Community College Notebook / Steve Kresal : OCC’s Parmer Running Hard to Reach World-Class Status in Track

Chris Parmer’s dedication can be measured almost exactly. All you need is a calender and a calculator.

Parmer, a sophomore on the Orange Coast College cross-country team, took his training seriously this summer. With the help of Chris Hobson, who ran at OCC last year, Parmer had a detailed plan of workouts for each day during the three months he was off from college.

The schedule called for a certain distance each day, and several days he’d run twice. The workouts got harder each day for three weeks, then the fourth week was a rest period, when the runs were shorter.

Parmer figures he ran a little more than 1,700 miles or an average of almost 19 miles a day.

“Running is a word that describes me,” he said. “It’s what I do. It’s what I’m about.”

Parmer had a so-so cross-country season last fall for Orange Coast, running as the fourth man for about the first half of the season. Then, his left knee began to bother him, and it was discovered that he had tendinitis. He continued to run but his times dropped off.

Parmer rested during the winter break to get ready for the track season. Parmer, from Edison High School, is a middle-distance runner who specializes in the 1,500 meters.

“My true goal is to be a world-class runner,” he said. “That’s the reason I work hard. That’s my goal.”

He had a strong track season, finishing second at the conference championship. His best 1,500 was 3 minutes 53 seconds, two seconds off the OCC record.

“He had a great track season,” said Gordie Fitzel, OCC track and cross-country coach. “I think that’s what really fired him up to train hard all summer. He’s the perfect guy to be a team leader.”

With all the hard work, it was no surprise last Saturday when Parmer ran a personal best at the San Francisco Invitational.

Parmer, 19, ran a 20:30 over the 4.2-mile course and finished 10th in a field of about 230 runners.

Parmer next takes to the road Friday, when OCC and Rancho Santiago play host to the Irvine Invitational, starting at 2 p.m. at Irvine Regional Park. The women’s race begins at 2:45 p.m.

It is one of the biggest invitationals in Southern California this fall, with more than 35 teams taking part. Orange Coast is the defending champion.

“My goal this fall is to be one of the best 10 runners in Southern California,” Parmer said. “If I’m not, then it will be because there are so many good runners, not because I didn’t train and try hard.”

Football poll: El Camino, which defeated Fullerton, 31-24, Saturday, remains on top of the Southland Poll. The Warriors are 3-0.

Rancho Santiago (3-0), which defeated Long Beach, 38-29, moved into second place. Moorpark (3-0) is third, Riverside (3-0) fourth, Bakersfield (2-0-1) fifth, Ventura (3-0) sixth, Orange Coast (2-1) seventh, San Diego Mesa (2-1) eighth, Mt. San Antonio (2-1) ninth, and Santa Barbara (3-0) 10th.

Rushing battle. Leonard Russell of Mt. San Antonio, considered by many coaches the best running back in the state, received some high praise before Orange Coast defeated the Mounties, 22-18, Saturday.

“You’ve seen him before, you just don’t know it,” said Rich James, OCC defensive line coach. “He looks and runs just like Eric Dickerson.”

Despite those remarks, Russell wasn’t the most impressive back on the field Saturday.

OCC freshman tailback Mike Vaez had a 72-yard touchdown run and outgained Russell, 194-148. Russell stills leads the state with 547 yards in three games. Vaez has 352 yards in three games and is averaging 6.9 yards a carry.

Vaez is a 22-year-old freshman from Cardinal Newman High School in Santa Rosa, Calif. He scored 26 touchdowns and rushed for 1,300 yards as a senior in high school.

Community College Notes

Rancho Santiago tight end Lee Gasu broke his ankle in the second quarter of the Dons’ victory over Long Beach Saturday. Gasu, a sophomore from Santa Ana Valley, is expected to be out for the season. . . . Fullerton quarterback David Chisum was 19 of 45 for 289 yards in the Hornets’ 31-24 loss to El Camino Saturday. His 45 attempts tied the Fullerton single-game record first set in 1954 by Dick Larson. Fullerton running back Jeff Andrews had 52 yards in 18 carries, his single game career low at Fullerton. Andrews has rushed for 100 or more yards in 10 of 14 games for Fullerton. . . . Claudette Jackson, a 5-foot-11 forward, will transfer from Golden West to play basketball at Cal State Fullerton at the end of the fall semester. Jackson, from Logan High School in the Bay Area, was an All-Orange Empire Conference player at Golden West.

FOOTBALL STANDINGS MISSION CONFERENCE

Southern Division

Team Div. Conf. Overall Rancho Santiago 0-0-0 2-0-0 3-0-0 Riverside 0-0-0 2-0-0 3-0-0 Golden West 0-0-0 2-0-0 2-1-0 Orange Coast 0-0-0 1-1-0 2-1-0 Fullerton 0-0-0 0-2-0 1-2-0 Saddleback 0-0-0 0-2-0 0-3-0

SATURDAY’S GAMES

Mission Conference

Golden West at El Camino, 7 p.m.

Orange Coast at San Diego City, 7 p.m.

Rancho Santiago at Southwestern, 7 p.m.

Saddleback at Mt. San Antonio, 1:30 p.m.

San Diego Mesa at Fullerton, 7 p.m.