Agoura’s Skieresz to Skip Track to Focus on Academics

Amy Skieresz of Agoura High, the two-time state Division I girls’ cross-country champion, will not run for the Charger track and field team this season in order to concentrate on academics.

Agoura Coach Bill Duley said that Skieresz, a junior, is academically eligible to compete, but her grades do not meet her parents’ standards.

“I’ve always encouraged athletes to get good grades, so it’s hard to argue with her father’s feelings,” Duley said.

Although Agoura has several talented distance runners, Skieresz’ absence will hurt the Chargers, especially at the Southern Section championship level. She is the defending Division I champion at 1,600 and 3,200 meters.

Agoura originally finished third behind Long Beach Poly and Long Beach Wilson in last year’s Division I championships. The Chargers moved into second, however, after Long Beach Wilson was forced to forfeit 26 points.

Skieresz has a personal best of 4 minutes 53.97 seconds in the 1,600 meters. She placed third in that event in the 1992 state championships as a freshman and was expected to contend for the state title last year before a case of mononucleosis forced her to withdraw from the Masters Meet, the Southern Section qualifying meet for the state championships.