A, and Schurr, the No. 7 team in the 3-A.

Girls, Medium Schools--The leading individuals are Robbyn Bryant of Hesperia, fourth in the 1985 2-A championships; Carrie Barber of Atascadero, third in 1-A meet, and Andrea Dellamonica of Calabasas, the 2-A champion at 800 meters in track. . . . Five of the top 10 2-A teams are scheduled to compete, including No. 2-ranked Hesperia and No. 3-ranked Morro Bay. Other ranked schools include No. 6 Atascadero, No. 8 Chino and No. 9 Nordhoff.

Boys, Small Schools--Defending 1-A champion John Trafecanty of Cathedral is the favorite in the individual race. . . . No. 2-ranked Fillmore and No. 3-ranked Cathedral should battle for the team title. Other teams to watch are No. 5 Webb, No. 6 Maranatha, No. 7 Paraclete and No. 10 Bell-Jeff.