HRC MISSION STATEMENT

Coach Barnes started coaching in 2015 where he was an assistant coach for the Georgetown Bearcats team in the New Albany Track Club. He is currently the head coach for the boys track team at Highland Hills Middle School. In his first year as head coach he had 5 athletes qualify for the Indiana Middle School Cross Country State Championship. He has built the program up and, this year, had 15 athletes qualify. He then coached girls cross country at Highland Hills Middle School before transitioning into his current role as head coach of boys cross county.

Coach Barnes is also an active runner himself. He competes in several distances from 5k to Ultra Marathons. He also enjoys doing Triathlons from Sprint to Full 140.6 Ironman distance races.

Coach Barnes is married and a proud Dad of 2 kids that are also very active in running and triathlon. You can usually find them swimming laps in the pool or biking/running along the Greenway.

Coach Bennett started coaching track and field in 2017 at Charlestown Middle School. 

Some accomplishments while at Charlestown Middle School include the 2019 state girls runner-up. Two cross-country all-state performances. Nine all-state track performances, two state champions, and the current state record holders in the girls 4x4. 

Coach Bennett is also an accomplished runner himself. While in high school he was a two-time cross country all-state runner leading his team to a runner-up finish his senior year. In track, he was a two-time state champion and 7-time all-state runner. Coach Bennett ran at the University of Southern Indiana with a personal best of 3:53 in 1500, 5k of 14:19, 8k of 24:13, and 10k of 32:04. He is still an active runner and enjoys competing to this day.

Coach Bennett is happily married and a proud dad of one.