Melissa Merkel has been the volunteer assistant cross country coach since 2015. She started out as a collegiate runner at Central Michigan University and then went on to share her love and knowledge of running by coaching.

 

Before coming to coach at Jackson college, coach Merkel was the head coach of the Mt. Pleasant Girls on the Run Program, the Ann Arbor Slauson Middle School head cross country/track coach as well as the Running Fit 101 head coach. She takes pride in coaching the Jackson College runners to perform at their best on and off of the field.

 

One of coach Merkel’s favorite quotes is by the great American runner Steve Prefontaine, “ To give anything less than your bet is to sacrifice the gift.” That is what she pushes her runners to do!