Co-ed Varsity Track & Field Roster

Co-ed Varsity Track & Field Records

Covenant Christian Academy Track and Field Coaches

 “When we run, jump and throw, we feel His pleasure.” —Chariots of Fire

Meirwyn Walters, Head Coach

An accomplished Masters sprinter, Mr. Walters currently competes in the 100m, 200m, and 400m. Most recently Mr. Walters anchored his 4x400m relay team to the M55 World Record at the 2022 Millrose Games in New York City. He was a silver medalist in the 400m at the USATF National Masters Indoor Championships (2018) and a bronze medalist at the USATF National Masters Outdoor Championships (2019). In the 4x200m relay, he and his teammates won a silver medal at the USATF National Masters Indoor Championships (2014). Mr. Walters is a certified USATF Track and Field coach. 

Married to Nina, he is father to CCA students Mari (11th) and Carys (9th), both competitors on the Varsity Track and Field Team, and Davey, a junior at Hobart College.

Favorite verse:  “He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” –Micah 6:8

Jonathan Garcia, Middle School Coach; Varsity: Hurdles, Jumps

Coach Garcia is a three-time collegiate national champion and a six-time NCAA Division III All-America. He won national championships in three consecutive years, taking the 55m hurdles indoors in 2006, the 110m hurdles outdoors in 2007 and in his final race for the UMass Dartmouth Corsairs, won the 55m hurdles indoors in 2008. Mr. Garcia appeared in seven NCAA championship races throughout his indoor and outdoor track career.  He has competed in the high jump, long jump, triple jump, 100m, 200m, 400m hurdles, 110m hurdles, and the decathlon at the high school and collegiate level.

As a college senior, Mr. Garcia earned the prestigious New England Division III Men’s Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Year. He is the current UMass Dartmouth school record holder for the 110m high hurdles and was inducted into the college’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013.

Mr. Garcia was the assistant coach for jumps and hurdles at UMass Dartmouth (2008-2009). From 2011-2014, he joined the Stoneham High School Varsity T&F team as an assistant track coach. During his time there, the program grew from 25 to 75 athletes and went on to win both the Class D State Championships and the Class D State Relay Championships.  In just his first year of coaching, Mr. Garcia helped turn 9 student athletes into Middlesex League All-Stars and States Qualifiers, and each year he coached he consistently had the top 3 hurdlers in the Middlesex League with at least one of his hurdlers ranked in the top 8 in Massachusetts.

Mr. Garcia’s greatest passion is having the opportunity to instill in his athletes the life skills born on the practice field that foster personal responsibility, accountability, leadership skills, camaraderie, character, and applied excellence. With his wife Amanda, he is the proud father of their son, a first grader at CCA, and 2-year-old daughter.

Favorite verse: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”  –Hebrews 12:1.

Peter Pound, Varsity: Hurdles, Jumps

Coach Pound competed for Oxford University (UK), McGill University, and ACS Hillingdon (UK). At Oxford, he was the winner of the Oxford-Cambridge 110m hurdles (1998). He achieved the distinction of being awarded Varsity Blue, “the highest honor granted to individual sportspeople at the University of Oxford.”  At McGill, Mr. Pound competed in the 55m hurdles, high jump, and 4x200m and twice qualified for the Canadian collegiate national championships (CIAU). 

During his high school years, he was the European ISST champion in 110m hurdles for multiple years and also competed and medaled in 400m hurdles, high jump, 4x100m, and 4x400m. He continues to hold his high school high jump record (1993) with a height of 6’4”.

An avid squash player, Mr. Pound has also coached youth hockey (cross-ice, Mite, Squirt, Pee-Wee, and Bantam levels) since 2010, and has been the coordinator of Beverly Youth (BYH) hockey Learn-to-Skate program since 2016. Married to Kerry, he is father to CCA student Amelia (14) and also Charlie (16), Francis (8), and William (10).

Favorite verse: “Well done, good and faithful servant.” — Matthew. 25:21

Abigail Wirling, Varsity: Throws

 Coach Wirling is a captain of the Gordon College Track and Field Team. She competes in all of the throws events including hammer, shot put, discus, and javelin. She has been instrumental in growing the Gordon throws program and assists in teaching the younger collegians in all the throws disciplines. During her high school years, Ms. Wirling won the MAISAD Conference Championship (2019) with first place finishes in the discus, javelin, 300m hurdles, as well as in the 4x400m. She was chosen as the Championship MVP for her outstanding performances. Her marks qualified her in all those events for the state championships. She also regularly qualified for states in the discus, finishing as high as fourth place at the Maine Class D State Championships.  Having attended high school at Seacoast Christian School, she feels God’s call to serve him and the athletes at CCA.

Favorite verse: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” — 1 Corinthians 10:31.

Olivia Wood, Varsity: Distance

Coach Wood is a distance specialist. She started competitively running when she was 11 years old. Prior to college, she competed in numerous state, regional, and national cross country and track and field competitions. She earned 11 All-State titles during her high school career and was the Montana state champion in the 3200m race in Track and Field in 2012.  Outside of school, Coach Wood was a highly competitive trail runner known for always being the youngest runner on the line. She won numerous half-marathons and long-distance trail races. She considers her highest athletic accomplishment to be taking the overall women’s #1 spot at the Wulfman Continental Divide 14K Trail Race, a well-known trail race in the runner’s world. 

After high school, Coach Wood attended Carroll College (NAIA) in Helena, MT. She was All-Conference her freshman year and qualified for the Cross-Country National Championships. Later that year, she qualified for indoor nationals in the 5,000m as well. She finished her collegiate career at Westmont College (NAIA) in Santa Barbara, CA where she was All-Conference each year and qualified for three consecutive Cross Country National Championships. Her 5K PR is 18:06 on a loop course and 17:49 on a start-finish course. Today she considers herself retired and simply runs for pure enjoyment. 

Favorite verse: “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” — Zephaniah 3:17