Clovis' cross country head coach has experience in community

CLOVIS - Elizabeth Hita-Ledezma spent her autumns in the late 1990s and early 2000s playing soccer for Clovis High, not running cross country.

And yet she seems a natural fit to replace the retiring Mark Bussen as Clovis' varsity cross country head coach, a personnel move that was recently made official.

Hita-Ledezma did train with Clovis' cross country team in the offseason during high school and did compete on Clovis' track team in the spring. More recently she served as one of Bussen's assistant coaches.

Hita-Ledezma knows the area well and is well-known in it, having taught at Lincoln Jackson Family Center, Highland Elementary School, Zia Elementary, Clovis High, and Yucca Middle School.

And, Hita-Ledezma has other experience that she thinks might serve her well as a varsity head coach.

"I have a military background," she said, "so anything that I expect them to do, I've done. ... I wouldn't expect them to do anything less than I could do."

Which means she will be actively involved in their progress.

"Hands on," she said, "not the kind of coach that's going to stand on the sidelines."

Hita-Ledezma is still an avid runner herself, aside from her involvement with Clovis cross country.

"Oh yes, I run all the time," she said. "I just ran seven miles (last Sunday). ... I also do jujitsu."

A big part of Hita-Ledezma's familiarity with Clovis' cross country program is assistant coach Billie Merritt.

"She used to be my geometry teacher a long time ago when I was in high school," Hita-Ledezma said. "She knew I was a runner too, used to follow me on social media, and she always invited me to run with the kids when I was training for my races."

With all of the above going for Hita-Ledezma, who is also a married mother of four, it seems likely that she will have a quick impact on the Wildcats cross country program. And Clovis High Athletic Director Lonnie Baca expects that impact to be a positive one.

"I think that she can continue the tradition that was started by our former coach Mark Bussen," Baca said. "Having been in close contact with him for the last couple of years will be good for her as far as knowing who the kids are, what we have on the team. Those are going to be assets for her."

Bussen agreed.

"Liz helped us last season as an assistant coach; she did a fantastic job," Bussen said. "She relates well to kids and she's a Clovis girl. ... She's passionate about running, and that's important for the kids to have that kind of leadership."

It will be a smooth transition from former to current coach.

"He's been on board 100 percent," Hita-Ledezma said of Bussen, "and we already have meetings set up to talk about the first race I'm going to coach, the Clovis Invitational. He told me he would help me set up the course."

Not that there won't be challenges in Hita-Ledezma's first season.

"It's always difficult to take over something that's kind of been in the same culture and climate for several years," Bussen said. "Billie Merritt and I worked together so well for years. It's going to be an adjustment for Liz, it's going to be an adjustment for the kids."

And this year has offered a unique challenge for Hita-Ledezma, like all coaches, because of COVID-19. Bussen thinks his successor can handle it.

"It's going to be kind of unknown, how those kids are going to respond to not being around athletics for several months," Bussen said. "But Liz is very capable, she's energetic and enthusiastic. If she can communicate that to the kids well, it's going to be good."

Even as she takes over for a longtime successful coach, even with the coronavirus out there, Hita-Ledezma is excited about her new responsibility.

"Running is a big part of my life," she said, "so I'm happy to be able to go to work and get paid for it. Pretty nice."