Elizabeth Olear, a Bearpowered Hall Of  Fame athlete, was selected as Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year for 2006 by the Daily News for California’s San Fernando Valley and surrounding areas. Previous winners in the area include track superstars Allyson Felix and Marion Jones.

Only Felix and Jones have run faster times than Olear in the area, which includes a population base of almost 2 million people and over 100 high schools.  Her 100 meter best of 11.33 ranks 5^th all time in the state (Felix is 4^th at 11.29) .

Olear was a recent runner up in the Nike Outdoor Championship 200 Meters and the 5th place finisher in the Junior Nationals (20 and under).

The Daily News also named Barry Ross and fellow coaches Wes Smith and Jonathan Patton, as Boys Track and Field Coaches of the year. This year marked the reunion of the threesome that launched Allyson Felix on her way to track superstardom in 2001. Their efforts paid off as the boys team coached by the trio won its first Southern Section Division 4 Championship.

With the addition of Olear to the list, Ross as coached three athletes from 3 different schools occupying four places on the California all time track and field list: Allyson Felix (1^st in the 200 meters  and 4^th in the 100 meters); Elizabeth Olear (5^th in the 100 meters);  Jessica Cosby (9^th in the shot put )

Congratulations to all!