Riverside City College’s men’s track and field and cross country coach, Jim McCarron, was awarded coach of the year for the Orange Empire Conference for the 17th straight year.
McCarron took over the RCC track and field team in 2006 and has since led the Tigers to 18 OEC championships after his first year with the team. Since becoming the RCC coach in 2006, he has become the most decorated coach in the college’s history, winning eight state titles.
He has coached 50 state champions, 175 all-Americans and over 400 all-conference student-athletes in both track and field and cross country. Not only is McCarron providing success in the sport, but he is also focusing on academic success for his athletes.
During the 2025 state championship run, 83 members of the track and field team combined for a 3.14 GPA. During his tenure, he has enabled his student-athletes to transfer to four-year universities at a high rate. More than 450 student-athletes have received scholarships to universities.
“That’s probably one of the biggest accomplishments in my career. My goal is to keep providing a great environment for young men and women to move forward and get better,” said McCarron. “I have not changed much since I started at RCC.”
McCarron has prioritized academics for his athletes, but he also puts in plenty of work finding a coaching staff. His choices allow players to reach an elite level of coaching at each position and learn how to become better athletes in their position.
“He surrounds each and every one of us with some of the best coaching available, not only just within juco but even in larger NCAA Div 1-3 and NAIA teams,” sophomore thrower Omar Sanchez said. “He has an expectation of greatness and knows what it takes to attain that. He gives realistic goals and creates an environment where everyone wants to succeed.”
For the past 20 years of coaching, McCarron has had an impact on the community in many ways. He has organized and conducted clinics for Special Olympians and their coaches, and has also spoken at the track and field and cross-country clinics. The amount of time he has spent at RCC has allowed him to connect with the community and incorporate it into his coaching side work. McCarron has made a home here at RCC and has no plans to move to another school.
Since joining RCC, McCarron has led the team to success in the Orange Empire Conference. He referred back to how he started coaching in the 2006-2007 season and used the same techniques in the 2025-2026 season.
“My coaching philosophy has stayed the same from the beginning. My coaching philosophy is to coach the team like one of my own children was on it, so when I talk to the team, it’s the same way I would speak to my daughters if they were on that team.” McCarron said. “I have no desire to be at a university because God wants me here at this college working at this level to help young men and women move forward in life to get to the next level and to enjoy the process and get better as they do so.”
McCarron has done so much for his community and continues to be a mentor for the newcomers to the track team each year. Many of the things Coach McCarron does go unnoticed and are recognized only by the athletes.
“Coach McCarron has built the camaraderie among the track and field team, which makes competing and practicing so much easier,” freshman sprinter Artyon Celestine stated. “We have things like team bonding movie nights, which help the team grow closer as brothers, giving us something to go out there and compete for.”
This is something that McCarron has prioritized for his team and continues to do so. With track and field being a competitive sport, he prioritizes bonding in pre-season before working with the select few who make the postseason. Focusing on bonding allows each player to push one another to a higher level during the track meets.
“When speaking on the culture Coach McCarron has built, I think it is second to none. While it may come off as tough love, he knows the kind of mindset every student athlete needs in order to compete to the best of their abilities.” Sanchez said. “At times, it may create friction with some, but at the end of the day, I think everyone appreciates it. Those that make it to the end of the season represent exactly the culture Coach McCarron built, people who are hungry to win, who have worked all season, and those who are ready to compete.”
The players have ultimately grown from this coaching style and have improved tremendously during the season. Despite a “bad race,” McCarron always reassures the athlete that it takes time to improve.
“McCarron has taught me to give my all in everything I do, whether I’m pleased with the outcome or not,” Celestine said. “He has taught me to challenge myself, as it is the only way that helps me grow as a person. Lastly, in the words of Coach McCarron, he has encouraged me to ‘get a little better every day.”
The amount of work McCarron puts into molding the team into stronger athletes and better personalities is evident in his accomplishments.
McCarron has a few goals in mind for his team and himself over the upcoming years. “I want to get our student athlete universities and win state championships and continue to grow this program so that when one day the next person takes over for me, they can continue to thrive and grow as it has in the past 20 years,” he said.
After 20 years of being the RCC head coach, McCarron’s impact goes beyond the lanes and the championships. Through the mentorship and life lessons he gives athletes, he has helped many athletes to compete at a higher level and continues to build a prestigious program at RCC.
